I’m just doing some DIY car servicing and want to know if OzB resident mechanics thinks this air filter has had a good enough life?
Or how do you decide when it’s time to replace one?
Is It Time to Replace This Air Filter?
cloudy on 25/03/2023 - 09:38
Last edited 25/03/2023 - 10:15 by 1 other user
Last edited 25/03/2023 - 10:15 by 1 other user
Comments
seen worse though
.A new one looks better 😉
Replace at most every 20,000 km if not driven on dirt roads.
You dont change air filters by looking at them because the dust particles are so small they block the air filter and it can still look relatively clean
If you are doing your own servicing replace every 10,000-15,000km
Air filters usually are not expensive
the extra petrol you burn is!
I’d replace it. You can use it dirtier but I’d replace it on my car
Replace as per service interval.
Sorry - stupid answer. Of course show a picture to a bunch of folk you have no idea about and use their collective wisdom rather than the hard fought advice from a generation of automotive engineers.
I would give it a vac and put it back
Air filters cannot be vacuumed.
Ever seen a mechanic do that?
Answer..No!!!!Oh, you mean an air filter is not supposed to have air sucking through it?
Just vac from the external side (dirty side) and it will be fine.
Mechanics use (high) air pressure to clean them,
Much more effective than a vacuum cleaner@HeWhoKnows: You risk damaging the air filter if you clean it using compressed air. Also dust and other foreign debris on the filter could also be blown into the filter further clogging it.
I just bang it against the fence and put it back in.
Thats what I do but its not really satisfactory.
Just removes the heavy particlesI like the k&n filters. You can wash them out and re oil and put them back in.
How much is a replacement?
In the service manual does it say that you should replace it every X KM's and how over or under are you for the distance?
Do you drive in outback dusty conditions or is the car a town car?Yes
Good grief. What a question!
Looks fine. There's only dirt on it because you touched it. I'd vac it and keep using it if it's all intact.
Depends, what's the other side look like??
Clean, since filters are designed to get dirty on one side
Well, after 30+ years as a mechanic, I never knew this… Dirty on only one side huh… TIL.
Yeah, anyway, are we looking at the clean side or the dirty side of the filter in this only photo???
In some vehicles, the top side is the dirty side, other cars it's the bottom side.
If you have dirty air going OUT of your manifold then there's bigger problems than a filter lol
Wow and you admitted to being a mechanic. That's scary you didn't know this. Its the most basic principal of air cleaning. Just so you know vaccum cleaners are the same. Lol
Yea shoulda taken a photo too, but it’s pretty similar tbh.
Then chuck it back in and keep going. Looks fine to me and I would give it till next service and inspect it again.
Most urban driven vehicles can go much longer on their air cleaners.
If in doubt, they are a low cost item to replace yourself, just chuck a new one in for peace of mind.
OP, what's the mileage on it do you know?
Nar, didn’t keep track.
What car/model?
Honda jazz
Swap in a mushroom pod filter for that VTEC yo! induction sound.
Not without supporting mods for when vtech kicks in yo
Depends. I’d replace if i didn’t know the history or was planning on driving in dusty conditions. It kinda looks OK.
On the other hand, What are you aiming to do with the vehicle? Keep it perfect forever with maximum servicing, or keep it running on the cheap for a while longer until upgrading, or somewhere in between? You could bang it on the bench a few times to knock some of the dust out of it, or just get a new one - there’s a cost decision for you to make there.
You could bang it on the bench a few times to knock some of the dust out
Haha, didn’t know you can do that thanks
Well you can do it. But no guarantees if it’s effective. Just a bush mechanics repair.
Also, a techniques used by some city Mechanics to increase profit.
Did you know you can go and buy a new one ! Surprised ?
It's a $10 part, so I replace it every few years. The filter is there to stop large particles, like sand, getting through to the engine. It's not a HEPA filter. When it 'wears out', it will still be working, but it will restrict air flow, leading the engine to run richer I imagine. Worst real world consequence would be the engine stalling when you hit the accelerator hard.
But it's all much of a muchness without tools and measurements.
I'd say put it up to your lips, and if you can blow through it, it'll be okay for now. Then replace it at the next convenient moment
If you can't remember when it was last replaced, it's a good idea to replace it either now, or at the next service latest. Some air filters look "clean" but they are full of fine particles that cannot be seen by the naked eye. The only way to tell if a filter is blocked or not, is to run it on a flow bench setup.
Knocking the filter on a hard surface dirty side down can give it a bit more life sure, but blowing with compressed air or vacuuming is not recommended as the paper element of the filter can get damaged in the process.
To answer your question on when to replace it - consult the service book. You will see something like "engine air filter replacement at every 45,000km intervals". Though this being said, if the car drives out in the country or on dirt roads regularly, it is a good idea to change the filter more often.
Nah. Leave it be, sell the vehicle and leave for some other loser to rebuild the engine. Simples.
Or, change it. Filter replacement costs Vs engine rebuild cost. You do the math.
For the price of them, just replace it.
No, not yet.
Why are you wearing gloves?Considering that the MAF sensor sits down stream from the air filter, a dirty filter will make the sensor compensate and you’ll end up using more fuel as a result. Cheaper to replace or just use more fuel.
Only true if you drive everywhere with the throttle wide open.
Hit it with some compressed air.
Follow manufacturer’s maintenance schedule.
Keep the filter change the car
You dont even know when it was changed last. Just replace it.
I also write on oil, fuel, air filters a date with a paint pen.
Yes i change my oil filter every 5000km but use it as a reminder every time i crack my bonnet.
SCA or other mobs likely do a service kit.
I do mine every two years, cost is not too bad but youll find fuel usage increases over time as they get dirty, I reckon the 30-40 bucks you spend on the air filter will pay for itself over time.
Yes