Help with replacing air filter for 2005 T-Bird

[Phillip]

I went to the manual, and followed the steps.

First, I loosened the hose clamp on the left of the air filter housing.
Second, I opened the two clamps on the side of the air filter housing facing the windshield.
Third, I tried to remove the air filter housing, as it says in the manual.

However, it would not budge (well, I could lift the housing top upward about an inch, but I certainly could not move it enough to take out the air filter already in there)! It seems that the side of the air filter housing closest to the front end of the car is kind of stuck, and I am afraid to do anything since it is a plastic housing and appears easily breakable. I tried a little force, but nothing!

Is the side of the air filter housing closest to the front of the car attached the bottom portion of the air filter housing in some way? According to the manual, that is not the case, but it certainly appears to be held in place someway.

Any suggestions??

Thanks.

[00mustng]

......the front of the air filter box hooks.....and the fasteners are on the other side...It's a bit of a struggle, but I don't have to loosen anything....watch the um, I think is the hood release cable...that goes around the filter box.....

[Phillip]

Thank you, 00Mustang.

Before I tackle it again, please clarify what you mean by "fasteners on the other side."

It almost feels like it is hinged on that side, but I don't think that is the case. In any event, if it has fasteners, do I have to be careful not to break those fasteners when I try to pull the top of the air filter housing from the bottom of the air filter housing.

Also, when I loosened the hose clamp, it really did not do much of anything, and I take it from you response that you did not even have to do that -- rather, you just popped the two clips on the air filter housing side closest to the passenger compartment, and then wiggled it a bit, and then removed the top.

I wish it was as easy as that for me, but it was not. Again, I am afraid to be forceful once I remove the two clips, because it just feels like the side of the air filter closest to the front of the car is held in place tightly, and something would break if I wiggled the air filter housing too hard in order to remove the top.

Any clarification you can provide (or anyone else) would be great!

Thanks.

[Phillip]

Sorry, but I meant one of my sentences as a question:


Do I have to be careful not to break those fasteners when I try to pull the top of the air filter housing from the bottom of the air filter housing?

Also, what exactly are those fasteners, and how do they operate (that might give me a better idea about how to unfasten them from the bottom portion of the air filter)?

[George]

If it's the ones I'm thinking of, press down on them (outer ring) and the center pops up then remove

[Phillip]

Thanks, George. I think you are referring to the two clasps on the side of the air filter closest to the passenger compartment. Those I have no problem opening. It's the thing-a-ma-jigs on the side closest to the front of the car that I cannot figure out.

After looking at it some more, the top part of the air filter housing on the side closest to the front of the car has about 6 tabs that extend horizontally towards the front of the car. The bottom part of the air filter, to the best I can figure out, has 6 rectangular-shaped slots in which the 6 tabs of the top part fit through.

Now, my problem is that even after opening the two clasps on the side of the air filter closest to the passenger compartment, and even after loosening the air hose clamp on the side of the air filter, the air filter housing does not seem to be able to move much at all. An inch up, perhaps an inch to the side, but not nearly enough to move those darn tabs of the top part of the air filter housing out of the slots of the bottom part of the air filter housing. As such, I'm in a pickle trying to remove the air filter housing.

The tabs are plastic, so I am hestitant to press down on them, fearing that they will break, and in any event that would not seem to remove them from the slots they extend horizontal through.

Any other thoughts?

[scriv]

phil

I have an 05 as well and when I was checking it out last year I came across the same problem. new so it didn't need changing. now you have me interested again so i'll look at mine again. I think it is another one of Fords better ideas that drive it for the dealer to change. The owners manual is one of the worst I've ever dealt with. its like the person who wrote it had no idea of what a T Bird was. there are plenty of other things that do not work the way the manual says it should or they just flat ignore the topic. example: check out how it says to adjust the headlites then using the tool they say to use try it. its the wrong tool.

[Phillip]

Let me know how you did Scriv, since I have gotten nowhere on my air filter replacement task. I will wait a while for you to respond before I go to the dealership, and I agree totally with you concerning the idiotic Owner's Manual. The steps written to change the air filter are beyond ridiculous!

[joebullits]

I just changed air filter with K&N filter in my 03. Don't know if there is a difference , but I'll explain how mine went.
#1. Loosen clamp at the left end of air tube.
#2. Air sensor relay wire, push little red tab up and disconnect.
#3. Remove small hex head screw in center above filter box.
#4. Remove cowel cover in front of radiator by removing fastners.
#5. Carefully remove entire filter box by manuvering up and away from engine.(may need to pull box tube out of rubber tube to engine by twisting the box.)
#6. Remove old filter with new and reverse procedure.

[George]

Joe:
If I understand correctly, you should see improved performance with more air getting to the engine - And no affect on warranty
Is the sound more "throaty" from the engine compartment?

[Ed Martin]

I was just about to ask the question on a K&N filter.When I had my Pontiac GTP it made a difference,also had one in my Bronco. Keep us posted on it

[shovino]

The manual is basically correct in the procedure. Loosen the flex hose that runs from the engine intake to the filter housing. Once loose, it is mandatory to get complete seperation of the flex tube and the airfilter housing. Release the two plastic snaps on the top of the filter housing and tip the housing up. As you are leaning over the front of the car, force the filter housing towards the front of the car and it will separate. Clean the housing and replace the filter. Align the tabs on the front of the housing and then tip the back of the housing back into place and get the plastic snaps to seat closed. Hook the flex hose back up to the filter housing and then tighten the hose clamp. You are done. The key to the change is separting the flex hose from the filter housing and it is not necessary to remove the flex hose from the engine intake end.
Hope this helps!

[05bird]

I changed my air cleaner last year on my o5, had to use brute force, got the job done. I think Ford could have done a better design job on the replacement requirements.