When checking the air filter today I found that there is a sponge on the side of the enclosure. At the bottom of it there was some oil. Apparently the sponge is used to soak the oil.

I have attached some pictures for illustration.

Does anybody know the purpose of having the oil and sponge in the air filter enclosure.

1st i have seen this or even heard of it. deffo dont think it has to be in there.

its from the crankcase breather hose all the blow through from the crankcase is blown through the hose whre the clean air is pulled back into the air intake the oil vapour is left on the spongue without it the air filter would get covered in oil

As above, and it looks quite normal - not soaking.

A new air filter 'should' come with a new sponge so it is changed periodically (they did on the mk1 anyway)

When checking the air filter today I found that there is a sponge on the side of the enclosure. At the bottom of it there was some oil. Apparently the sponge is used to soak the oil.

I have attached some pictures for illustration.

Does anybody know the purpose of having the oil and sponge in the air filter enclosure.

My 2010 1.6TDCi focus air box has a slot like that in the corner of it,

No sponge in it but I did find a snail when upgrading the filter to a Green Cotton Performance.

as stated, sponge is just to soak up the odd oil droplets in the vapour...not critical but useful...

not all aftermarket air filters come with sponges, but fords will.

Lenny,

you'd be amazed at sort of things i find in air boxes over the years.

bunch of keys, mice nests, squirrel nut hoards, various tools left by previous garages and so on...but the best one, a wallet containing 300 in cash which wasnt the car owners...i managed to track the owner from other bits and pieces in wallet which turned out was lost 9 months previously...if i wasnt honest, could have been a very profitable quick engine service ever :)

as stated, sponge is just to soak up the odd oil droplets in the vapour...not critical but useful...

not all aftermarket air filters come with sponges, but fords will.

Lenny,

you'd be amazed at sort of things i find in air boxes over the years.

bunch of keys, mice nests, squirrel nut hoards, various tools left by previous garages and so on...but the best one, a wallet containing 300 in cash which wasnt the car owners...i managed to track the owner from other bits and pieces in wallet which turned out was lost 9 months previously...if i wasnt honest, could have been a very profitable quick engine service ever :)

I have found a few bits of tools and allen keys before but a wallet with £300 in it?? who on earth can loose that in an airbox :lol:

£300 in the airbox? Sounds like the engine was running a bit rich! I'll leave now :D

£300 in the airbox? Sounds like the engine was running a bit rich! I'll leave now :D

Groan!!!

£300 in the airbox? Sounds like the engine was running a bit rich! I'll leave now :D

has he gone yet? :)

£300 in the airbox? Sounds like the engine was running a bit rich! I'll leave now :D

Perhaps they saw this video on you-tube and though feeding the car money would correct the issue at the time lol

Checked our air filter the other day...

Could be a reason it seems to 'hesitate' up to about 3000rpm?

Or could it be the bees?

Personally, I wouldn't bee too sure

worth changing to a Green Coton performance filter or K&N

The car will breath easier freerer and be slightly more fuel efficent.

ha, that reminds me of another one..found the usual collection of bees and feathers, started picking them out only to find one was still alive and stung me....got no sympathy from the owner either, she was standing beside me at the time and just burst out laughing :)

The finis number is 1694449

Pop that number into eBay search and you should see some.

On 6/28/2018 at 9:38 PM, Affleck said:

Are these sponges readily available to buy and are they just called crankcase breather sponges.  Cheers

Just buy a sponge from a place like ‘home bargains’ (like a poundshop) and cut a section out to fit, quicker and probably cheaper 👍🏼

Mann air filters from Euro Car Parts come with replacement breather filters 

On 7/5/2018 at 10:21 PM, Russ said:

Just buy a sponge from a place like ‘home bargains’ (like a poundshop) and cut a section out to fit, quicker and probably cheaper 👍🏼

I'd be concerned if a cheapo sponge like that is oil/fuel resistant and if its going to melt...

Holy necrothread Batman! 😁

41 minutes ago, rhyds said:

I'd be concerned if a cheapo sponge like that is oil/fuel resistant and if its going to melt...

Been in there 18 months so far & photos can be obtained 😉 

(used the same in a fiesta mk6 for several years)

13 hours ago, Turvey said:

Holy necrothread Batman! 😁

I was about to say a couple of weeks isn't that bad a NecroPost, before I saw the gap between 2013 and this year!

19 hours ago, Russ said:

Been in there 18 months so far & photos can be obtained 😉 

(used the same in a fiesta mk6 for several years)

Like the man in orthopaedic shoes I stand corrected!