I finally got around to installing my front grille yesterday. To make it easier to do so, I removed the airbox lid so that I could take out my AusS2000 CAI.

With the lid off. I noticed that there was a small amount of road salt in there. Not altogether surprising given the addition of the CAI and the amount of salt that gritters have been spreading lately. Of greater concern however was the fact that the air filter is quite grubby. The "dirt" on it also appears to be oily

I've run with the airbox lid off in the past but it never had this kind of effect on the air filter. I imagine that it must be as a result of having fitted the CAI. Anyone have any ideas what might have caused it? Is it a cause for concern? The car has done 15,500 miles, of which perhaps 2,000 have been with the CAI installed.

As an aside, I also noticed that I had two or three chips on the CAI which weren't there when it was fitted maybe about 6 weeks back. They're not in positons which could have been caused by contact with the bonnet lid on closing. I assume it must have been caused by stones flying up into the engine back from underneath. Anyone else with an Aus CAI noticed this?

 

Mark:
I think that without a doubt, your chipping problems were caused prior to fitting your grill. You only have to see the damage your radiator matrix takes from flying stones to appreciate the debris that comes through that front opening.

I think you will find your filter getting rather dirtier as a result of the CAI but I don't think it's anything to be concerned about as long as you keep an eye on it. Time to get a permanent/washable filter?

 

Precisely what I was thinking, Ced. I've just been doing a search on replacement JR or K&N filters. I've e-mailed a supplier previously used by Composite Guru when he was trying to source a repalcement filter and asked them for a quote.

I was just a bit concerned that oily dirt in the air filter might be symptomatic of something unpleasant. If it's nothing to be concerned about, I'll just swap the filter in the next few weeks.

Cheers Tonky

 

All of which reminds me that the CTR radiator is even more vunerable than the S, so much so that Honda have bought out a very expensive grill as result of all the warranty rad replacements they've been doing! Time for a visit to H******S methinks!

 

I've been looking into getting a K&N filter too - they've also got re-charge kits for maintaining the filter after it gets mucky. Anybody interested in doing a GB?

 

Mark, how do you get all the salt out? and how do you get everything under the bonnet to look shiny again?

(please no one suggest "try not driving up the M6 every weekend" as thats not an option)

back on topic: Dirty air filter...yes it was

 

I'll hoover the salt out of the airbox in due course, maybe the loose stuff in the engine bay too.

As for getting the engine bay clean again, I'm sure someone (Leggy perhaps?) has posted in the past about using a product which you spray over the engine bay, having covered up the electrics, and it gets it back to an as-new state. My only concern in doing that is I wouldn't know what needed to covered up and what could be left exposed.........

 

Get yourself a K&N. 2 minutes to fit, smoother responses from the engine and more power.

Mine was about

 

Where did you order yours from, Shipley?

 

I knew you'd ask that.

I've been hunting but can;t remember.

I know it was a company, recommended in a thread here and based in Milton Keynes. (like bloody Cluedo this !!)

Have you tried a search for K&N ?

Sorry....I'll have a look at the info at home later.