When replacing the stock air filter with a K&N Air filter, what direction is the K&N filter to be placed in the air box, i.e., are the fins facing down into the airbox (portion that is not unscrewed) and the flat side remains face up (this method has a much more snug fit) or do the fins face up and the flat side remain resting on top of the lower portion of the air box?

 

Your fins should face down. You want the maximum surface area to face towards the incoming air and also the fins help trap larger sand particles. Good cohice on the air filter BTW.

 

So, the fins are in the bottom of the airbox facing the resonator?

 

Yes

 

yes the same way as the factory filter came out

 

also the screw holes should only 'fit' in one way, if i remember correctly. there holes are offset slightly so it will fit better one way (i think it also says this side up?)

 

I spoke with a K&N technician and he agreed with me that the side of the filter with mesh should be facing up. The fins, which are facing down, collect the "dirty" air and filter it and the side with the mesh allows "clean" air to pass through to the engine.

You are correct, the original Acura filter does indicate "up" on one side of the filter, but the K&N filter does not, hence the confusion.

 

correct me ivf im wrong but it can only fit in one way. i know on mine the 4 screw holes are in a different location on one side than the other, hence not being able to reverse the filter

 

I'm hurt. You didn't trust your fellow TLers to give you accurate advice and had to check with the K&N technician..... Who BTW confirmed what fsttyms1 & I had already said. How sad is that...........

 

No disrespect. I spoke with K&N earlier this morning and just wanted to confirm with the group.

 

how sad, we cant be trusted. I am a firm believer in our site & the GREAT info that we get from our members. Never once had a problem that i wasn't helped with. Cant even remember getting any bad info.

 

Its cool goldsteinp. As long as you were letting us check the technicians advice. As it turns out, we were both right, so no problem.

 

so the correct way would be having the stick out side facing down, right? because they look the same on both sides. Only Different is one seems liek it sticks out and one seems to be like a base because it 's larger then the other side.

 

who sells the K&N factory replacement filter the cheapest?

 

I've seen them on ebay for 49 but I got mine from JEGS mail order for 52. I haven't seen the K&N stock replacement insert filters any cheaper. sucks to pay that much for a filter....

 

ummm so any thoughts on my way of intalling the filter?

 

Thats correct. "stick out side" or "fins" side is down.

 

I just put one in my TL also. If you look at the way the rubber edging is around the filter, it looks as if it only fits a certain way. When put in correctly, the top of the filter should lay flat and the rubber edging is flush with the housing. The part of the edging that "bulges" or sticks out should be the underside. This is the side that has those fins that stick out. That's how it fit on my last car I had (00 Civic EX).

 

does it make a difference? because i have my "stick out side" facing up and it fits, but when i turn it upside down and have the buldge facing the resonator, it don't shut... i'm still working on it right now, to try to fit it to the "correct" way.