jfprl

Any of you guys replace your air filter yourselves. I did tonight and it was a struggle. I had to wrestle the housing to a position to remove the filter. Anyone find an easy way. The housing almost won.

sotiri

same experience... I had to loosen the battery.

static808

Actually in my case the friggin housing did win. I ended up stripping on of the nuts with a Phillips screwdriver. I have go and get a wrench set to take it off.. Very lame design.

Rexorg

Has anyone figured out how to do this easily since this was first posted? The housing is stuck on the fender wall.

slawek65

I did it 2 times and no problems at all.

kirbyflorida

I just took mine off to check it, the filter was pretty dirty at 10,700 miles, I will change it at 15,000.

To help get the cover off, remove the 1 inch by 5 inch plastic cover next to it, and also loosen the rubber connector from the throttle body and partly remove it..

Rexorg

it?

Where exactly is the 1 X 5 plastic cover in relation to the air cleaner housing?

Do you loosen the rubber connector at the worm clamp or at the end with the tension spring? If at the tension spring, what tool did you use to remove/loosen it? Thanks ahead of time for your repsonse.

kirbyflorida

The 1x5 is next to the air cleaner cover, closer to the driver, just pulls out.

Yes, take a 10MM and loosen the clamp, then you can take it off, you will be moving it around a bit. You just remove it enough to take the filter out.

Rexorg

Went to Wally World today and bought the Fram CA9600 for $14.84. Replacing the Toyo Riki was a piece of cake once I removed the 1 x 5 piece. Got a little scrape on my knuckle and on my wrist, but no big deal. The OEM was very dirty at almost 17,000 miles with a lot of bugs, cottonwood seeds, and bunch of black crud. The OEM is a lot heavier and heavier duty than the Fram, but at probably half the cost I can now change more frequently. Thanks again for the tips, kirbyflorida. BTW, the Acura's four screws a lot better than the lousy clips on GM and Ford cars, which never seemed to seat the housing properly.

lsbuffs

I had to go to Home Depot to get a long extension for my socket wrench, but once I had that, no problem. Had the same issue as another poster in that I stripped one of the screws. Gave up on that and just took them off with an 8mm socket and extension. Piece of cake. You will want to loosen the clamp. To get the housing off and the filter out, the rubber hose was about half off. Just clamped it back down once done and seems as tight as always.

Fram filter does seem a bit more narrow than OEM but otherwise looks the same and fits right in. Mine was absolutely filthy at 30K miles. I'm definitely planning on checking more frequently. I had also replaced my cabin air filter, which was black as night. I think I found out what has been staining the floor mat on the passenger side. Think it's been dirty air blowing down in the same spot. I kept cleaning the mat and a black stain would reappear in a month or so even though no passengers had soiled shoes.

Going in for my modified B2 service appt next week which I guess will now consist of an oil and filter change and maybe a check of the brakes. (No rotation now as I'll just be putting on my snows shortly)

medrxman

it appears that the screws holding down the housing are easily removed with the exception of the screw on the lower right. Can not get my fat hand in there to get my fingers on the screw. Any suggestions

lsbuffs

Absolutely..forget the screwdriver. Get a 8mm socket with extension. Comes right off.

dwest1023

Thanks guys for the tip. I am due a B1 service, but I am only letting the dealer do the free oil change, and rotate the tires(figure I will give the dealer a little change).

Mike_TX

Just did the filter change, and I agree it's a bear. Worse even than my wife's Caddy STS (which taught me new curse words).

I finally took off the battery cover, the little strip along the fender (which seemed to just block the filter cover and the filter itself), as well as loosening the big cover next to the filter cover toward the firewall. I had to take the rubber accordian hose off from the filter housing and bent it up out of the way to get enough room to get things out and back in.

Oh, well. I also got the Fram at Walmart for $14.84, so I guess I saved some money.

.
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GoHawks

I'm going to tackle this tonight. Due for A12 service (28K miles). I already replaced the cabin filter. What a piece of cake compared to the previous gen TL. It took me literally five minutes and the filter cost me $20 at Murray's.

I bought the FRAM CA9600 for $20 as well. so all that's left is the oil change and tire rotation.

I'll "inspect" myself. I have to imagine I'll be saving well over $100.

So, any other suggestions other than what was just mentioned already?

dwest1023

Just make sure you unscrew all 4 screws on the filter housing. Don't ask.

GoHawks

Got it. Thanks!

GoHawks

It really wasn't bad at all. I removed the plastic shroud (5 or 6 plastic phillps screws) on the driver side. It runs from the hood hinge down to the front of the car. I then loosened the hose clamp around the throttle body. I was able then to work it out.

Thanks all!

nisreo

It takes a few tries to get used top it, but it takes me about 10 seconds total to get it off now (with then help of a cordless impact gun)

loosen all 4 bolts with an 8mm (phillips will most likley strip)

Standing agains the drivers fender, put your left hand on the back (just under intake tube) and right hand on the front.

Lift up just enough to let the bolts clear the holes.

Using some muscle, push the top housing back (toward engine) and go up with the front. Almost like a hinge motion.

You should be able to get the edge closest to you above the fender trim now.

pull the rear of the box above the air filt which is sticking up higher than the bottom of the box and flip the entire top of the box back toward the motor.

The rubber tube will probably pop off as you do this. no big deal.

Replace your filter, and pretty much do what you just did in reverse. You can out the rubber tube on after the top is back on the box properly, so dont struggle trying to get it on while putting the top back on.

Ill try t get some pics ater

gcook

Yeah they made it as if they didn't want anyone to easily change the filter. I too almost stripped my bolts with a bad phillips. Then I changed the screwdriver to a craftsman, and a bigger one, and it popped it off easier. On the ones I could reach with a ratchet, I used the ratchet. It was just weird, because you don't know if you are doing it right, and you have to pull up the housing and yank out the old filter and it feels like you are being too rough, but you can't do it any other way. TL and RL are exactly the same. Did both together.

AsianTL

I did exact the same thing as you just mentioned above.
BTW, I replaced K&n filter for $35.00. I get better gas mileage (from 17MPG to 19 MPG).

kirbyflorida

K&N does not filter as well as OEM, thus will shorten engine life.

foam4me

I heard the K&N filters pass more particulates (less restriction, bigger holes in the filter media) and worry about possible engine damage.

Anybody really know?

Chas2

I believe there is an Acura service news on this issue, or at least a K&N like issue. Cannot remember if it regarding a drop in filter as discussed above, or a cone type filter used in a short ram or CAI application.

Check out the thread, updated each month
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2939

kirbyflorida

The NSX newsgroup had some studies and they are not worth it.

If they were a win/win, I am sure Honda would use them, they are one of the finest engine companies on the planet.

Even the S2000 used a normal cone filter, not K&N and that engine had the highest output per liter of any normally aspirated production engine, 120 hp per liter.

How do you think they let more air through??????

acura0609

I just replaced the cabin air filter on my 06 TL, and the air filter too - the tips in this thread really helped me a lot. This is my very first time doing anything at all on a car and it was not so hard as I thought it would be for someone novice.
I removed the plastic piece right by the driver side fender and broke one of the plastic screws - no big deal. thinking to buy a few and have them handy for next time. I did take few pictures but its just all about where the four screws are located - I realize not many on this thread would need to know where they are located!
btw, I got the cabin air filter instructions on this forum as well, here - https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-2004-2008-93/3g-tl-cabin-filter-replacement-lots-pics-724287/.

Thank you everyone for all your tips..!