i just put a new air filter on about a month ago and its already full of staunch... looks like black sooty oily mumbo jumbo... and it infuriates me! anyway, could this be the EGR letting crankcase gasses up into the vacuum system? has anyone ever seen this before? my motor is an ea81 btw...

Probably the PCV valve, clean it up, and make sure it works (shake it and see if you hear the valve inside).

i think i figured it out! i believe it was a combination of a malfunctioning asv and the vacuum motor which controls the warm air induction wasn't ever opening. so i've disconnected the asv and the warm air hose and ill run it like that for a while to see if it helps...