Never, never, never try and fit an air filter!!

[dave_p]

Bought a K&N air filter for my X5 3.0d Sport off ebay last week. Thought it would be quite straight forward to fit. How wrong could I be?

Took the engine cover off, then tried to remove the top cover of the air filter housing - 5 torx screws were very easy to reach. But, there was 1 right at the back, couldn't even reach it (and I'm 6ft 4ins tall!!) let alone get a tool to it.

Phoned my local BMW dealer and spoke to a technician - he said that the whole top cover (around the pollen filter) needs to be removed, along with the windscreen washer container and about 8 bolts on the top cover, then the centre section pulls out. The wiper motor screws needs to be removed so that the cover can be pulled to one side and the air filter top cover back torx screw can then be reached - by kneeling on the bumper!!

Well I started taking my £52000 car to pieces, dropping various bits of plastic down the side of the engine. Enough was enough - I telephoned BMW assist - they sent someone out to me within 45 minutes. It then started chucking it down with rain and he told me that this was a big job, one for a service department - To change a bloody air filter? I said.

We were past the point of no return, the original BMW air filter was damaged - due to me losing my temper and trying to pull the thing out with the top cover of the housing still there.

Anyway, about 3 hours later, the K&N filter is now fitted. I am missing a bolt and a bit of plastic from the panel near the pollen filter - it's a bit of plastic that allows the twist bolts to secure themselves.

Never again will I attempt such a task. Of all the mods, this has got to be the hardest.

[rayxi]

Sorry to hear about the PITA install. The 3.0d must be much different than the 4.4 because it only took me 10 minutes to put my K&N in. That's with 5 minutes of cleaning around the airbox before I took it apart.

[gregwx5]

Ya that seriously sucks...the 3.0i filter take 2 seconds...just unhook 5 snap connector things!!!!

[dave_p]

Looks like they have changed the design. I asked the BMW techy why they have put the air filter in such an inaccessible place - his response - it's only replaced every 60000 miles. Well, by the state of the one that came out (after 6000 miles), god knows what one with 60000 miles would look like!!

[cary]

I guess you probably don't want hear now that the K&N lets more dirt in your engine and doesn't increase power over the stock filter.

[Eric5273]

After a couple of similar experiences to yours with past cars, I have come to the conclusion that I am a complete moron when it comes to doing my own mods.

So now I just ask the dealer to do anything I need done.

[6to]

Man, I'm sorry to hear the bad story . Got a 1-week old X5 3.0d myself, and i've been seriously thinking about getting a tunit box + a K&N filter after reading your post on the tunit box.. guess if the filter access in my X5 is as bad as yours, I'll now think about getting the tunit box only. Been emailing with a guy named Daniel Jhonston of Tunit UK and he's been pretty good at clearing my doubts. Are you still happy with your tunit box?

[rayxi]

Originally Posted by cary

I guess you probably don't want hear now that the K&N lets more dirt in your engine and doesn't increase power over the stock filter.

I'd be interested in reading about the tests that show that if you would be kind enough to post the links. TIA.

[cary]

Originally Posted by rayxi

I'd be interested in reading about the tests that show that if you would be kind enough to post the links. TIA.

http://home.usadatanet.net/~jbplock/ISO5011/SPICER.htm

http://bobistheoilguy.com/airfilter/airtest1.htm

If you go throught the used oil analysis on the same website (1000's) you will find that nearly every time there is high silcon in the oil (a sign of dirt) it is a result of a K&N air filter.


The marketing of K&N is great, the real world results are not so good. Run OEM air and oil filters if you want to maximize your engines life. Believe me, if there were 5 free horsepower to be had by running a larger air filter, the auto manufacture would use one.

[Tomaz]

Originally Posted by cary

Believe me, if there were 5 free horsepower to be had by running a larger air filter, the auto manufacture would use one.