Changing the Air Filter

[TheViper]

I have at least 1/2" clearance by cutting the bottom of the tube at angle, grinding down the clamp and angling the trumpet at shown in the photo.

[shay2nak]

Originally Posted by masheen

i don't know what "S' IC" and "TB" are referring to so i can't comment on that.

S' IC = Exige S Intercooler pipe
TB = Throttle Body

Thank you much for posting. I'll try it again this weekend. Your sound improvement assessment makes me want to leave work and try to install the filter.

You had bird feathers in your filter?? Didn't a sparrow or robin fly into the path of your car which ended up in your cabin?

[masheen]

Originally Posted by shay2nak

S' IC = Exige S Intercooler pipe
TB = Throttle Body...

unfortunatelly, i don't have S' IC in the way.

Originally Posted by shay2nak

...Your sound improvement assessment makes me want to leave work and try to install the filter...

just in case an unintended implication needs to be prevented: i can't know in my case whether the sound change would have come even with a new stock filter + snorkel removal, or whether using the green filter with snorkel removal actually had something to do with it.

Originally Posted by shay2nak

...Didn't a sparrow or robin fly into the path of your car which ended up in your cabin?

in case you are asking seriously: no - it must have been someone else. only feathers in my case.

[shay2nak]

Originally Posted by masheen

just in case an unintended implication needs to be prevented: i can't know in my case whether the sound change would have come even with a new stock filter + snorkel removal, or whether using the green filter with snorkel removal actually had something to do with it.

my car already has the desnorkel mod with the funnel and the SC whines much louder. I'd expect it to be even more loud with the green filter or at least the intake to sound different.

[Vicar]

I'd just like to say thank you for creating this thread. I undertook an oil change, transmission gear oil change, air filter change, and snorkel delete this afternoon. The air filter part was by far the hardest part.

I'd probably still be out there in the garage on the first part without the photos and help of EliseTalk and its members. Thank you.

[goelise]

Originally Posted by Vicar

I'd just like to say thank you for creating this thread. I undertook an oil change, transmission gear oil change, air filter change, and snorkel delete this afternoon. The air filter part was by far the hardest part.

I'd probably still be out there in the garage on the first part without the photos and help of EliseTalk and its members. Thank you.

I probably would not have purchased the Elise if I could not do the basic maintenance on the car myself. Glad to see someone else doing the same work at their home.

[shay2nak]

well finally installed the green filter yesterday. Took about 1 hour this time...thank god. Was totally worth it though.

1) remove sensor on top of airbox.
2) loosen clamps on coupler from airbox to TB.
3) remove coupler.
4) jack the car
5) remove wheel & wheel liner
3) remove stock filter.
4) install green filter (align the back of the box, this part took a while...maybe 10-20 minutes? closing the box with the clamps was a tough since the rubber gasket is thicker and doesn't compress at all.
5) install wheel liner & wheel
6) lower car
7) install coupler and tighten clamps (this part was tough since the coupler is really not that flexible and the TB side as an upward angle. You've got to try to get the bottom to go on first. Sounds hard, but I had to poke my finger down there to try to roll the end out to sit over the TB. Also be mindful of the clamp on the airbox side. You have to have the clamp screw either straight up or facing the rear at a slight angle. You've got to leave room for the sensor you need to reinstall onto the airbox.
8) reinstall sensor.
9) DONE! go out a drive!


The car feels a little better. Every time I get on the gas, I hear the PSSSHH sound and the SC whines much louder. Now i can hear the SC over my loud ass exhaust! I am in heaven. It feels a little stronger and maybe revs a little quicker. I went over to a buddies house and before they saw me the could have sworn that a sport bike was coming up the hill! LOL. Not only by the sound of the car, but how quickly it revved. Well, my exhaust note has changed a little. I'd say more so like a bike than it was before.

All in all, I'm pretty happy.

Next I guess is the FF race header, if we can get that group buy going.

[vyuen]

Do you know what the K&N part no. of the filter is? Where did you purchase the filter? I wouldn't mind getting it myself.

[waydui]

Originally Posted by vyuen

Do you know what the K&N part no. of the filter is? Where did you purchase the filter? I wouldn't mind getting it myself.

The K&N Air Filter Part Number is: 332252

I got mine at Advance Auto Parts. They were having a 25% Off sale on all filters, so I got it for $40.00

It was very easy to install and you can definitely hear a difference as compared to the OEM filter.

Regards,
Wayne

[malc]

Originally Posted by shay2nak

well finally installed the green filter yesterday. Took about 1 hour this time...thank god. Was totally worth it though.

1) remove sensor on top of airbox.
2) loosen clamps on coupler from airbox to TB.
3) remove coupler.
4) jack the car
5) remove wheel & wheel liner
3) remove stock filter.
4) install green filter (align the back of the box, this part took a while...maybe 10-20 minutes? closing the box with the clamps was a tough since the rubber gasket is thicker and doesn't compress at all.
5) install wheel liner & wheel
6) lower car
7) install coupler and tighten clamps (this part was tough since the coupler is really not that flexible and the TB side as an upward angle. You've got to try to get the bottom to go on first. Sounds hard, but I had to poke my finger down there to try to roll the end out to sit over the TB. Also be mindful of the clamp on the airbox side. You have to have the clamp screw either straight up or facing the rear at a slight angle. You've got to leave room for the sensor you need to reinstall onto the airbox.
8) reinstall sensor.
9) DONE! go out a drive!


The car feels a little better. Every time I get on the gas, I hear the PSSSHH sound and the SC whines much louder. Now i can hear the SC over my loud ass exhaust! I am in heaven. It feels a little stronger and maybe revs a little quicker. I went over to a buddies house and before they saw me the could have sworn that a sport bike was coming up the hill! LOL. Not only by the sound of the car, but how quickly it revved. Well, my exhaust note has changed a little. I'd say more so like a bike than it was before.

All in all, I'm pretty happy.

Next I guess is the FF race header, if we can get that group buy going.

I concur with shay2nak. I tried to install the Green filter from the side without success. So after reading this thread I tried to take out the box from above. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE!!!. There is a fastener inside the air box that needs to be removed and there is not enough room to get the box out through the top. However, having taken off the sensor (2 screws on the top) and removed the rubber pipe to the throttlebody there is enough movement to enable the box to be closed without any force. It does help to have ones wife hold the inner hinges in place while you close the clips below.

[shay2nak]

Originally Posted by malc

I concur with shay2nak. I tried to install the Green filter from the side without success. So after reading this thread I tried to take out the box from above. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE!!!. There is a fastener inside the air box that needs to be removed and there is not enough room to get the box out through the top. However, having taken off the sensor (2 screws on the top) and removed the rubber pipe to the throttlebody there is enough movement to enable the box to be closed without any force. It does help to have ones wife hold the inner hinges in place while you close the clips below.

yes, sorry I didn't mention that it does take 2 people to actually help keep the box closed. I think I could have done it all by myself, but aligning the back was such a b*tch that I didn't want to risk it popping out so I asked my pops to hold the back end of the box until I clamped it.

Also, mine is on an Exige S. Having the IC pipe in the way complicates things a little.

[cpforyou]

Ara, I should have called you to do the installation with you like I said I would. LoL. I tried doing the installation myself yesterday, and after 25 minutes of trying to close the thing, I just went back to watch TV and plan on trying again today after work. Too bad I don't have another set of hands to help me.

[shay2nak]

Originally Posted by cpforyou

Ara, I should have called you to do the installation with you like I said I would. LoL. I tried doing the installation myself yesterday, and after 25 minutes of trying to close the thing, I just went back to watch TV and plan on trying again today after work. Too bad I don't have another set of hands to help me.

It's all good. Did you remove the coupler from the airbox to the TB?

Once you get the back end lined up the box should keep itself shut. The only reason I had another person help me was to keep the box closed just in case it came apart. You could just pre-cut a strip of tape and once you close the box attach it until you can latch the box closed.

[wjb]

I'm a complete novice when it comes to cars. On this car I've adjusted the headlights, changed the oil, and changed the pedal height (I have an '05, not a DBW). This was by far the most frustrating thing I've done on this car yet. First, the K&N air filter listed for the Toyota engine is wrong. So that was awesome when I had to go back to the store. Second, I apparently don't know how to use jack stands. Can you put a stand next to the jack even though it's not right on the jack point as listed in the manual? Anyway, once I got the correct filter, I spent at least 30 min. trying to get that damn snorkel off. Of course it was 95 degrees that day and I was doing this outside (not enought light in my garage). I did get it off eventually, pulled my old air filter out (ridiculously filthy). Sans snorkle, it sounds waaaay better. The K&N slid in easy enough, but closing that damn box was ridiculous. I spent 2 hrs trying, and failed. My wife came home and helped (second set of hands approach as suggested), but that didn't help. Finally, by the grace of god, buddah, whatever, I just happend to get the correct angle and it popped together with no gaps. I just about lost my mind in the process, though. Worth saving the $ going to the dealer? In straight $ to $ terms, yes, but if my time is worth anything more than $8 hour, it wasn't. Maybe next time it'll be easier. I doubt it, though.

[Solo2Elise]

To remove snorkel, you can just slide your arm into the green circled area with a cross screw driver. Only takes 30 seconds.

[Solo2Elise]

I just removed the snorkel last night and I have argray twin mufflers on my car. The exhaust drones more than before. While I was driving, I heard some flapping sound coming from air box. I don't consider it sounds better though. It seems odd that most of people love it. Did I do something wrong??

BTW, I did feel the throttle response is much quicker and crsipy. It may not have any hp gain, but it does feel faster.

[Needspeed]

I just spent two hours trying to fit the K&N into the stock air box. I finally gave up and put the stock filter in. I couldn’t seem to get both sides of the box connected at the same time. I could either get the hinges attached of the C clamps but not both. Maybe there just isn’t enough room to work with it on the S. I am very frustrated and I am not going to try and tackle it for a while.

[shay2nak]

Originally Posted by Needspeed

I just spent two hours trying to fit the K&N into the stock air box. I finally gave up and put the stock filter in. I couldn’t seem to get both sides of the box connected at the same time. I could either get the hinges attached of the C clamps but not both. Maybe there just isn’t enough room to work with it on the S. I am very frustrated and I am not going to try and tackle it for a while.

check post #47. I've written mine up with the S in mind, because my car is the S.

[Needspeed]

Originally Posted by shay2nak

check post #47. I've written mine up with the S in mind, because my car is the S.

I will try your way the next time. Thanks for the info.

[etickt]

Make sure the filter was in the right orientation. I seem to remember the writing being up-side-down when installed correctly.

-Andy

Originally Posted by Needspeed

I just spent two hours trying to fit the K&N into the stock air box. I finally gave up and put the stock filter in. I couldn’t seem to get both sides of the box connected at the same time. I could either get the hinges attached of the C clamps but not both. Maybe there just isn’t enough room to work with it on the S. I am very frustrated and I am not going to try and tackle it for a while.