GUIDE : Changing your GTI air filter

This is a nice easy one and there's nothing to it really. Basically, as you drive along your car is constantly sucking in air from around the car. We could get all technical and tell you it's caused by the effective vacuum (i.e. pressure differential) created by the downward movement of the pistons and is used in a 14.66:1 ratio to fuel for optimum combustion … but this is only an air filter guide so why bother

Anyway, change your filter every 12 months or so but you can inspect it easily enough. Typically a filter will be yellow (for a fram style etc) and when it's dirty, the udnerside (where the air hits the filter from beneath) will be dirty and turn grey/black. If it's dirty, spend a fiver or so on a new one. Some people remove the filter to improve performance - don't! There is a balance to be had between filtration and flow but filtration IS required to prevent debris from entering the engine and potentially causing quite a bit of damage. Once you see how dirty filters get you'll realise how much junk could otherwise be entering the combusion chamber and damaging your rotating assembly.

Down to business …

Step 1 - Simply work your way round the airbox with a flat blade screwdriver and ease off all the metal clips



step 2 - Lift the top of the airbox away and you have access to the filter. this simply pulls out and is replaced by a new one. Once you've replaced the filter, pop the clips back on and you've finished.



That's it. Sorry if you were expecting more but there's not a great deal more to say. The filter shown in the guide is actually a K&N panel-style element which doesn't need replacing often but can require oiling .

Remember to clean the inside of the air box before you put your nice new air filter back in or the dry leaves , much etc will simply find its way in to the new filter . Filters are readily available from GSF carparts or Eurocarparts .