How do I change a car's air filter?
Help your car breathe easierJust as the hairs in your nose remove dust, pollen and pollutants from the air you breathe, so too your car's air filter stops damaging particles from entering the engine and causing premature wear and tear.
While air is a necessary element in the engine's combustion process, air taken straight out of the atmosphere can contain tiny particles of grit that could make it all the way through the induction system and into the engine's combustion chamber, where they may score the bore or the valves.
An air filter will trap those particles in their tracks, but eventually the air filter will clog. This will impede the flow of air to the engine, and in turn that will reduce combustion efficiency. Think of it as your car trying to run a 100m sprint with a bad head cold and a nose that's full of mucus.
It's therefore an important service item (but often overlooked by the owner of the car).
Checklist
- Consult the owner's manual for the correct procedure,
- Open the bonnet and identify the air filter housing,
- Fuel-injected engines usually draw air through a black, plastic chamber,
- Carburettor-fed engines usually draw air through a metal, dish-shaped pan,
- Gently prise off clips around the plastic air filter housing (fuel injected),
- Unscrew the wing nut holding the top of the housing (carburettor),
- Lift out the filter and replace with a new unit,
- Refasten the top of the housing,
- If in doubt, ask for expert help.
The air filter for your car's induction system is a throw-away item. You might remove it between services, shake excess dust out of it – if you've spent a lot of time on unsealed roads – and replace it in its canister, but generally speaking, once the air filter is removed it should be replaced with a new one.
The filter usually resides in a large, black plastic box (the canister) near the front of the car, on one side of the engine bay. Removing the filter is quite easy; just unclip the top of the canister, remove the top and fish out the filter from inside the canister. Older cars may have a dish-shaped filter housing with a funnel on one side. To remove the filter from this type of housing usually requires the wing nut on top be unscrewed by hand.
The filter is often a square or circular unit comprising a folded (concertina style) paper element with rubber or plastic capping on top and beneath.
Break out the new filter from its packaging – these can be purchased at replacement parts stores like Autobarn, Repco or Burson. Place the new filter inside the canister and replace the lid, making sure to secure the wing nut or clips.
Tags
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
