CAI owners

[stevenlung]

Just wondering how often you guys clean the filter?

[JonsMazda]

uhh i've driven around 5000km without cleaning it yet....lol, no problems yet..

[whiteomega]

same...about 5k on it now, no probs yet.

[chinsterr]

35 000 km without cleaning .

I've been meaning to do it this whole summer but just never got around to it . O'well, it can last another 20K before next summer.

[WeatherB]

A follow-up question, how do you clean it?

[3GFX]

Yearly....and it doesn't even get that dirty. Plus I live in the country where it is really dusty.

You use the Mazdaspeed or AEM 'Dryfilter' Cleaning kit. Or if you have a K&N use their kit. Each intake can be cleaned differnetly.

[stevenlung]

Another question, do you guys have any problem going into the car wash? I'm afraid the water will get into the filter.

[1flycdnM3]

no problems with my local car wash and it is LOOOOOOOONG too! I cant imagine any other car wash using as much water as this one and i have had NO problems (gone through 3 times so far since i got intake)

Unfortunately, I dont have a reusable filter so in a few years (~40K of use) I will get the K&N, but yes a 'dryfilter' cleaner works best. I would recommend cleaning before and after summer (April/October) to prolong the life of the filter and keep it running at PEAK performance

[MattC]

I do mine every 8k...

I would say the whole spring/fall cleaning would be a good idea though, can easily get away with 2 a year.

[Victorious52]

i personaly clean mine every oil change which is about 5k, i use the K&N cleaning kit. And you wont have any problems in the car wash because the CIA is protected at the bottom by your plastic splash guard, on the back side my your plasitc wheel well and on the front side also by a plastic piece. if you take the splash guard and wheel well off you will see that it is totaly protected.

[b3GS]

it's a good habit to get into cleaning it in the Spring and Fall I would say.

Thats what I've always done with my cars

[nicker]

what does this cleaning kit consist of ? I am thinking cleaning the filter is NO easy task. not easy to get at on my car anway.

[blue3]

it consists of a solvent for gettting off the oil and dirt .. pretty powerful , and a aerosol can that contains oil . Recharger kit i think .

[yearoftherat]

Remember NOT all CAI filters are to be oiled. I know that the K&N filter kit is specifically designed for their product. I've got a MS CAI and it just needs to be cleaned with the solution that comes with the kit.

[theurgy]

I have a Bomz Racing CAI but I replaced the filter with an K&N, I have the sleeve for it and I have only had it for 1000K.. so far I've thrown 1 check engine light with the old filter, and none since I've replaced it with the K&N with the sleeve.
This filter is an oiled filter so I expect to probably clean it later.

[Hitman]

Just wondering how often you guys clean the filter?

YAY! I found a question i was going to ask! And i didn't even use the search function! Just thought i'd share that with you. :chuckle

[doughboyr6]

i haven't changed mine yet....i'm just gonna do it once a year and come this spring/summer, i'm just gonna buy a new one for $35

[Moses]

I just cleand it yesterday, and i used K&N cleaning kit.
I have fujitaCAI and i didnt clean it for about 15k.

[andytam]

I recently took my CAI off.
When I looked in the piping I saw that there were "dirty water marks" that were dried up.
This was near the "other end" of the intake which connects into the the engine.

I was just wondering if this was normal? I have an AEM dry filter and its only been used for about 5000KM. The filter looks clean. I'm just a little worried, it seems like some dirty moisture got into the engine?

[mogul_pro]

i haven't changed mine yet....i'm just gonna do it once a year and come this spring/summer, i'm just gonna buy a new one for $35

Same.. I have an Injen CAI... will buy a new filter instead of wasting time cleaning such a cheap part..

[doughboyr6]

i took my car thru the car wash for the first time since getting a CAI back last summer....i had no problems though i did take precautionary measures....i taped up about 1/2 of the vents in the driver side wheel well (1/2 because i couldn't reach all of it).

did the Esso full wash with the undersrpay...drove gently for the next 10-20 KMS before i revved past 3.5K.

[Carlisle]

guy i have the fujita f5 intake. How do i clean this filter? what kit do i use? the f5 didnt come with a cleaning kit if i recall.. does anyone know.. or have any expieriecne cleaning the fujita filter.

thanks

[doughboyr6]

i have the F5, but haven't cleaned it yet/before. If you want to clean kit, get one of the cleaning kits from AEM or K&N. i don't know too much about it.

[Videcak]

I just check it whenever I do an oil change. Mines not winter driven, so it stays pretty clean. Only takes a quick second when under the car to check when waiting for oil to fully drain.

[theurgy]

i took my car thru the car wash for the first time since getting a CAI back last summer....i had no problems though i did take precautionary measures....i taped up about 1/2 of the vents in the driver side wheel well (1/2 because i couldn't reach all of it).

did the Esso full wash with the undersrpay...drove gently for the next 10-20 KMS before i revved past 3.5K.

I found that's a good reason for the filter being wet, especially with my former Bomz CAI (same shape as an Injen).
I ended up using a rubber plastic matting material and riveting it inside of that wheel well. (meaning the matting was facing the inside engine compartment and not visible). This removed alot of problems and my CAI was barely seeing moisture.

[WLS ZMZM]

Installed my CAI approx 2 weeks ago, and took the car through its first car wash since, I opted out of getting the undercar wash as I was nervous the regular wash didn't seem to have any effect on the car. Glad to hear others have had the under car wash and not had an issue.

[azn_outlaw]

well those who are running any barnd CAI just for better re-assurance:

Look into this:

http://www.outerwearsracing.com/

[eman124]

just a quick question

when you guys take the filter out for cleaning,
you take it out form the wheel well right?
like you don't have to take the bumper off (like the installation)?

I have beeen usin the same filter for 25000km
just tooo lazy..

[mit-gee-mui]

Here are some tips/instructions. Some people take it out from the wheel well, while others use a different way.

http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=19403&highlight=clean%2A+air+filter

http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=19408


Regarding bumper removal

http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showpost.php?p=101587&postcount=16


I hope this answers your questions.:)

[whiteomega]

MGM, Master of the Jedi Archives, strikes again ;)

for the mazdaspeed intake you can do it through the wheel well. this summer though i'm going to buy a spare filter and just swap them, while i clean the old one.

[yearoftherat]

You can do it via wheel well but is a PITA to remover the air box and resonator. I took the front bumper off

[mleblond]

just installed mine this weekend an it says every 20 000 miles...32186.88km's :)

[Gio81]

Hello all! Does anyone on this thread or site know of anyone selling a used CAI? Preferably an Injen for a 07 Mazda3 sedan 2.3L?

[mit-gee-mui]

Hello all! Does anyone on this thread or site know of anyone selling a used CAI? Preferably an Injen for a 07 Mazda3 sedan 2.3L?
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=21404&highlight=cai

Not sure if it fits the 07 and if he's still selling. Note: this was on a hatch.

[andytam]

you guys should try using the 3M clear duct tape to patch up the wheel well vent if you're afraid of the filter getting wet.
the clear duct tape was like, made to withstand weathering and a bunch of other things.
i did this for the winter and i must say A+
its 7 bucks a roll though

[alhope34]

Last week end when I was changing to the summers I put on my new CAI filter I got. (Thanks again Joe!) The old filter was on since the CAI was put on by Vlad (used but washed clean). Drove it all winter, about 10,000kms, mostly highway. It was so dirty it was almost black, sand all stuck in it, and the whole bottom was white from crusted on salt. Not a nice picture. Also during the winter somehow the bolts holding the metal shield over it fell out, and the shield was just sitting below the filter on the plastic shrouding on the bottom. I couldn't find any bolts that fit in the Canadian tire where I was working in the parking lot, so I just zip tied it on. I'd really clean it more often than they suggest. Since CAI filters are so close to the ground they will pick up much, much more crap. I'm going to start cleaning mine every spring/fall now that I have two I can just keep switching them.

[Nextmod]

Hello all! Does anyone on this thread or site know of anyone selling a used CAI? Preferably an Injen for a 07 Mazda3 sedan 2.3L?

I dont have a used one but I am doing a the Fujita CAI on special at $200 cash pick up if you are interested

[crazycanuck]

heh, if it a bit buy the cleaning set. I'd do what some mentioned and just buy a new filter.

[BenChan]

man .. i have a CAI and it gets WET every time it rains or when i wash my car .. water does not get in from the wheel well but water DOES get in by the left light .. (left hood crack) .. and its RIGHT ON TOP of the filter and water WILL leak RIGHT down to the filter ... leaving water ON my filter .. and end up have a god damn CEL. SOME PLEASE TELL ME HOW TO PREVENT THIS SHIT FROM HAPPENING because its pissing me the **** off. CEL CEL CEL CEL ! hate it.

[06Touring3]

what intake do you have? i have a CAI and the filter sits right on the wheel well where those slits are (i'm assuming to let air pass to th brakes) and i never get CELs

[Soyabean]

perhaps where it's cracked you apply something like silicone underneath your hood so water can't leak through. Im guessing the only thing you can do is find something to water from falling onto the filter or worse scenario remove you cai.

That or buy an OBD II reader from cdn tire and just simply reset the code everytime it shows up

[BenChan]

okay open your hook when you have the chance .. look at the LEFT side .. you see those little holes where you can look down and you see the filter .. thats where the water gets in and leaks STRAIGHT down to the filter everytime it rains or when i wash the car. NOONE has this problem?!?!?!

[KenYork]

I'm assuming things may be a bit different between a sedan and a hatch. I never had a problem with the Injen in my sedan while I had it.