How To Change The Engine Air Filter

Think back to the last fourth dimension you had your oil changed at a quick lube. The mechanic brings you out to the car to show you how filthy your air filter is and tells you lot it'south time to supercede information technology. You lot're a busy human with places to become and people to encounter, so yous nod and requite him the go ahead. You go back to the anteroom and read the six month former Field and Stream that was in that location at your terminal oil change while the mechanic does his affair.

"Shouldn't exist more $ten extra," you think to yourself.

"And your total today for the oil change and new air filter is $45.77," chirps the cute immature lady with bad highlights at the cash register.

What the wha?

That's correct. Your $20 oil change doubled its cost in only a matter of seconds. I've seen mechanics accuse anywhere from $18 to $25 to modify an air filter. About the aforementioned price as an oil change.

The air filter itself is only nigh $ten for virtually vehicles. Where the shop gets you is where they ever go you- on labor. Y'all'd think with what they accuse, replacing an air filter is some complicated task that necessitates special tools merely available to licensed mechanics. You'd think that, only you'd be wrong.

The reality is that changing your auto's air filter is quite possibly the simplest maintenance job you tin perform. It seriously takes about a minute to complete and requires no special tools. But some know-how.

If you're a human being who has never done any machine maintenance and would like to get started, but you're not quite set up to modify your oil, beginning off changing your own air filter. It's a quick fashion to salve some cash- money that you tin can apply for more important things like paying down your debt or buying a squirrel lamp.

Fix? Permit's get started.

What Does an Air Filter Do?

For your engine to run, it needs air. The air mixes with gas, the spark plug gives a spark, and-presto!-y'all've got internal combustion. For an engine to run efficiently, the air that information technology takes in needs to exist as make clean as possible. Problem is that the air exterior is total of junk that doesn't burn cleanly or evenly at all. Clay, pollen, salt, and bird feathers are just some the things your engine will suck in to create the controlled explosion that moves your motor. You don't want that stuff in your engine.

That's where the trusty air filter enters the picture.

Air filters are connected to the engine's intake manifold. Virtually filters are rectangular (older cars that have carburetors use a donut-shaped air filter) and are fabricated of a porous, paper-similar textile, folded similar an accordion. Here, take a look at i:

Car air filter.

Image from Shutterstock

The filter prevents clay and other particulates from getting into your engine while allowing the make clean air through. Unproblematic, yet constructive.

Why Practice You lot Need to Change Your Air Filter Regularly?

Increased fuel efficiency. Afterward logging thousands of miles on your machine, that filter can get actually dirty and clogged. A muddied air filter doesn't allow air to go through to the engine. Remember, your engine needs air to run efficiently. A reduced amount of air means your engine needs to use more fuel to get the same blindside to run your engine. Save yourself some money at the pump. Modify your air filter regularly.

Prolonged engine life. Engines are big and powerful, only they can exist surprisingly sensitive to the smallest grain of sand. Over time, dirt and other particles tin crusade serious damage to your engine's internal parts. Better to spend $10 now on a new air filter than thousands of dollars later on a new engine.

Reduced Emissions. Reduced air flow can also mess with your car'southward emission control systems causing you to spew more bad stuff into the atmosphere. Men need polar bears to wrestle. Save one by changing your air filter.

How Often Should You Change Your Air Filter?

It's recommended that yous change your air filter once every 12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever comes showtime. If y'all alive in a particularly dusty place, practise it more often. It'southward e'er a skillful idea to at least bank check your air filter at every oil modify. If you take your auto into a quick lube and the mechanic says you lot need a new one, merely tell him you're going to wait on information technology and and so go change it yourself. Cheque your owner's manual for specifics on when to modify your air filter for your make and model.

How to Change Your Air Filter

1. Buy your air filter. Most air filters are pretty cheap. Betwixt $x-$13. Swing by an automobile parts shop afterward work or choice an air filter up while you're grocery shopping at a Super Walmart. Figuring out what air filter to become for your automobile is easy. First, you tin check your owner'southward manual, but let's face it, you'll probably forget to exercise that. Lucky for you lot, places that sell air filters have this tattered phone book-looking thing hanging off a shelf. It'south literally the phone volume for auto parts. You merely expect upwards the yr, make, and model of your motorcar, and it tells yous what parts you demand for information technology. If your car parts store is really fancy, they'll have a crappy Speak & Spell-like estimator that y'all tin can use. But information technology's usually disrepair, so you lot'll probably but end up using the book.

ii. Open your hood and locate the air filter box. Information technology's the black plastic box sitting on elevation of or to the side of your engine. The filter box usually has a giant hose sticking out of its side.

Man changing air filter box under car hood. Paradigm from Shutterstock

iii. Open the air filter box and remove the dirty air filter. Opening an air filter box is a cinch. Just unclasp the large metal clips that hold the top down and open the box. Remove the dirty filter.

Man remove dirty air filter under car hood. Image from Shutterstock

4. Bank check the one-time air filter. Give your former filter a look over to see if it's past its prime. Expect inside the folds. See a lot of clay and gunk? Fourth dimension to replace information technology.

five. Put in the new air filter. Identify your filter in the filter box. Brand sure it sits snuggly in the box. Shut the meridian of the box and snap the clips.

That's it. Your engine will no longer exist gasping for air like a guppy that jumped its bowl.

Total time: about a minute.

Money savings: $10-$15

Any other tips? Did I miss anything? Drop us a line in the comments beneath.

Tags: Cars