Re: Is it a sin to not paint a 332 air filter?
Yeah, I meant to say valve cover but was thinking about the air filter when I was writing the piece. As we all know you cannot edit the title once it has be posted so I was stuck. The issue with the air filter was one which I had with my last 332. I had the throw away kind not the element replaceable type and was not happy with the cost of $35 for the throw away model which I thought was a rip off. So I took the old knife and hack saw out and disassembled the throw away model to see why it was a throw away. I found out that they have glued all of it together so that it is not possible to replace the element and keep the canister. They were wrong! I found a K&N reusable filter that is the exact same size as the glued in one and it can be removed for cleaning. The secret is to slice off the rubber band on the engine end of the housing and then cut each spoke on the other end with a razor knife so that the spokes are still there but are not securing the element to the housing. Then I slipped a knife into the engine end and worked it all of the way around so that there was no glue or attachment to the element inside. Then I banged on the spoke end and out came the filter. Of course it was glued to both ends and I hacked sawed it off both so that the two ends are nice and flat. I am keeping the two canister ends and the new K&N will be inserted into the canister and connected to the engine intake through the normal black rubber intake. The K&N was $34 and can be washed and reused for several years and the throw away model is $32 PLUS $8 shipping. So at the end of the first year I will save $6 and the next year it will total $46. If I had gone with the other type replacement filter canister the element is $22 plus shipping and the housing is another $40 plus they want me to buy the clogged filter indicator for another $40. I'll send some pictures of the conversion next week when I get the K&N. I'll admit it, I'm cheap!
