How to check an air filter

Check the air filter of a car

The air filter is very important in your car as it is responsible for preventing dirt from entering the engine . If it does not work properly, dirt could enter the engine causing various problems. Therefore, it is important to check your status and change it if necessary . A maintenance that is usually done in the workshop during periodic reviews, but you can do it yourself if you know how. Actually, it is one of the simplest operations in the mechanics of a car.

It is advisable to change the air filter when recommended by the manufacturer . No one knows the model in question better than their own brand. However, those times can vary greatly depending on the conditions in which you drive. Any mechanic with a minimum of dedication would recommend that you change the filter before, if you see that it is dirtier than normal. So if you are not going to have any professional that tells you, it is better to take note of the following directions to do it yourself.

Where is the engine air filter

First you have to locate where the air filter is inside our car. It is easy to find because it is usually attached to the engine by a large duct that carries the air. In the newer models, it is usually found near the radiator or the mudguard (at the height of the rims). The filter can be rectangular, cylindrical or conical , but in all three cases the treatment should be the same.

 Where is the air filter of a car engine

Once we have found the location of the air filter, there is than extract it . It is usually enclosed in a black plastic box to protect it. So to open it you probably have to release some hooks or use a screwdriver. Once opened, the air filter is easy to remove because it does not usually have complicated fasteners.

How to check if the air filter is dirty

To check the status of the filter, the process is very simple . If it is rectangular , hold it up and bend it backwards, so that you can see the inside of the folds as if it were a book. What gets dirty on the filter is everything that prevents the free flow of air to the engine, so if it is very dirty you may have noticed a slight loss of power. If the filter is cylindrical or conical , which tend to have a much smaller fold , you can check it in the same way, but be careful not to bend anything irretrievably because they are something else delicate.

Air filter maintenance

If the filter paper is dirty, gray from pollution or brown from dust , it's time to change it. Although there are people who lengthen their use a bit by removing some of the dirt. If you do, never wet it with anything. It will be enough if you give it a few hits against a solid surface. Not against the paper but against the plastic edge. And most important of all, always trying to get the dirt out , not to the part that would be inside the engine. Do not abuse this method. We remind you that it is better to change it when the manufacturer indicates it.That is why with every injection of gasoline the necessary air is let in to be able to burn it. Now imagine that dirty air enters the combustion chamber. Something that does thousands of times per minute. You just have to take a look at the rev counter to see what a good approximation is.

The result would be an engine that would be practically unusable in a short time. That's why the engineers did not take long to include a filter to make sure that air came in as clean as possible. And that's why it's also important to change the air filter whenever necessary.

How much it costs

Air filters are a cheap component . It would not be strange that you will find it for just 10 or 20 euros in any online store. Of course, that price can shoot up if you have a premium high-performance car, as with many other pieces. although that increase is not common.

It is also important not to skimp when choosing the brand of an air filter, unless you have confidence in the quality of the product. At the end of the day, you would only save a few euros and it is better not to be stingy in such a vital component.

 Price for car engine air filter

How long does it last

As we have already mentioned, the most recommendable thing is that you follow the instructions of the manufacturer of your car to know when to change it. But if you want to spin finer , we can say that it will not do you any harm to change it before if you drive through areas with high pollution or dust.

A lot of dust

For example, people who always drive on dirt roads in a caravan, typical of off-road group trips strong, they have to monitor their air filter continuously, unless they always go first. As you can deduce, if you go by system behind a vehicle that raises a trail of dust all the way, the filter will have to work hard and even end up plugging.

A lot of pollution

Another situation in which you should pay attention to the air filter is if you drive daily in traffic jams . It is not a critical situation like the one mentioned before, but it will require that you be more aware and that you even have to change it ahead of time.

If you want to > Caring yourself for the maintenance of your car , the air filter is very important, but it is not the only thing that you must keep in mind for your car to work properly. The following items will help you to do it right:

  • Change the oil in your car
  • Check oil levels in the automatic transmission
  • How to remove scratches from the car: primer, paint and enamel
  • Polish your headlights in 5 steps
You may be interested