How to Clean an Engine Air Filter

There are many car maintenance tasks that you can do yourself without much difficulty. An important one is cleaning and maintaining your car’s air filter. This filter is important because it allows air to combine with your fuel to cause combustion and power the engine. If the filter is dirty and not taken care of then this can greatly impact the car’s performance. Instead of paying a professional to clean it or replace it entirely, you can clean it and put it back in yourself if it’s still in good condition. Here is a detailed guide on how to clean an engine air filter.

Tools you’ll need

Instructions on how to clean an engine air filter

Step 1: Make sure the engine is turned off and has time to cool

Turn the vehicle off and let it sit for about 15 minutes. You want the engine to cool down before you start working under the hood. 

Step 2: Remove the old air filter

Start off by pulling the hood release latch and propping open the hood. Pull the latches attached to the air filter housing and lift up the mechanism and put it somewhere safe. Then grab the air filter and inspect the condition of it.

Step 3: Spray and clean the air filter

Take an all-purpose cleaner and spray the filter thoroughly. Let the filter soak for about 10 minutes.

Step 4: Rinse the filter with water

Spray the filter with water to wash off the cleaning solution. It’s best to use a garden hose for this, but if you don’t have one then use a bucket of water instead.

Step 5: Give it time to dry

Take the filter and give it a good shake to remove any excess water. Then let the filter sit and air dry.

Step 6: Lubricate and replace

If you have an oiled filter, then lubricate the filter with oil and then place it back into the filter housing. If you have a dry filter, then there is no need to lubricate it and you can just put it back into the housing.

Step 7: Put the rest of the engine air filter mechanism back together

Once the air filter is put back in, then place the rest of the mechanism back into place. Make sure it’s properly snapped into place then close the hood. Now you have a clean filter and are ready to hit the road.

How to clean an engine air filter FAQs

What is an engine air filter?

An engine air filter is a part of the car that makes sure air is able to reach the engine to create combustion to power the engine. The filter does this by catching harmful particles such as dirt, dust, pollen and other airborne contaminants. Making sure your air filter is clean and well-maintained will greatly help your engine performance and extend the life of your engine.

How do you know if an engine air filter needs to be replaced?

There are a few signs from your car that your air filter may need to be cleaned or fully replaced. Signs include lack of acceleration, black smoke coming out of the exhausts, a massive drop in fuel economy, rough idling, an unusual odor or a check engine light are common factors. If you follow the instructions from the guide above and you are still noting problems, then you may need to get your filter replaced.

Oiled vs dry air filters

Oiled air filters offer better filtration but are much more expensive and harder to clean compared to dry air filters. Oiled filters are best for performance and off-roading vehicles while dry air filters are best suited for everyday driving.

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