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      09-17-2011, 03:51 PM   #1
Dackelone
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Exclamation 135i air filter replacement DIY...

I just wanted to change out my air filter after 35K miles on my 135i N54. It was really a piece of cake. You just unclip the five spring clips around the air filter box with a flat blade screw driver, pull the lid up and out - and replace the paper filter element. There were a lot of small stones and sand inside my air filter housing. Just think if I had some K&N gauze type air filter that was more pourous and let the sand and rocks into the engine! wow. I used a small shop vac to clean up my filter housing. Then I installed a new filter. I used an OEM Mahle filter - I believe they make the filters for BMW AG. Same quality as BMW's filters for a 1/3 of the cost.


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sand, dirt, small rocks were just some of the things I found inside my filter box...
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would you look at all the junk that gets push up to the air filter!!
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      09-17-2011, 08:11 PM   #2
sonicbimmer19
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Air filter change is like 2 times easier on 135i than 128i.
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      09-17-2011, 08:50 PM   #3
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Seriously, this is a much nicer setup.
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      09-17-2011, 10:08 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dackelone View Post
I used an OEM Mahle filter - I believe they make the filters for BMW AG. Same quality as BMW's filters for a 1/3 of the cost.
Are they really that expensive in Germany?

FWIW, in the US, I see the Mahle LX 1564 for ~$37, but the BMW OE one (13-71-7-556-961) for ~$24.

Cheap enough that I'll probably throw a new OE one in every 10-15K.
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      09-17-2011, 10:28 PM   #5
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Great write up Dackel.

I recommend taking the filter out every 5-10k and tapping any dirt loose and vacuuming out the airbox at the same time. Clean filter is more efficient.

Also be careful when unclipping the clips form the lid that they don't come off the box and fall into the engine bay. It happened to me once and it was a pain to find it.
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      09-17-2011, 11:02 PM   #6
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So placing a K&N air filter instead of the OEM BMW one would result in a possibility of inducing engine damage via sand and stones getting in? I thought the K&N air filters increase air flow ever so slightly...
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      09-17-2011, 11:41 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by delta-9-ginseng View Post
So placing a K&N air filter instead of the OEM BMW one would result in a possibility of inducing engine damage via sand and stones getting in? I thought the K&N air filters increase air flow ever so slightly...
Any K&N tyoe filter uses gauze for the filtering element. You have to oil them so the oil wicks up any dust or debrie. IF the filter isn't oil'd then you run teh risk of less filtration. Why do you think these tyoes of filters flow more air? because they are more pourous - ie bogger holes in the filtering element.
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      09-17-2011, 11:48 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jkoral View Post
Are they really that expensive in Germany?

FWIW, in the US, I see the Mahle LX 1564 for ~$37, but the BMW OE one (13-71-7-556-961) for ~$24.

Cheap enough that I'll probably throw a new OE one in every 10-15K.

I paid 15 euros for my Mahle air filter here. I think the dealer wanted 36 euros for the BMW one. Since mahle makes the filters for BMW... that was a no brainer. Its the same story with other filters like oil and fuel filters. The BMW ones just cost more.

For now I am using BMW oil filters - bc teh difference its only three euros. But later I will switch to Mahle ones too.

Here is a comparison of oil filters... The middle one was an early Mahle design, now they only produce the right one - looks just like the BMW oil filter.



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      10-15-2011, 10:08 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BMW86 View Post
Great write up Dackel.

I recommend taking the filter out every 5-10k and tapping any dirt loose and vacuuming out the airbox at the same time. Clean filter is more efficient.
Yeah, I do this nearly every-time I open the bonnet. So easy to do.
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      09-18-2014, 03:17 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dackelone View Post
Just think if I had some K&N gauze type air filter that was more pourous and let the sand and rocks into the engine! wow.
Dackel: Are you saying that K&N filters allow crud into the turbos? OK, I don't have spark plugs (piezo) which led me to this forum, but I do run a K&N filter in the standard housing. Your comments have worried me no end.
I find the 123d is a different car with the K&N installed. Much nicer to drive.
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      09-18-2014, 03:27 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DrGadget View Post
Dackel: Are you saying that K&N filters allow crud into the turbos? OK, I don't have spark plugs (piezo) which led me to this forum, but I do run a K&N filter in the standard housing. Your comments have worried me no end.
I find the 123d is a different car with the K&N installed. Much nicer to drive.

Yes. I do not believe that an oiled air filter is the way to go. Others may have a different view point though. When I saw all that sand and small stones up inside my air box... if the OE paper element wasn't there, I am sure some of it would get past a K&N type filter. I'm sticking with my OE filter.
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      09-18-2014, 06:01 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dackelone View Post
Yes. I do not believe that an oiled air filter is the way to go. Others may have a different view point though. When I saw all that sand and small stones up inside my air box... if the OE paper element wasn't there, I am sure some of it would get past a K&N type filter. I'm sticking with my OE filter.
With the Mann air filter all I ever saw on the INWARD side was dust and bug remains. But the filter is there to stop that going further and so when the filter gets a bit old it drops into the box on the INWARD side from the suction hood.

That is a far cry from saying that any filter (OEM or K&N) allows it through to the turbos. I respect what you are saying greatly, but I'd need evidence to be convinced. It's somewhat like the diesel timing chain failures ... Lots of talk but no evidence as to whether it is crap oil; stop-start; manuals vs SSG and so on.

You're still No. 1 advisor in my eyes ... But evidence is what we all need.
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      09-19-2014, 04:31 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dackelone View Post
Yes. I do not believe that an oiled air filter is the way to go. Others may have a different view point though. When I saw all that sand and small stones up inside my air box... if the OE paper element wasn't there, I am sure some of it would get past a K&N type filter. I'm sticking with my OE filter.
@Dackelone This research would tend to support your comments:http://www.nicoclub.com/archives/kn-vs-oem-filter.html except for the fact that is biased and paid for by AC Delco.

By the way, K&N filters do not use gauze. They use a pleated multi-layered oil impregnated surgical cotton fabric. A K&N facts sheet is shown here.

The Latin for what I am reading is 'argumentum ad populum', which translates as just because a lot of people say the same thing, it doesn't make it true.

Cheers

Last edited by DrGadget; 09-21-2014 at 05:08 PM..
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      09-20-2014, 11:59 AM   #14
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AFE has a drop in pro dry s filter.
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      11-10-2022, 10:08 AM   #15
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I'm about to do this today. I assumed it would be easy enough, but this is a great write up to avoid any suprises. Thanks!
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