I don't know what to say.. cause idk what I'm looking at.



But I'm sure this is not normal.

And I am just simply assuming its cracked.... Cause it was not like this before.

No, did not JUST bought the car. I've had this car for a bit now.

 

If you're looking at the filter itself- the photo looks like the coating is peeling off the filter material. I don't see any "cracking"...

 

Should I be replacing it soon.. Since it doesn't look normal.

 

Money on it that it's not a K&N.

Looks like a cheap Spectre job- the coupler following suit. I'd swap it out for a quality filter regardless: K&N, AEM, etc.

 

Agreed- the other thing to consider is that cheap filter doesn't provide any better performance than the OEM airbox. That location allows warm or hot air from the engine and radiator to flow back into the intake. I'd put the OEM airbox and the cartridge filter back in rather than replace that crap filter.

 

Thanks guys. Helps a lot

 

If you do decide to keep it you could replace the plastic MAF adapter with a nice billet aluminum one and a bellmouth/velocity stack filter adapter. I had a short ram on my Maxima that was dyno proven on cars without associated breathing mods.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/03-06-350Z-G35-Altima-V6-AIR-INTAKE-MAF-Filter-Adapter-billet-aluminum-/151053828349?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item232b8280fd&vxp=mtr
Also replace the clamp(s) with the T-Bolt style. Nice touch, better quality, not that expensive. NAPA sells them.

 

True k&n filter media is colored from the oil that's used on it. Not some coating that cracks and flakes of.

 

That does not look like a K&N filter to me either. Typically the K&N filters that I have seen had rubber tops/bottoms.

-Don

 

Thank you everyone for your input.

Is it safe to assume that I would have to replace the whole intake with the filter?

Or just replacing the filter with just the K&N would be fine?

 

That is most definitely NOT a K&N filter.

Replace the filter only. You're actually losing because of heat soak with the current intake though.

 

What do you mean by your second sentence exactly?

 

I mean: If you care about performance, move your intake. You are sucking in hot air from the engine, negating the purpose of changing an intake in the first place.

 

?????

I'm assuming its the way its setup..?

This setup was given when I bought the car. I have NO EXPERIENCE with Air Intake so I wouldn't know what I would be doing besides just swapping the filter..

 

...

 

I'm being dead serious.

When I reread what you said it makes sense.. but please correct me if I'm wrong.

It seems like the way it's setup it takes the air around the engine (hence thats where the air intake filter is at) and pulls it towards the engine to give it air.

However since the air intake source is almost next to the engine it's practically intaking hot air from the engine bay and feeding it to the engine..

Is this basically what you mean?

If so, then my perspective would be to move the air intake somewhere else like the bottom of the front bumper.

 

That is correct. However, you said FI. I thought you were NA?

 

Ah...

Wrong terminology..... I was simply thinking it was referring to the air intake..

/enoughspoonfeeding

**that post is corrected by the time you read this reply.

 

lol all good.

You need to replace your filter. If you care about performance, replace the intake as well (you won't gain anything over stock though). A new intake will come with all the tubing you need. It shouldn't take longer than a couple hours even if you have no experience.