I was wondering if anyone else with the Banks Sidewinder turbo system has issues with the filter fitting and staying on the adapter piece. I wormed mine off when doing the return lines to give it a good cleaning/re-oiling, and ever since it just doesn't want to fit right.

The ID of the opening on the filter seems like it's too small for the OD of the adapter. I can get it on if I really work at it (hard to do without collapsing the filter) and use some petroleum jelly to lube everything up, but by the time I worm it on to where the painted surface of the adapter flange ends, the sleeve portion of the filter is bowed out. I can't even get the filter to come close to bottoming out on the little shoulder that's built in to it.

It may just be the age of the filter. It doesn't have a lot of miles (see sig), but the rubber is VERY stiff compared to most K&N products I've dealt with.

Normally I would just go find another filter that fits a bit better, but it'd be tough to find one that works with the Banks 'ram air' piece so I'd probably have to ditch that whole thing. I could do that, but I kinda like the idea of the setup because it helps draw in cooler air and isolate the filter from the engine bay heat. I'm also a little hesitant to order another filter from Banks because I could just end up with a newer version of the same problem.

It has me more than a little concerned because I noticed yesterday that the filter had slipped off to the point where I was sucking in air to the turbo sans-filter! It was only 200 miles or so maybe, but obviously it's not a good thing.

Any insight is appreciated!

Mike

 

FYI, if it helps anyone, the Banks PN for the filter is 41506. It's a K&N for sure (says K&N on it), but it's a Banks PN. K&N's site doesn't recognize it.

Mike

 

I found one other ancient thread that sorta made mention of having the same problem with the rubber getting really dry and shrinking. Sounds like a common problem, but I don't really have time to get creative with fabbing something right now. Ordered up a new filter from Jeg's ($60 shipped). Hopefully this solves the problem for now.

Will post back up with results.

Mike

 

So, yeah, the old filter was..........old. The new one slipped right over like a glove. Of course, that means the new one will eventually end up like the old one. How long til then? No idea, but I'll deal with it when I get there.

Mike

 

I was going to say the same thing about the rubber but it looks like you figured it out. I might be replacing my filter before installing my Banks SW kit. I know they are cleanable but this thing is beyond nasty. $60 is a heck of a lot for an air filter, though.

 

K&N dust scoop. A generic 4" filter will fit on the banks airbox where the hose usually connects. Spectre filters at autozone, 6637s, etc

 

Another interesting point...... I didn't realize how tight of a fit the filter base makes to the 'Ram Air' box until I installed the new one. With the new filter, the back of the Ram Air box seals snugly against the base of the filter. With the old one, there was a lot of slop. Of course, seeing how this is supposed to make some sort of Ram Air setup, it makes sense that you need that to be sealed, but I always figured the box was more to isolate the filter from the engine bay heat than anything else.

Mike

 

I had the same problem myself. But I put a much bigger 6637 on before replacing the banks filter.

 

Cool setup (nice intercooler plumbing, btw). I'd have to do something a little different, though, since I'm not willing to ditch my AC and that 6637 is MASSIVE!

Mike

 

I didn't ditch my A/C, its still there. The 6637 is a tight fit but it does fit.