sudz
06-21-2013, 11:30 PM
Hi All,
Just tackled replacing the Air Filter on my 2.0 Litre 2007 Mazda3 GS.
It was VERY easy, and I couldn't find a How To, so I decided to take some pictures, and do it myself.
Disclaimer: I had no instructions, I just did what I figured was necessary. This isn't guaranteed to be the easiest way to do this, but I had the whole thing done in 20 minutes. If you screw this up, blow up your house, or anything bad happens as a result of the instructions below, its your own bloody fault, Don't come after me! When in doubt, hire a professional.
Begin:
1. Jack up the car safely and use your jack stands. You'll be putting your head under the car, so use your head (har har) and make sure its safe.
The Air filter is at the front driver side, Between the Wheel well and the fog light.
2. I removed the tire, it made it tons easier. I'm only partially confidant that this could be done without it, but it'll probably take you longer than if you just took off the tire.
3. Remove the 2 or 3 Plastic "Expansion fastener" screw things from the inner lip of the wheel well, that hold the front portion of the plastic wheel well. (Blue circles)
4. Remove the three right most screws (Phillips screwdriver or 8? or 10?mm socket that hold the plastic wind guard to the front bumper. (red circles)
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll62/sudz3/Capture_zpsac61e32c.png (http://s285.photobucket.com/user/sudz3/media/Capture_zpsac61e32c.png.html)
5. The Plastic should be relatively free. It was a warm day, so I just kind of bent/pivoted it backwards behind the brake rotor and it held it there perfectly without putting too much stress on anything.
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll62/sudz3/20130621_191146_zps24cadd26.jpg (http://s285.photobucket.com/user/sudz3/media/20130621_191146_zps24cadd26.jpg.html)
Now, you can see the splash sheild, and the filter. My filter was ****ing disgusting, and clearly I need to be beat and flamed for letting it get to this point.
At the base of the filter (toward the pipe/inside of the engine bay) there is a hose clamp. A medium sized slot head screw driver will allow you loosen this off. I did this until the clamp moved around freely and could be moved up the CAI piping.
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll62/sudz3/20130621_191219_zps308e99c5.jpg (http://s285.photobucket.com/user/sudz3/media/20130621_191219_zps308e99c5.jpg.html)
6. On the bottom of the filter there's a nub that sits into the end of the splash guard. Bend/apply a mild amount of pressure to pop it out of there.
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll62/sudz3/05c61528-ef91-41dc-ad4e-f12661617d62_zps685b63d8.jpg (http://s285.photobucket.com/user/sudz3/media/05c61528-ef91-41dc-ad4e-f12661617d62_zps685b63d8.jpg.html)
Now, pull down on the filter and wiggle it out. Gently twisting the part that is attached to the piping (which no longer has the hose clamp tight on it) It should come off with just a couple pounds of tugging force.
I am replacing my filter because the rubber has become brittle and was cracking.
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll62/sudz3/20130621_190738_zps6ff24589.jpg (http://s285.photobucket.com/user/sudz3/media/20130621_190738_zps6ff24589.jpg.html)
I didn't take any pictures of the CAI with no filter. sorry!
7. Once the filter has come out, make sure nothing fell into the CAI piping. its horizontal to the ground, so its possible that sand/dirt got in there and would get sucked up when you turn on the car.
Pro Tip: If you're going to use this filter again, a good practice is to keep the opening facing the ground so nothing contaminates the clean "inside" of the filter.
8. Clean the filter as per instructions on cleaning kit for your filter, Or buy a new one.
Read this backwards to re-install. ;-)
Heres my disgusting old one, and my new one.
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll62/sudz3/20130621_190710_zps44204064.jpg
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll62/sudz3/20130621_190729_zps97501616.jpg
BS Excuses: Since moving to hamilton, The KM's have been flying by, and this completely slipped my mind.
The difference is literally night and day. I'm an idiot for letting this go so long!
Also, What surprised me is that the CAI is very... loose. There is a support arm off the side, however it doesn't actually attach to anything. it just has a rubber bumper which I assume is just to stop vibration. Weird design!
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll62/sudz3/20130621_191229_zps8b0ab63c.jpg (http://s285.photobucket.com/user/sudz3/media/20130621_191229_zps8b0ab63c.jpg.html)
On a scale of 1-10, I'd rate this a solid 2/10 or an easy 3/10. Replacing your headlight can be harder than this. lol.
Well, Hope this helped!
Just tackled replacing the Air Filter on my 2.0 Litre 2007 Mazda3 GS.
It was VERY easy, and I couldn't find a How To, so I decided to take some pictures, and do it myself.
Disclaimer: I had no instructions, I just did what I figured was necessary. This isn't guaranteed to be the easiest way to do this, but I had the whole thing done in 20 minutes. If you screw this up, blow up your house, or anything bad happens as a result of the instructions below, its your own bloody fault, Don't come after me! When in doubt, hire a professional.
Begin:
1. Jack up the car safely and use your jack stands. You'll be putting your head under the car, so use your head (har har) and make sure its safe.
The Air filter is at the front driver side, Between the Wheel well and the fog light.
2. I removed the tire, it made it tons easier. I'm only partially confidant that this could be done without it, but it'll probably take you longer than if you just took off the tire.
3. Remove the 2 or 3 Plastic "Expansion fastener" screw things from the inner lip of the wheel well, that hold the front portion of the plastic wheel well. (Blue circles)
4. Remove the three right most screws (Phillips screwdriver or 8? or 10?mm socket that hold the plastic wind guard to the front bumper. (red circles)
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll62/sudz3/Capture_zpsac61e32c.png (http://s285.photobucket.com/user/sudz3/media/Capture_zpsac61e32c.png.html)
5. The Plastic should be relatively free. It was a warm day, so I just kind of bent/pivoted it backwards behind the brake rotor and it held it there perfectly without putting too much stress on anything.
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll62/sudz3/20130621_191146_zps24cadd26.jpg (http://s285.photobucket.com/user/sudz3/media/20130621_191146_zps24cadd26.jpg.html)
Now, you can see the splash sheild, and the filter. My filter was ****ing disgusting, and clearly I need to be beat and flamed for letting it get to this point.
At the base of the filter (toward the pipe/inside of the engine bay) there is a hose clamp. A medium sized slot head screw driver will allow you loosen this off. I did this until the clamp moved around freely and could be moved up the CAI piping.
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll62/sudz3/20130621_191219_zps308e99c5.jpg (http://s285.photobucket.com/user/sudz3/media/20130621_191219_zps308e99c5.jpg.html)
6. On the bottom of the filter there's a nub that sits into the end of the splash guard. Bend/apply a mild amount of pressure to pop it out of there.
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll62/sudz3/05c61528-ef91-41dc-ad4e-f12661617d62_zps685b63d8.jpg (http://s285.photobucket.com/user/sudz3/media/05c61528-ef91-41dc-ad4e-f12661617d62_zps685b63d8.jpg.html)
Now, pull down on the filter and wiggle it out. Gently twisting the part that is attached to the piping (which no longer has the hose clamp tight on it) It should come off with just a couple pounds of tugging force.
I am replacing my filter because the rubber has become brittle and was cracking.
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll62/sudz3/20130621_190738_zps6ff24589.jpg (http://s285.photobucket.com/user/sudz3/media/20130621_190738_zps6ff24589.jpg.html)
I didn't take any pictures of the CAI with no filter. sorry!
7. Once the filter has come out, make sure nothing fell into the CAI piping. its horizontal to the ground, so its possible that sand/dirt got in there and would get sucked up when you turn on the car.
Pro Tip: If you're going to use this filter again, a good practice is to keep the opening facing the ground so nothing contaminates the clean "inside" of the filter.
8. Clean the filter as per instructions on cleaning kit for your filter, Or buy a new one.
Read this backwards to re-install. ;-)
Heres my disgusting old one, and my new one.
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll62/sudz3/20130621_190710_zps44204064.jpg
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll62/sudz3/20130621_190729_zps97501616.jpg
BS Excuses: Since moving to hamilton, The KM's have been flying by, and this completely slipped my mind.
The difference is literally night and day. I'm an idiot for letting this go so long!
Also, What surprised me is that the CAI is very... loose. There is a support arm off the side, however it doesn't actually attach to anything. it just has a rubber bumper which I assume is just to stop vibration. Weird design!
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll62/sudz3/20130621_191229_zps8b0ab63c.jpg (http://s285.photobucket.com/user/sudz3/media/20130621_191229_zps8b0ab63c.jpg.html)
On a scale of 1-10, I'd rate this a solid 2/10 or an easy 3/10. Replacing your headlight can be harder than this. lol.
Well, Hope this helped!