Just changed my engine air filter...

[novy_wan_kenobi]

I bought my 2017 Civic LX back the end of October at a Honda dealer with 27,000km on it. It was Honda Certified. Today I decided to check the engine air filter to see if it had ever been replaced. When I opened up the box I could tell the filter was dirty but when I removed it I couldn’t believe how much sand and dirt I could see inside the air box. The Car only has 30,800km on it now, and I haven’t noticed any issues, but seeing that sand in there really has me concerned. I attached some pics. What do you guys think?

 

[SDAlexander8]

Looks like your filter is doing its job. you live near the beach, construction sites, or unpaved/dirt roads?

Oh you said you bought it used so who knows where the previous owner took it.

 

[blitz]

Wow - that is pretty bad! It looks like your car has been to the beach.

I would definitely clean the air box. I would start with a vacuum cleaner to remove all the silt, and then finish the cleaning with a damp cloth.

 

[Gotch]

Running through the dunes??? Wow, that much sand in the filter housing is not normal.

 

[novy_wan_kenobi]

I used the vacuum cleaner and sucked out all of the sand. Then i took a damp cloth and cleaned it all up inside. I replaced it with a FRAM Extra Guard 12051 filter.

I bought the car used at Moncton Honda and I've only driven it literally 4,000km over the last 4 to 5 months, all winter driving. No beaches. We use salt on our roads here in Nova Scotia and not sand. Previous owner must have been to a beach. I'm just hoping nothing already got inside that could lead to issues down the road...

 

[SDAlexander8]

I used the vacuum cleaner and sucked out all of the sand. Then i took a damp cloth and cleaned it all up inside. I replaced it with a FRAM Extra Guard 12051 filter.

I bought the car used at Moncton Honda and I've only driven it literally 4,000km over the last 4 to 5 months, all winter driving. No beaches. We use salt on our roads here in Nova Scotia and not sand. Previous owner must have been to a beach. I'm just hoping nothing already got inside that could lead to issues down the road...

Nothing got into the engine as long as that filter had a good seal on it.

 

[Jeffers]

Nothing got into the engine as long as that filter had a good seal on it.

Exactly, The difference between the dirty side of the air box and clean side. OEM paper filters do a good job. Now if it had been a K&N, chances are the clean side of the air box wouldn't have been so clean.
This from experience servicing motorcycles with K&N's vs paper filters.

 

[shoegazer]

The history of my (leased) LX was titled in Boston and surrendered in Charleston, SC. I found a fine layer of sand throughout the engine bay and a small amount in the filter box. I borrowed a high-powered leaf blower and went nuts under the hood and anywhere else I could access. So far, so good.

 

[PhilF]

If I had bought it as a Honda Certified used, that SHOULD have discovered, cleaned and replaced as part of the inspection for certification. My first stop would have been back to the dealership that certified it and have it corrected at their expense. I would also request to see the Certification inspection form that they should have on file for any Certified vehicle to see if they missed anything else. Sounds to me like they did a quick detail and slapped a sticker on it. I'd also want verification that any other services, oil change, etc, due per Honda's maintenance protocol for that mileage/time were performed. You pay a certain price for a Certified vehicle, would expect a fully checked and serviced vehicle for that. What you found is more like what you'd expect from "Harry & Joe's" used car lot. One way to check the thoroughness of how the car was checked is to check the pressure in the spare tire, it's on the certification check list, I'll bet yours is low.

 

[TimberWolf]

That debris is irrelevant. Don't lose any sleep over it. There is nothing wrong, and I certainly wouldn't make a fuss about it at the dealer, it would just make you look foolish.

 

[PhilF]

That debris is irrelevant. Don't lose any sleep over it. There is nothing wrong, and I certainly wouldn't make a fuss about it at the dealer, it would just make you look foolish.

I stand by my post, this is a significant indicator that the vehicle was not inspected or serviced properly to be a certified vehicle. Bringing an airbox full of sand to the dealers attention is not a fuss, it's due diligence.

 

[mvela]

That is totally normal to have that dirt in that section of the air box. I change my filter more often than i need to, but it’s because I drive through dusty conditions going to work. The way the lx air duct is set up takes air directly from the front of the car kinda like a ram air setup and goes up into the air box. I usually find dirt in the box just like you got. I do the same and wipe it out, it’s no big deal. But I recommend to only replace the filter with an oem Honda filter. The oem filter is actually an oiled filter and what seems like a synthetic cotton blend. They work very good and can be bought fairly cheap. I order mine from hondapartsnow.com

 

[Swordfish]

Mine gets very dirty as well. I live in California, but I drive the freeways a lot. I have made it a habit to now open my airbox and vacuum out the debris every 3-4 weeks which is more than adequate just to avoid the accumulation. I change my air filter every 6 months.

 

[Shankmeyster]

Better check your cabin filter too as they probably didn't change that either.

 

[blitz]

That is totally normal to have that dirt in that section of the air box. I change my filter more often than i need to, but it’s because I drive through dusty conditions going to work. The way the lx air duct is set up takes air directly from the front of the car kinda like a ram air setup and goes up into the air box. I usually find dirt in the box just like you got. I do the same and wipe it out, it’s no big deal. But I recommend to only replace the filter with an oem Honda filter. The oem filter is actually an oiled filter and what seems like a synthetic cotton blend. They work very good and can be bought fairly cheap. I order mine from hondapartsnow.com

These Honda filters are really good. Surprisingly, my local dealership did not have any in stock for my Type R. I’m not sure if that was due to high or low demand.

These Honda air filters are unlike the cheap, hard paper filters of the past. My STi’s original air filter was very rigid, so I replaced it with a premium filter (think it was STP) that was much better.

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