11 Steps to Replacing an Air Filter
Some automotive maintenance including replacing an air filter is simple enough to do yourself. However, it is imperative that you don’t ignore it. Clean air for the car’s engine is an essential element in maintaining your car. A clogged air filter can adversely affect the performance of the car as well as gas mileage and engine life. Those in the know say that it should be replaced every 12,000 miles or at least once a year.
To perform the task you will need:
- A Screwdriver
- Adhesive Tape
- Vacuum Cleaner
- Clean Air Filter
A disposable air filter, which is circular or rectangular and made of paper, cotton or gauze, can be purchased from any auto parts and supply store and costs about $10 to $15.
Prior to doing the work, the car should be parked on level ground, the engine should be cold and the ignition turned off. The 11 steps to the process are:
- Open the hood of the car and secure it up with a rod which can be found on the side edge of the engine compartment.
- Locate the air filter. On most cars it is in a black plastic casing on the top of the engine.
- Loosen the hose clamp sealing the air duct.
- Remove the screws holding the air filter cover.
- Remove the air filter.
- Seal the air conduit with adhesive tape.
- Clean the air filter housing using a vacuum cleaner.
- Put the new air filter into the air filter housing, make certain that the rubber rim is facing up and remove the adhesive tape sealing the air conduct.
- Return the cover and secure it in place with the screws.
- Replace the hose clamp over the air conduit.
- Close the hood.
It seems easy enough to do. However, if you don’t want to get involved doing things under the hood of a car, the air filter can be replaced at your neighborhood service station or at an oil change shop. However, keep in mind that if you do the work yourself you are only spending the $10 to $15 for the filter. If you take the car to the neighborhood service station or to an oil change shop, you could find yourself spending as much as $30.
By the way, you can replace your disposable air filter with a reusable one. These filters feature cloth or foam rather than paper, cotton or gauze. They last longer than the disposable filters and you simply clean them and re-oil them and then return them into the filter housing on the engine. Those in the know say that if you maintain and clean a reusable filter regularly, they can last for up to 1,000,000 miles. Moreover, they assert that reusable air filters are more breathable than disposable filters and this allows more air to flow through the filter and into the engine.
Just as is the case with disposable air filters, you can purchase reusable air filters at any auto parts and supply store or on line. They could cost as much as $60 to more than $120.
