Whenever I check my air filter I end up accidentally touching the clean side of the filter and making it dirty. Like one or two fingerprints. Would you replace the filter after this happened?
and move out of the country ...I would replace the car.
I used to follow this advice, until I discovered a mouse nest in the airbox of one of my vehicles. On another vehicle, I discovered a leaky seal that was allowing dust past the filter. A restriction gauge would have helped detect the mouse nest, but there's no real way to check for a sealing issue without inspecting the clean side of the airbox.Quit checking the filter! Seriously, you're probably worrying about nothing valuable. Air filters should last a LONG time. And every time you replace or even disturb one you're just inducing more particulate into the airstream.
A sudden decrease in restriction would be grounds to suspect a tear, hole, or seal failure.I used to follow this advice, until I discovered a mouse nest in the airbox of one of my vehicles. On another vehicle, I discovered a leaky seal that was allowing dust past the filter. A restriction gauge would have helped detect the mouse nest, but there's no real way to check for a sealing issue without inspecting the clean side of the airbox.
Restriction gauges for airboxes usually don't even register a reading at all until the filter is really dirty. Even if you had a precise gauge, if 90% of the airflow is still going through the filter, the engine could be ingesting 10 times as much dirt, without a very noticeable decrease in pressure.A sudden decrease in restriction would be grounds to suspect a tear, hole, or seal failure.
This is the reason to check regularly. Could be full of acorns, chewed through, or (my favorite) full of cat food. I remove and inspect about every other oil change. Quick vac of the airbox and back in it goes.I used to follow this advice, until I discovered a mouse nest in the airbox of one of my vehicles. On another vehicle, I discovered a leaky seal that was allowing dust past the filter. A restriction gauge would have helped detect the mouse nest, but there's no real way to check for a sealing issue without inspecting the clean side of the airbox.
No joke! Once I found the air cleaner housing of my mother's car roughly one-third full of dog food---fortunately all on the dirty side of the filter.This is the reason to check regularly. Could be full of acorns, chewed through, or (my favorite) full of cat food. I remove and inspect about every other oil change. Quick vac of the airbox and back in it goes. ...
No I wouldn't replace it. Wash your hands next time.Whenever I check my air filter I end up accidentally touching the clean side of the filter and making it dirty. Like one or two fingerprints. Would you replace the filter after this happened?
No I wouldn't replace it. Wash your hands next time.
Over two fingerprints? I mean if you have the resources, I get it. But I think replacing the top end of the engine, will more than do!I would replace the car.