...It can do, Mr Fisher, if there is too much oil on the filter. Its been noted that oil can affect the sensor but it can often be cleaned, with proper cleaning spray. The internal fine wire is extremely sensitive so can easily become dirty or get damaged. Often a replacement is the only way but they are usually a lot cheaper on ECP or CP4L type sites, with a discount code and quite easy to change on a Fabia. 

 

Mr Crow, I liked the pencil up the pipe trick... I have personally swapped the filter on my Skud at least five times in its life and never had an issue with priming or bleeding and only minimal leakage. Its a bit messy, sure but simple to do. The pencil trick is similar to blocking up an air pipe, say, with a bolt and a jubilee clip.

6 hours ago, John Fisher said:

I replaced the paper filter on my Alfa 146 with a K & N one. Didn't notice any difference in performance and in a couple of weeks the air mass sensor needed replacing. Coincidence? or does the oil on the K & N damage the sensor? I would stick to a paper filter.  

 

proper job!!

the consensus now is paper all the way unless you go off road....the oiling thing i didnt know needed re-oiled every year at a cost...did you know that and have it done??

some things are beyond the common man...£7 every year now for me...for the air filter and let technology take the high road

 

:D

cheers

 

I have the common or garden version in the Fabia, which is my school car (Driving tuition) In my Yaris, I have a K&N panel filter, which is supposedly good for 100,000 miles. I think it could do with a clean and an oiling now so I will get round to doing it sometime soon but as it is running fine, I am in no hurry. I did have a little foulage of the MAF sensor after fitting but cleaned it and all was well and remained so. As that car is driven mainly by my daughter, I was not worried about the cleaning process taking the car off the road for the day but if I was tempted to fit one to the Fabia, I would almost certainly keep the older paper filter, just to pop back in whilst cleaning the K&N. As you said though, for around £7, just to pop a new one in is much easier.