How to change your air filter
A lot of people don’t realise how easy it can be to service their own vehicles, as they fear they don’t possess the right tools or equipment. Most of the time these jobs can be done at home with the use of simple garage tools, and by making use of these tools you can save yourself a lot of money.
Previously in Part 1 we covered changing your car’s oil filter, to prepare you so that you can successfully service your own vehicle. Another important part of the service requires you to change your vehicle’s air filter.
Keeping your car’s air filter clean is really important as this keeps your engine clean and debris free and allows your engine to run at its optimized capacity. Keeping a clean air filter can also save on fuel consumption as you’re not making the engine work any harder than it already has to. The air that the engine takes in needs to be clean but with all the dirt and pollution outside, the air filter has a very tough and demanding job.
For those that are unsure, the air filter is located underneath your engine’s bonnet. The air filter box is usually attached to a hose, and is held down with clips. So once you have located your filter, you can unclip and remove the cover.
In some cases your air filter might not seem terribly dirty, but if you remove it and give it a thorough inspection, you might find that a new air filter is just what you needed. If you knock the filter against your hand and a lot of unwanted debris falls out, then it is probably time for a new filter.
If you are unsure of which filter to buy, then check your car’s manual for the proper specs on your air filter. If you have a compressor, then you can blow your air filter clean or you can use a vacuum cleaner to clean the box which holds the air filter.
Once you have placed your clean filter back into the air filter box, make sure that the filter is nice and snug and that the clips are properly sealed and that none of the filter is visible or sticking out. Once you have done this, then you have successfully changed your vehicle’s air filter.
Remember, just like you need and crave clean air, so does your vehicle. This little procedure is inexpensive and doesn’t need to take longer than 15 minutes.
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