I need some help on how to replace the stock engine air cleaner filter. I couldn't find anything in the Owner's Manual, this forum, or the tech section of this site. Thanks.

 

just pop open the top to the air box the buckles around the box...pull the old one out and place the new one in

 

I assume that the air box is the black plastic assembly with the large hoses attached that is to the right side of the valve cover. How many clips are there? I found two in the front. Are there clips at the back also, or is it hinged? How many at the back. Thanks.

 

just two clips and lift up and pull away

 

It's really not too difficult. I hope you know what the airbox iteself is.

Undo the clips, lift up on the top. If it doesn't lift up, look for clips that may still be on.

If you have dificulty doing this, close the hood, and never open it again. Then proceed to the dealer where you'll get ripped off big time, and probably laughed at too.

 

I just replaced my air filter. There are two clips in the front and the back is like a hinge.
You must place the back of the housing in place first and then close it like a clam shell, closing the clips in the front.
If the rear of the housing is not under the hindge, air will by-pass your filter.
If you have a DC strut bar, the housing will only open a few inches. You must remove both ends of the air pipe in front in order to be able to slip a new filter in from the front.

 

Did anybody who change the air filter find it difficult to close the air box. I mean i tryed to put hinges back on and it was hard like there was something in the way but there was not even my dad thought it was to hard to close it up.

 

i did when i changed over to the k&n drop in air filter it just too a little bit more effert to close

 

i found it easier to put the box back on when i loosened the intake hose clamp with the philips screwdriver

 

This was just the most frustrating experience -- bought a Fram replacement filter
and couldn't believe how difficult this was. Still dont have both clips locked in place.
This should have been a 2minute job but oh no. Unhook this remove that -- It took
me 30seconds to replace the filter on my mazda protege 5 which was a fram replacement as well. Thanks Toyota

 

I took the little rubber gasket off the Fram filter and compared it to the stock OE
filter and the size and flange thickness were almost identical, So I popped that
bad boy in the clamshell without it and sure enough the clam shell closes and
locks down like it should. Well I'll be

 

I just decided to go change my air filter. So, out comes the old one, in goes a Fram (it's also a Duralast - they're identical, I checked at Murray's).

No go. The box wouldn't close.

So when I looked, I noticed that there are key 'pegs' on the right side of the air box that push into depressions in the stock filter. If the depressions aren't there, the filter will sit on top of the pegs and the box won't close right.

If you just set a Fram filter on top of those pegs, *air will bypass your filter*.

 

mmk?

 

I had a guy at the oil change place put my K&N filter in.

Took about 3 minutes. Looked pretty easy.

 

I see you have the strut bar.
Can you just loosen the bottom end of the air tube to swing it away from the filter box?
So the bar prevents removing the box completely, and you just open it on its hinges enough to get the filter out and in?
That strut bar complicates cruise control installation, air filter changing, and brake fluid topping and changing.

 

Yes, I have the strut tower bar. And, YES, loosen both clamps on the air intake, pry and pry and you will be able to open it enough to slide the old filter out the front and to slide the new filter in.

I got the air box out without removing the strut tower bar, when I went with a short ram intake.

The strut tower bar prevents the top of the housing from opening more than an inch due to the bar in the way. The clam shell will only open an inch with the bar in place. Without this bar, the top comes right off.

Pry that clamshell open and swap filters.