'Lil Red Wagon

What problems come up after using an oiled air filter like the Airaid filter? What does the Chevy dealer say when you get service and they see the cold air kit on the HHR?

J W Davis

They say nothing, doesn't effect warranty.

xzombiex66

If over oiled they can coat the MAF sensor and cause CEL light to come on and sometimes cause rough idle.

'Lil Red Wagon

Thanks for the info. I can rest easier. I do know that Amsoil has an oil free filter that will fit the Airaid kit and all you do is clean it with a vacume every 5K or so, costs abour $70.

'Lil Red Wagon

Had anyone done a rear drum to disc brake conversion if possible?

sleeper

If over-oiled you simply wash some off.. Use K&N enough to know it does NOT / nor should NOT need to be dripping red oil. Light coating only..

jx3

hvrod converted from drum to disc..........

https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/general-hhr-4/first-all-disc-panel-ss-material-10886/

rubics_cube

And beware of any solvents used to clean the old oil from the filter. There's a long list of chemicals that can adversely affect the MAF sensor.

EcoBoost

Some dealers freak out when they see an aftermarket filter that is the oiled type.

We had a customer who, after having run our CoolRam intake on his SS Cobalt for six months, made a dealer visit for a sudden CEL. The technician saw the oil-type K&N filter we use, and imediately condemned the intake system on the basis of an oiled MAF sensor. They sold the customer a new MAF sensor and stock airbox on the spot.

The customer contacted his Hahn dealer in a panic, demanding a refund for the intake system. At first, we were reticent, as we've sold hundreds of these CoolRam intake systems for Cobalt without incident. Nonetheless, the customer and our dealer really insisted, so we offered a refund in the spirit of good customer service.

When we got the CoolRam system back from the customer, we imediately noted that the MAF sensor was still installed in it. We could tell that the MAF sensor had never even been removed from it for inspection, for the original installer had damaged one of the MAF mounting screws to the extent that it was not removable. Further, the design of the system means that there is no way to visually inspect the sensor without actually removing it. Needless to say, we were now mighty suspicious of the story.

What we found next was startling. We extracted the damaged screw, removed the MAF...and it was dry as a bone. I've since tested it on other cars, and it is perfect. No problem at all.

Apparently, the dealer just sold this hapless fellow an armload of new parts based on the Possibility that the K&N had caused an issue, and had never even verified the diagnosis via inspection of the MAF itself.

Needless to say, we took it in the shorts on this one, lol! I suppose we did benefit in two ways, however...we pleased the customer and the Hahn dealer, and also got a good MAF out of the deal. Perhaps most valuable was the lesson learned about relying on someone else's knee-jerk diagnosis and how some GM dealers can view any aftermarket parts with a jaundiced eye.