Well I've had my "8" for about a year now and looking through the maintenance schedule I see that I'm due to have my air filter "cleaned". Encouraged by my success with oil changes (thanks to the excellent info available here) I decide that I will try this on my own. At first I tried the procedure described in the manual. Battery cover off, OK no problem. But then I couldn't get the electrical cable disconnected despite all of my pushing and pulling! Then I tried a few of the tips posted by others here. I was able to get the box loose from the 2 front nibs but not the grommets on the bottom. At a certain point I gave up, not wanting to damage anything with all those hoses and cables close by.

Should I go to the dealer and let them do it? I wonder if they'd let me watch so I could do it the next time?

Why couldn't they have put something useful on that "product update" DVD like a tutorial on how to get the damn air filter out?!

 

It can be a bit stiff the first couple times, but I don't think there's anything you could break. My method is to grab the two tab/grommet holes at the back of the box (where the engine cover snaps into, and pull straight up until you hear/feel it pop out of the lower grommets. Then from the front of the box, push straight back to get it to pop out of the front grommets... and keep pushing back (the accordian tube can handle the compression backwards) until the oval intake opening clears the front steel member and you can freely move the box. The accordian tube, MAF wiring, etc can all be left on for this. Then unclip the box and have at it.

It sounds like a lot, but once you get a hang of it, it only takes a few seconds.

 

I presume you are loosening the hose clip on the intake tube going to the throttle body. That allows the air cleaner to slide inside the tube a bit and gives you more room to work. It is easier to remove the whole airbox than just the top half.

 

I've found the intake tube is flexible enough to allow the box to be pushed back and popped out without loosening the hose clamp. Of course after doing this 50+ times mine now comes out without much trouble

 

Thanks guys. Maybe I'll give it another try before giving up.

 

Maybe some WD40 on the lower rubber mounts would help.

 

Thanks G8rboy. That paragraph should be in the manual! The filter didn't look dirty at all- I vacuumed it a little and cleaned out the inside of the box and the area underneath. I tried putting a little armour-all on the bottom nibs and it slipped back into place easily. Should be much easier next time. Another trip to the dealer avoided!

 

Cool... glad to help...