Air Cleaner Leaks D2a TD5

[Gaudough]

I had a snorkel installed last year by ARB and they did a good job. I can see sealant on the joints right up to the actual air box. Today I decided to check it out for leaks so with the engine running I took off the snorkel head and placed my hand over the end. I saw the concertina hose between the air box and the turbo contract a little but it didn't stop the engine. I could even rev it up.

It seemed there were leaks around the radiator side of the airbox. I blocked off the breather pipe that goes to the vacuum solenoids for the EGR etc, it wasn't that.

The attached picture shows what I found when I opened the air box. See the black lines on each corner, this is after about 20,000kms of city driving so I am guessing that is where its leaking. I think it was a Coopers filter. Does anyone have any ideas for a fix. I will get a genuine filter and test again. The black spot on the LHS is my big black thumb print when I pulled the filter out.

Anyone have this issue before.

Regards Gordo

[scarry]

Common problem,every D2 i had leaked around the air filter,there are a few threads on here about it.
The airbox is not designed very well,doesn't pull down tight enough to seal on the filter gasket properly,as you have found out.

I tried putting grease on it to help it seal better,also some foam tape on the gasket,but itstill didn't seal well.

Rub your hand over the air on side of the plastic grill on the MAF,and it will be dirty as well.

In the end i didn't worry about it,particularly as the little bit of air & probably dirt that got past the air cleaner didn't seem to cause any issues.

From memory the genuine filter did seal better than any other brand,but still leaked slightly.

[OffTrack]

From memory the genuine filter did seal better than any other brand,but still leaked slightly.

I had the same issue with the coopers filters. I've switched to genuine and have also found they hold their shape better and seem to leak less.

[Wasa57]

Silicone grease around all mating surfaces (ie both sides of filter edges) and regular air filter renewal is probably the best you can do given the sub optimal design of the air filter system.

[Fluids]

I must be the odd man out ... Cooper filters seem to fit fine. No dust past the seal or in the top of the airbox/inlet ... though they only seem to last around 30k (my first one) before they have really lost their shape and are starting to collapse. I clean mine every 5k, and am 10k on the 2nd one since owning the D2.