Oil Found In Air Filter

[peterk9]

Hi alam. As you can see, there is a thread on this issue and yours has been merged with it. Thank you for providing/sharing the information.

Peter

 

[1995E]

Replaced air filter with k & n

lately, the explorer has felt like it has no power. Even wide open throttle yielded weak acceleration and I needed at least 3.5k rpm to get any feel from the car. Even coasting, the car would slow down tremendously from engine. I popped it into neutral to confirm that the car would roll fine. I bought a k & n replacement ( for 50 bucks at autpzone, was I ripped off? )thinking maybe it was just the stock air filter with air restriction from 34k miles on it. I open the air box and the filter was all covered in oil. Was this normal? The paper was all yellow. I put in the k & n and the explorer started really quick. Acceleration at lower rpm seemed to be a lot better and when I accelerated on the highway, I easily hit 95 mph by accident from my normal throttle output. Not sure if it's the k and n that helped with this better acceleration or just that I finally have a clean filter but there is definitely a huge difference. Should I clean the mag and throttle body too? How do I go about that? I heard you can't use just any kind of cleaner on the maf sensor. I bet that thing must be coated in oil too. Also, I noticed better MPGs of .8 from the computer. Hope it's not the placebo effect lol

 

[HamHands]

OP, I change our air filters once to twice a year depending on how hard we've driven them. To go 34K on the original air filter... yeah... that is going to rob performance. Your EX probably couldn't breath. I would equate it to you going out for a fast pace jog: only breathing thru a McDonalds straw instead of being able to breath out of an open mouth.

As to the MAF and using no cleaning products, yes, I read that in the manual too. I would use keyboard compressed air cleaner that comes in an aerosol can and CAREFULLY de-gunk the sensor... Just go easy on it and make darn sure you don't disconnect anything that you don't absolutely need to; and be careful reconnecting anything you needed to disconnect electronics/sensor wise.

As to getting ripped off on the K&N filter, being you can use them for the life of the vehicle; $50 is nothing. Just keep it clean and check it for dirt & debris every 3-5K miles... I'm glad you were able to get her back to her old self without a trip to the dealer!

 

[1995E]

Here is a picture of my MPGs after I changed the filter. This was done going from UMBC to Silver Spring, MD along i95. This is the 3.5L btw which is rated for 17 city, 23 hwy.

This next picture is when I arrived at Down Town Silver Spring.

 

[sheltonfilms]

Was the oil on the engine side of the filter and in the intake tube?

If so this shouldn't be normal and indicates a problem with the PCV system.

 

[1995E]

Was the oil on the engine side of the filter and in the intake tube?

If so this shouldn't be normal and indicates a problem with the PCV system.

It was from the engine side of the filter. I haven't checked the intake tube yet.

 

[peterk9]

lately, the explorer has felt like it has no power. Even wide open throttle yielded weak acceleration and I needed at least 3.5k rpm to get any feel from the car. Even coasting, the car would slow down tremendously from engine. I popped it into neutral to confirm that the car would roll fine. I bought a k & n replacement ( for 50 bucks at autpzone, was I ripped off? )thinking maybe it was just the stock air filter with air restriction from 34k miles on it. I open the air box and the filter was all covered in oil. Was this normal? The paper was all yellow. I put in the k & n and the explorer started really quick. Acceleration at lower rpm seemed to be a lot better and when I accelerated on the highway, I easily hit 95 mph by accident from my normal throttle output. Not sure if it's the k and n that helped with this better acceleration or just that I finally have a clean filter but there is definitely a huge difference. Should I clean the mag and throttle body too? How do I go about that? I heard you can't use just any kind of cleaner on the maf sensor. I bet that thing must be coated in oil too. Also, I noticed better MPGs of .8 from the computer. Hope it's not the placebo effect lol

There is a thread on oil found on the air filter. The problem stemmed from the design of the 2011-2012 valve cover vent tube that connects directly to the air intake tube. Ford advised: replacing the valve cover to incorporate the latest design of the vent tube which now has an internal baffle to prevent oil from migrating all the way up to the air intake tube and to the throttle body.
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=348388&highlight=oil+in+air+cleaner

Peter

 

[HamHands]

OP, I would probably go back to the standard filter for a while just to see if it gets saturated in oil again. If it does and is a problem it will be easier to see on standard white filter paper than a darker K&N style filter. I would check it ever 500 miles. What you experienced was NOT normal. Even with a slightly clogged filter you would not see a reduction in power to the point you explained... I'd check out what Peter linked and stay on top of it. If it's a valve cover gasket I'd replace it or have it replaced quickly. How does the rest of the engine bay look? Is it dirty/greasy with lots of dust and debris around the top of the engine area, under the plastic engine intake cover???

 

[1995E]

OP, I would probably go back to the standard filter for a while just to see if it gets saturated in oil again. If it does and is a problem it will be easier to see on standard white filter paper than a darker K&N style filter. I would check it ever 500 miles. What you experienced was NOT normal. Even with a slightly clogged filter you would not see a reduction in power to the point you explained... I'd check out what Peter linked and stay on top of it. If it's a valve cover gasket I'd replace it or have it replaced quickly. How does the rest of the engine bay look? Is it dirty/greasy with lots of dust and debris around the top of the engine area, under the plastic engine intake cover???

I'll take a picture in the morning of my old air filter and my engine. I have a 2011 Explorer that is 4.5 years old but less than the 36K mile warranty. I don't have the extended warranty sadly. How much would it cost to get that valve thing replaced?

 

[HamHands]

To replace a head gasket @ Ford is going to run you at least $1000 I'm betting. It's a lot of work actually and I wouldn't try it yourself unless you've done it before on another vehicle. If you don't get the gasket seated properly it will develop another leak...

 

[sheltonfilms]

To replace a head gasket @ Ford is going to run you at least $1000 I'm betting. It's a lot of work actually and I wouldn't try it yourself unless you've done it before on another vehicle. If you don't get the gasket seated properly it will develop another leak...

This wouldn't be a head gasket. Its either the valve cover or valve cover gasket.

 

[peterk9]

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CRANKCASE (PCV)

Date Reported:
MAY 01, 2013

NHTSA Reference:
#10053358

TSB Reference:
#ASI-32211

Description: FORD: ON SOME VEHICLES, THE INTAKE AIR SYSTEM COMPONENTS MAY HAVE ENGINE OIL ACCUMULATION, IN LEFT HAND VALVE COVER BAFFLE MIGRATING THROUGH FRESH AIR INTAKE OF POSITIVE CRANKCASE VENTILATION (PCV) SYSTEM. MODELS 2011-2013 EDGE, EXPLORER.


Have your dealer contact Ford to see if they will still honour the free replacement. You really don't have anything to lose by trying that route.
The left valve cover has been redesigned to incorporate the new vent tube.

Peter

 

[blwnsmoke]

Worst case, you would be out the deductible which is $100 standard or higher/lower depending on if you wanted something different.

 

[HamHands]

This wouldn't be a head gasket. Its either the valve cover or valve cover gasket.

You're right. I was saying head and was thinking valve cover... Either way it can be semi-tedious OP. If it's just a $100 deductible then by all means let Ford fix this for you... Especially since PK9 gave you a specific TSB for the problem! I hope this fixes you bro!

HamHands

 

[sheltonfilms]

Wouldn't be so bad if it was the right valve cover (front).

For the rear (left) you got to remove the upper intake manifold. Not hard just a lot of little steps.

BTW head gasket would be a beast (at least 2000 at the dealer). You have to remove both valve covers on this engine so you can lock the cams in place, remove the front engine cover, and then the timing components.

Probably be easier to drop the powertrain and subframe.

 

[1995E]

Here are the pictures of my intake tube. I am very disappointed to see this. Especially because when I took it into service when I had the maintenance plan. None of the mechanics noticed this and before my warranty was up when I asked them to change the air filter at around 24K miles before my warranty expired and maintenance plan expired. They told me my air filter was "clean". I am betting this could have been easily fixed before my warranty was up.

 

[sheltonfilms]

Looks like a quick fix for this would be to add a catch can.

 

[peterk9]

1995E, I have merged your thread with this existing one as you seem to have the same issue. Check out the pictures on page 2.

Peter

 

[04YellowGT]

I have heard people talk about this being fixed under warranty. Is this covered under the 3/36 or the 5/60?

 

[new to ford]

I had this problem and got it fixed under warranty, like peter said, new valve cover. I actually noted oil weeping out of the clean air duct and brought it to the dealer attention. They probably would not have noted it/ fixed it under warranty should I have not told them to do so....