The air filter is one of the important car components you need to check during your regular car maintenance. Its job is to prevent contaminants from reaching the engine, ensuring a good mixture of air and fuel for optimum engine performance. If your air filter is faulty, nothing will be filtered and containments will easily enter the engine, reducing its performance and ultimately damaging it. To avoid this situation, you need to understand when and how to change a car air filter.
Air filter replacement is best handled by a professional with the right skills and understanding. However, if you have some knowledge or experience of fixing minor issues in your car, you should be able to do it on your own. Read on to understand the process.
How to Change a Car’s Air Filter
Open your car’s bonnet and look for your car air filter. You will easily find the air filter under the hood of modern vehicles in a rectangular cold air box located slightly off the centre near the engine and the front grille. Other vehicles such as those with carburettors have big round metal or plastic air filters that are easily noticeable.
Follow these steps to locate and check the air filter.
Locate the Filter
A large air inlet duct, also known as the air intake hose is connected to the air filter. Loosen the hose clamp that seals it to the box, and undo all the screws, wing nuts or clamps holding the air filter cover.
Open the air filter cover and lift it up, this is your car air filter location. The filter will be round or rectangular, made up of paper, gauze or cotton. The air filter’s interior will be sealed off with a rubber rim.
Check the Filter
Simply lift the air filter out of the housing. Hold the air filter up to the sun or a strong light to see if it needs replacement. If you can’t see the light through it, drop the filter lightly on a hard surface to jar some dirt loose.
If the filter is still dirty try dropping it a couple of times. If this still doesn’t work, try cleaning the air filter.
Clean If Needed
Use an air hose or vacuum to clean a pleated air filter. Be sure you handle the filter gently or you may crush the pleats. Keep the air hose or vacuum’s nozzle several inches from the filter. Seal the open end of the air intake hose with removable adhesive tape.
If cleaning the air filter doesn’t work, you need a new car engine air filter.
Steps for Changing Car Air Filter
For changing the car air filter, follow these simple steps:
- If there is a lot of dust in the air filter compartment vacuum it out.
- Put the air filter inside the compartment and press it down.
- Make sure the outer seal is seated properly before closing the cover.
- After closing the cover, tighten all the screws and wires you opened or disengaged.
- Remove the adhesive tape and reattach it to the airbox using the hose clamp.
When changing your car engine air filter, make sure the old one is replaced with the correct one. Try to get the filter that comes with your vehicle. The exact air filter will give your engine the most life and performance. You can also buy car air filters online.
Always keep in mind that some older vehicles have permanent air filters, on the other hand, some off-road vehicles have complex air filters with wet and dry elements. Those filters are not as simple to remove or replace.
Read the instructions in the owner’s manual before you clean or replace such car air filters. Take your car to a reliable workshop to get the filter checked and changed professionally.
FAQs
How often should air filters be changed?
Generally, car air filters should be changed every 20,000km or once a year. Check your owner’s manual for the exact number.
How do I know what size air filter my car needs?
Consult your car owner’s manual and go through the contents of the ‘Engine Air Filter’ section. You will find information about the right air filter size there.
That is all the information you need on how to change a car’s air filter. On the other hand, read these signs to change air filters to know if you need to replace them.
Besides, if you are looking to buy a car, take a look at these used cars for sale in the UAE.
For more on car component changes and other topics pertaining to the auto sector, stay tuned to your favourite cars blog.
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