This is the weirdest thing I've ever seen. I have an SLP CAI with the dual S&B filters. On the front filter, the pleats facing out the nose of the car are each indented. It looks like something hit like 4-5 of the pleats and dented them in. And yet, there is no way anything significant could enter that area of the car.

Has anyone ever seen this? The screen over the pleats is fine, and I can't see any separation of the pleated material. Should I change it anyway? I assume yes...

 

hmm not quite sure what your talking about, but my filters are dented a little bit, might be that way for fitment

 

Is this the first time you looked at it since it was installed? Everyone I've messed with got that way while wrestling it in place.

 

Picture the front filter of your SLP CAI. Now picture the pleats of the filter that face towards the front bumper area. Imagine that halfway down those pleats, they are indented in just slightly, with all of them indented in about the same. I see you have an SLP CAI in your sig...is your front filter like that? I do not believe mine was before.

 

Actually, I've had it on for almost 2 years now and I have checked the filters 2 other times. I don't remember the front one being dented in at all. Now, I did not put the CAI on...

Whoa, wait...I figured it out now lol. Before I put the car away last fall, my uncle replaced the thermostat/plugs/wires/water pump on the car. I remember stopping by the shop, and he had the whole front portion of the engine apart to get at the pump and the thermostat. When he put everything back on, he must have twisted the filter and dented the pleats in a little bit. And I never noticed before because I took the car off the road for the winter a couple days later!!

And we have a revelation on cz28.com

So with that being said, I have the answer. Now the question is: Do I need to put a new filter on? Is the filter compromised in any way because the pleats are a little bent in? slopokrodriguez, you said all of yours end up that way...I assume that's acceptable??

If this question sounds overly ****, that's just the way I am with this car Thanks for helping me figure out what the hell happened

 

Bends and dents don't make a difference unless they actually break the cotton. More people have a problem with over oiling than broken filter media.