How to check and change your car’s engine air filter: Easy steps

  • Make sure to use a clean air filter, as it is vital for smooth functioning of the engine and the car's overall optimum performance.
The air filter is a crucial component for smooth functioning of the engine.
The air filter is a crucial component for smooth functioning of the engine.

You may not be comfortable with regular car maintenance jobs like changing the oil or replacing spark plugs, but changing your car's engine air filter is an easy task that you can do yourself. Changing the engine air filter by yourself can result in big savings for you. Many roadside quick car repair workshops charge an absurd amount to check and replace the air filter. There's no point wasting money on that when you can do it yourself. A periodical examination of the air filter will tell you about its condition, and you will also get an idea of when to change the air filter.

Also Read : How to check and change engine coolant in your car: Key tips

Sitting in the engine bay of a car, the air filter ensures that clean air reaches the power mill. This air enters the engine's combustion chamber and mixes with the fuel. This mixture is then burned with the help of the spark plugs and generates the required energy, which is channelled to the wheels and propels the vehicle. Hence, clean air is paramount for a car's engine to run efficiently and generate the required power output. Minus the air filter, the engine's air induction system would suck in bugs, leaves, dirt and other contaminants inside the powertrain and eventually damage it. Also, a dirty air filter results in a choked air induction system, preventing clean air from entering the engine, resulting in pressure on the engine, higher fuel consumption, and lower power generation. In short, it results in poor engine performance.

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Clearly, the engine air filter is a crucial component and keeping it clean and well-functional is necessary for the overall performance of the vehicle. Here's how you can examine the air filter and change it yourself.

Locate the air filter housing

Open the car's hood, and you can find the engine air filter housing. This usually is a black plastic box that is located on top of or to the side of the engine. Also, to make locating it easier for you, try to check that a large hose sticking out of the box's side.

Open the housing and take out old filter

After locating the engine air filter, open the black plastic housing and remove the old filter. Make sure you do it carefully. While removing the housing cover, ensure extra cautiousness, as a wiring harness and electrical components may be attached to it. Also, make sure to remove the dirt and debris that is in the housing by wiping it out with a rag. Ensure it doesn't contaminate the air filter. The air filter housing can be fastened together using screws, clips, clamps or wing nuts. Check what kind of fasteners have been used and select the appropriate tool to remove them. After removing the fasteners, remove the top of the air filter box and take out the filter.

Examine the old filter

After removing the old air filter, examine it carefully for any debris or dirt or contaminant buildup. Besides checking the outer area, also examine the inside of the pleats. If a lot of dirt is there, it is time to change the air filter. A dirty air filter is equally hazardous for the car's engine as having no filter at all. You can try tapping the filter to check if the dirt falls out to see if the air filter is past its prime.

Replace with new engine air filter

If the old air filter is dirty enough to be replaced, get a new air filter from the market and make sure you buy a branded one. There's no point in wasting money on local or low-quality air filters. Place the new engine air filter in the filter box. Insert it with the rubber rim facing up. Make sure the air filter and the rubber rim is positioned correctly.

Put back the housing and fasteners

After placing the engine air filter properly, put the top of the filter housing back on and the fasteners back on. Make sure the housing top is fitted properly to its place and the fasteners have also been fastened accurately.

How to check and change the engine air filter
Step 1 :

Locate the air filter housing

Step 2 :

Open the housing and take out old filter

Step 3 :

Examine the old filter

Step 4 :

Replace with new engine air filter

Step 5 :

Put back the housing and fasteners

First Published Date: 22 Nov 2022, 15:03 PM IST
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