Dirt on the air cleaner can cause trouble
An air cleaner is a device that purifies dirt in the air used to supply the gas mixture required to start the engine. The engine intakes filtrate fuel and air into the cylinder to explode in the combustion chamber through a compression process, and then it can generate a large amount of energy and the car can be operated.
At that time, the air cleaner plays the role of removing dust and dirt mixed in the air sent to the intake boat and purifying the air. Hiace employs a cylindrical air cleaner element, which is a structure that holds back dirt when air passes through the filter paper.
Therefore, if you drive with the engine running, the air cleaner will always get dirty. If the air cleaner element becomes clogged with dirt, it will increase the resistance of intake air to the engine and cause a decrease in engine performance.
In general, diesel vehicles tend to get dirtier than gasoline vehicles due to the engine structure. Be sure to check more often on diesel vehicles.
At the very least, it is a good idea to check the clogging of the element visually every six months. If you have a check-up every 6 months, it is included in the inspection items at the maintenance shop, so if it is dirty, it should be cleaned with an air gun.
In addition, if it can easily get dirty, the element may be replaced as needed. Depending on usage conditions, it is recommended to replace them every 2-3 years, or once every 30,000 km.
The air cleaner is located just below the driver’s seat. In the black case below the right front part of the car body, a cylindrical element appears when the bottom lid fixed with a three-month hook is removed. Since it is fixed with one thumbscrew, if you loosen it, it will fall down. The replacement of the element itself is not difficult. However, since it is necessary to jack up the car and dive under the car body, it is safer to leave it to a professional mechanic during regular inspections.
The air cleaner is very easy to remove because you only need to remove one thumbscrew. However, we need to jack up the car, so let the professionals do it for you.
At dealers, they blow off dirt with an air gun. However, if it is too dirty, it needs to be replaced. The target is around 30,000 km.
