While at the dealer this morning, I asked about the air filter for my '04 XLT. The parts man said they didn't have any air filters for my truck, and if they did they'd cost $36. Kinda sucks, because I can't find them in any auto parts stores either.

I guess the question is when will some of the filter companies start making them, and until they do.....are there any other filters out there which would work? Except for the felt strip, it appears to be your basic rectangular filter. I haven't compared it to any others to see if it'll match up, but perhaps some of you have?

Thanks.

 

i have found a replacement air filter at autozone autoparts, but they did have to look it up in the parts department catalog. it was not in the customer part's lookup catalog. i'm not sure if you have an autozone in your area. since then, i have ordered and received a k & n air filter for my next replacement. they are easy found and obtained on-line.
rob

 

We've got an Autozone and Advance here, so I'll check with the counter guy.

Do you remember if the filter they had was a Motorcraft FA-1754?

 

not sure! sorry, but good luck.
rob

 

Why don't you just order a K&N filter for the same price as stock? I did

http://www.ajusa.com/cgi-bin/knfilte...f63c40bc52726b

 

I've used K&N in the past on a Z28 & Firebird and wasn't real happy with the filtration. They flow better, but in order to flow better they let in more dirt.

At least that was my experience.

 

Did your Firebird suffer from mechanical problems related to air filtration?

 

My understanding is the filter must be oiled (it is from the factory). You have to clean and re-oil it occasionally. I've never used them in the past. This is my first one. No noticable performance improvement that I've seen. To avoid the hassle of cleaning it, I 'might' switch back to a regular filter later on. Haven't decided yet.

 

You only have to clean it once a year. It takes probably a total of 15 minutes, but you have to let it dry, so your car is out of service for perhaps 12 hours. It takes me 15 minutes to buy a new one, so it's a trade off.

As far as noticable improvement, it depends on how open the rest of your system is. In order for the component you install to produce a noticable change, it has to be the most restrictive component in the system. Otherwise, the most restrictive component is still the deciding factor.

My 2004 5.4L has a ludicrous 2" opening at the front of the snorkle. With a restriction like that, a K&N won't help. I'm forced to replace the whole intake to get a noticable improvement. Even then, some exhaust work will be required to get the most out of the intake mod.

Enjoy.

 

I agree with Lariatf150. I bought a K&N from Summit Racing for $36 to put in my '04 XLT 5.4. I have used K&Ns in all of my vehicles...you don't have to clean them very often (about half as often as you need to replace regular ones)...and even when you do, it's pretty easy. Just take it out, clean in the sink with mild detergent, and spray new oil on it. And as long as they are properly maintained, you shouldn't have any problems with them. In all tests and reviews that I've read, they filter at least as good as OEM...and usually better. I like k&N, but many of the filters with similar design would probably work just as well. I just stick with K&N because I have had good experiences with them.

 

I didn't use the K&N long enough to find out.

 

Go with the WIX when they come out. No need to clean and almost the same air flow as the K&N. After a lot of research I've come to the conclusion the K&N/Green type filters are overpriced and way overrated. The WIX is the best way to go.
http://home.usadatanet.net/~jbplock/ISO5011/SPICER.htm

 

Interesting link.

AC-Delco appears to be filter better than all of them, but also has the highest flow restriction, which would make sense.

Wix seems like a pretty good compromise.

 

I just installed that Air Raid replacement filter. Very nice quality, and including shipping it was $50. You only need to clean and re-oil it every 25k miles.

 

hey,

for those of you interested in a K&N replacement, the number is 33-2287. $39.99 at Autozone, just bought mine on Sat. Love them, and for the few extra dollars, much rather clean it once or even twice a year. BTW, that number is for 5.4l, not sure if the # is the same for the 4.6.