Help me: Air Filter Housing Removal

[alohamonte]

I've been getting about 16 MPG on the last tank of gas, down from the normal 18-19... had some time today to look around under the hood... a new air filter was caked up in dry mud pretty good from a recent romp in the mud.

Replaced the filter easy enough, but there is a layer of mud dry at the bottom of the housing... I can 't figure out how to remove that housing so I can wash it out... any ideas?

I wanted to clean out the MAF to make there that wasnt dusty and I never realized that one of the torx screws has a coating of hard plastic melted over it... it's basically sealed. Anyone else have this? I can post a picture if that would help.

And no, no engine damage, the filter it its job and kept the bad stuff out. i checked the rest of the X out for trail wear and I also have some moisture in the rear diff. so that will need to be flushed.

 

[IZwack]

Doesnt the air filter box have a drain at the bottom? If so, take the filter out and disconnect the intake tube, then spray it with a hose while its still mounted on the vehicle.

 

[alohamonte]

hmmm. not sure. i'll have to chip away some of the mud to see if there's a drain.

EDIT: It has two drain holes. I'll wash it out, thanks Iz

Any idea regarding the one sealed MAF screw?

 

[akrada]

On the maf screws i didnt have the a securty torx bit to remove mine so i use my dremal and a cut off disk to make it take a screw driver to remove them the recplaced with reg philips srews for the future. That should fix that!

 

[Turdle]

On the maf screws i didnt have the a securty torx bit to remove mine so i use my dremal and a cut off disk to make it take a screw driver to remove them the recplaced with reg philips srews for the future. That should fix that!

heck yeah.
I like the signature--lol

 

[Trebor]

that coating is just a drop of epoxy, you can chip it away and then using the torx bit take it off. you can also clean it by just romoving the maf from the intake tube and air box and spray inside the maf all aroun and inside the lil channel that goes to the sensor part. its alot easier than taking it all apart, but if you do be very careful as the fine wire sensor is very easily damaged