How to Change Your Air Filter

Series Summary

Major car tune-ups, or vehicle overhauls, are vital to the upkeep and maintenance of an automobile. A car is a complex machine made up of simple machines that have many different parts and processes that must be checked for breakage, leaks and wear. A mechanic does all of these tune-up checks when a car comes into the auto shop. However, many car owners learn how to check their cars for issues to fix common problems without costly mechanic visits. A little automobile knowledge goes a long way in saving money, avoiding scams and keeping cars in top shape. In this free video series, a specialist in car restoration provides advice for performing general maintenance on a car. Find out how to change an air filter, how to burp a car's cooling system and how to change the oil in a car. Learn about changing transmission fluid, adding freon to a car's A/C and flushing power steering fluid. Keep a car running in great shape with these tips on car repairs and upkeep.

Video Transcript

"When you are changing your air cleaner out, you need to get a screwdriver, a nut driver or the ratchet set and that will fit the appropriate fasteners. And the air cleaner is usually along a pipe which attaches to the top of your engine. Your owner's manual will say what type of air cleaner you'll need or you go to a parts store and ask them, they'll have it in their computer base for the particular fit for your car. The location of the air cleaner is usually up front or somewhere near the passenger side of the car. On most cars but also it's also on the owner's side so check your owner's manual and see where it is if you can't find it yourself. The first thing you'll do would be to find your air cleaner and in this car it would be down in this area. And here's the pipe that goes to the engine. So you get your nut driver or socket, and loosen the clamps that go to it. And disconnect any wires that might be attached to it cause you don't want to break wires. Pull up the tube and down in here is the air cleaner element. Pull the casing off that holds it in place and the air cleaner on this car is clean. You can tell the difference between a clean one which would be all white and nice like this or whether it would be dark and boy that's a dirty one. So the main points on changing your air cleaner would be to locate where it is, remove all the fasteners and wires so you don't damage any of the wires, check your air cleaner element and see if it's clean and white or if it's dirty and brown and then put everything back the way it came because you don't want to leave any parts out that's just not professional."