Well, time to clean/change the air filter on the SC and what a chore. The entire intake assembly has to come off and the aftercooler with subsequent loss of fluid and mess. Then when the de-oiled K&N cone filter comes out of the abyss it is stuck into it is a black, squashed POS. Why can't we just shorten the intake tube and get the filter closer to the acess lid and out of the muck? Anyway I am trying to find an AEM filter to swap for the K&N because Evo recommends washing the new K&N with soap to remove the oil so it will not mess up the MAF, which I found out the hard way happens. Please forgive the long post but there is more. I have also found that each time I do this lovely job the entire intake tube is full of oil from the crankcase vent to the point of dripping out of the connection to the SC and on the blades. I am sure as the filter gets dirtier the suction on the vent is more and thus more oil goes into the intake, not good. So now I am fabricating a simple catch can of plastic fittings from the hardware store until I get my fancy one from Ebaymotors. I wish I could talk to Todd or Mike about this problem but they are just too busy. Any comments, say from 1999porsche996 or DDog? Thanks, Will.

 

You DO NOT diconnect the coolant lines to gain access to the filter. What a mess that must be. The lines have enough slack to allow you to hold the cooler out of the way to get to the filter. Total time to change filter should not take more than 30 minutes including a smoke and coffee..

Steps:

1. Loosen large clamp on intake tube at blower.
2. Loosen the 2 clamps on elbow betwen intake and cooler and loosen one clamp on the bypass valve and remove elbow.
3. Loosen 2 clamps on straight intake tube just below cooler and slide rubber hose to the left so it clears the tube going to the filter.
4. Remove intake tube to blower by swing it upwards and out.
5. Lossen the 2 clamps on the outlet tube from the blower (mark orientation of tube/rubber sleeves) and remove the tube.
6. The cooler can now be easily moved up and to the left and held out of the way with a hanger.
7. Disconnect MAF cable from MAF.
8. Loosen the clamp on the tube just before the MAF and remove the 90 degree tube.
9. Carefully remove the filter/tube by turning to avoid getting hung up on A/C lines, etc.

Removing the MAF makes it easier but is not necessary.

Reverse for installation.

Once you do it, it is a piece of cake.

 

Thanks for your reply. I know how to change it. Please address the issue of using a filter that is designed to be oiled yet we are told to de-oil it. Also the issue of oil in the intake from the crankcase vent. I have plugs I put in the two coolant lines to minimize the mess and find it easier to remove and inset the air filter tube. What do you think about shortening the line just past the 90' curve on the intake to get the filter out where you can see it and away from the road dirt? Do you have an oil catch can? AEM filters are designed to be dry and no oil. Will

 

Obviously you do not know how to properly change the filter if you are removing the coolant lines. As far as the filter fitting...it fits fine, as long as you line up the tubes before tightening them down. Try moving the 2 cmain cables around. I lightly (if I remember to even do it) spray my filter with oil and then remove and clean the MAF a few days later. I am using the same filter since installation....3 years and 20,000+ miles ago.

A catch can would help reduce the collection of oil in the inlet tube of the cooler. But so would using an oil other than 0W40. I do not even have the blowby going into the intake, as it does nothing but increase heat and decrease octane level of the fuel.

 

I would think the oil buildup in you engine bay would be bad if you vent the blowby into it. I must have a lot more crap up in the right engine bay than you with an 02 C4S because there is very little room and the hoses and electrical connectors crush the filter over time. I last changed the filter 7000 m ago. I clean the MAF everytime as well with electrical cleaner spray. I can change the filter in 10 other vehicles in the time I do it once on the P-car. At 20 below I will stick with your so-called water 0-40, thanks. Will

 

You are obviosuly getting more blowby than normal. It is not the S/C that is sucking the oil out but just it's plumbing that is directing it to the cooler. Without the S/C, all that oil would go into the intake and be burned with the fuel. An inline catch can will stop the oil accumulation for you.

 

where is the airfilter in the supercharged cars???

 

The air filter is tucked very far and out of sight in the right side of the engine bay over the right rear fender well. It is a full 2 feet from the right rear corner. I saw a non intercooled SC install at Evo when I was there getting dynoed and the filter was in the right corner well exsposed for changing and protected from street debris. The intercooler takes up most of that area with my SC. I was considering inserting a 6" sleeve of somekind, like perforated PVC to act as a shield for the filter to lie in that spot, it may keep the hoses and large electrical connectors from shifting around and occluding portions of the filter. K&N also makes a cloth boot to cover their filters that are exsposed to rough duty, and maybe cover the sleve with that and leave enough air space to allow free air flow. I am going to do the catch can, as I am sure oil in the SC chamber is bad as well as stopping up the intercooler. Will

 

99, thanks for the tip. I'm gonna try to change the filter myself soon.

 

do you have a pic of a non-intercooled supercarger??? I think the ones I have seen are all intercooled. (the ones on the EVOMS website are intercooled correct?)

 

I haven't heard much about them and only saw the one that was an early prototype. The HP rating is a little less. However, my dyno run was 411 hp and we didn't know at the time that my intercooler was stopped up with pipe dope from the original install and not flowing a drop of coolant. Will

 

thanks will for the great info. was just reading your sig you and my dad have similar cars...how do you like the cargraphic exhaust??? my dad was debating on Tubi or Cargraphic...

 

The sound is great. Very easy install and it rips. I don't think there is a better exhaust and it is light. Will

 

very cool. do you have any pics of your ride? Wanna how the Gemballa hood looks with a GT2 front...

thanks
Chasen

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u...2007/3c_12.jpg

Is this possible to do with the narrow body? Seems like a diff filter altogether and might be worth while mod. 1999 is right, you can just move the cooler out of the way, (that is, if your lines isn't all tangle up with the a/c hoses, I had to redo mine to free it up). Where are you planning to mount your catch can (I was thinking somewhere by the water pump below, gravity should be a plus down there).

Sorry to highjack but since we're talking S/C:
On another note, I disconnected the vacuum hose (white side of the check valve) to the bypass valve and noticed it was still under vacuum, this was sitting for 2-3 weeks. Does anyone know how this vacuum clears? Is the check valve inline with it necessary? If this vacuum doesn't clear, the air would just circulate reducing boost, no? I mean if there is vacuum present with the engine off, the recirc valve is open, how will it ever close or am I missing something?