Air Filter/ Cabin Air Filter questions/help

I have a service coming due but I wanted to know if anyone

Had tried a K&N air filter for their car?

 

I would love to replace this myself instead do bringing it to

the dealer to pay an arm & a leg...

 

Are their any air filters that anyone can recommend me for a

2011 Subaru Legacy 2.5i?

 

I also need to replace the in-cabin air filter too. Any ideas on

Better brands than OEM and suggestions/& vendors to contact

To do this would be great.

 

FYI I have fairly limited experience and am not a mechanic but

I can follow directions. Thanks!

air filter is great mod and cheap and reusable. i suggest the kn filter,drop in. as for the cabin, there is a mod where people take hvac filters from home depot cut it to fit and place in the cabin. i would just take out the old one and see how dirty it is, blow it off (if its not that bad) spray some lysol deodorizer on it and place it back. save you money of spending 30+ bucks for a paper filter.

I would personally avoid k&n air filters. Their filtering ability is mediocre (high silicon values in countless used oil analyses), and you always have the possibility of oil coating the MAF sensor. I don't know if its possible on our subies for the oil to coat the maf sensor, but it's been an issue with other car makes.

 

I tried a number of regular air filters, but experienced poor fit issues with many of them. Click the link below for some pictures I took that illustrate this

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2390798&Searchpage=1&Main=142508&Words=sxg6&Search=true#Post2390798

The filters like the fram shown above have a slightly curved filter frame that prevents them from sitting flush in the airbox. I understand that you have a 2011 and I have a 2009, but our cars appear to use the same air filter so I think you would experience the same "problems" that I did with various air filters.

 

I found that the STP air filters fit pretty good, but noted that in many used oil analyses there was a link between above average silicon numbers and stp air filters. Above average silicon means the filter is filtering poorly, or theres a leak in the intake somewhere letting dirt in, I assume #1 based off the number of reports i viewed.

 

So I recently decided to buy an AEM dryflow air filter. It is a dry, washable filter that appears to have very good filtering ability based off the low silicon numbers in used oil analyses. The rubber gasket also provides an excellent seal in the airbox, unlike the so-so seal I would get with a rigid plastic filter with a felt gasket. For $40, I'm very happy and would highly recommend it. Crummy camera phone picture attached below

I would personally avoid k&n air filters. Their filtering ability is mediocre (high silicon values in countless used oil analyses), and you always have the possibility of oil coating the MAF sensor. I don't know if its possible on our subies for the oil to coat the maf sensor, but it's been an issue with other car makes.

 

I tried a number of regular air filters, but experienced poor fit issues with many of them. Click the link below for some pictures I took that illustrate this

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2390798&Searchpage=1&Main=142508&Words=sxg6&Search=true#Post2390798

The filters like the fram shown above have a slightly curved filter frame that prevents them from sitting flush in the airbox. I understand that you have a 2011 and I have a 2009, but our cars appear to use the same air filter so I think you would experience the same "problems" that I did with various air filters.

 

I found that the STP air filters fit pretty good, but noted that in many used oil analyses there was a link between above average silicon numbers and stp air filters. Above average silicon means the filter is filtering poorly, or theres a leak in the intake somewhere letting dirt in, I assume #1 based off the number of reports i viewed.

 

So I recently decided to buy an AEM dryflow air filter. It is a dry, washable filter that appears to have very good filtering ability based off the low silicon numbers in used oil analyses. The rubber gasket also provides an excellent seal in the airbox, unlike the so-so seal I would get with a rigid plastic filter with a felt gasket. For $40, I'm very happy and would highly recommend it. Crummy camera phone picture attached below

 

Thanks for all of your info. I appreciate it. So, WHERE CAN I BUY AN AEM DRY FLOW FILTER for $40?

I got mine from amazon

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/AEM-28-20304-DryFlow-Air-Filter/dp/B006KBLEJO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348003743&sr=8-1]AEM 28-20304 DryFlow Air Filter : Amazon.com : Automotive[/ame]

 

Though you have to click "5 new" to get it directly from amazon, since "works concept" is currently the automatically selected supplier based off lowest price.

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/AEM-28-20304-DryFlow-Air-Filter/dp/B006KBLEJO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348003743&sr=8-1][/ame]

Or look at infamousperformance.net and use lgt05 code for 5% off your order.

 

I have an aFe dry on my '05. Seems to work fine and it paid for itself already.

For cabin air filters I've always liked the ATP charcoal activated filters. It helps eliminate odors and block allergens.