# Is it bad to drive without my air filter cover secured? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [November 19, 2022, 12:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-bad-to-drive-without-my-air-filter-cover-secured/187477 "2022-11-19T00:03:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nickc498](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/838e76/32.png) [@nickc498](https://community.cartalk.com/u/nickc498)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 12:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-bad-to-drive-without-my-air-filter-cover-secured/187477/1 "2022-11-19T00:03:29Z")
I tried to do a DIY air filter change. I lost one of the screws for the cover. Is it bad to drive like this? I’ll head over to home depot soon to get another one. ![20221118_175337](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/6/7/67679527cc0d5d212f9866e8ca8d60c3da93aa0c.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![nickc498](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/838e76/32.png) [@nickc498](https://community.cartalk.com/u/nickc498)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 12:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-bad-to-drive-without-my-air-filter-cover-secured/187477/2 "2022-11-19T00:08:07Z")
Also, how do I know what is the right side to place the air filter on when there isn’t any arrow? ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 12:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-bad-to-drive-without-my-air-filter-cover-secured/187477/3 "2022-11-19T00:08:13Z")
the filter isn’t pressed down so it can’t completely seal, but it’s good enough to go run and get a replacement screw. Tester ---
**Author:** ![nickc498](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/838e76/32.png) [@nickc498](https://community.cartalk.com/u/nickc498)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 12:10am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-bad-to-drive-without-my-air-filter-cover-secured/187477/4 "2022-11-19T00:10:17Z")
Thank you. Do those two latches on the left side of the box look disconnected to you? Something seemed wrong about them. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 12:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-bad-to-drive-without-my-air-filter-cover-secured/187477/5 "2022-11-19T00:13:38Z")
You didn’t interlock the tabs, that is a bigger problem than the missing screw. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 12:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-bad-to-drive-without-my-air-filter-cover-secured/187477/6 "2022-11-19T00:13:49Z")
The top of the filter housing isn’t latched into the bottom at the tab. Tester ---
**Author:** ![nickc498](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/838e76/32.png) [@nickc498](https://community.cartalk.com/u/nickc498)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 12:19am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-bad-to-drive-without-my-air-filter-cover-secured/187477/7 "2022-11-19T00:19:45Z")
How do I know what is the right side to place the air filter on when there isn’t any arrow? ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 12:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-bad-to-drive-without-my-air-filter-cover-secured/187477/8 "2022-11-19T00:26:23Z")
There are three rounded corners and one square, the filter only fits one way. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/3/6/361060e278f18d6f40f503e39514733892f4a8d0.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![weekend-warrior](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/weekend-warrior/32/26122_2.png) [@weekend-warrior](https://community.cartalk.com/u/weekend-warrior)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 12:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-bad-to-drive-without-my-air-filter-cover-secured/187477/9 "2022-11-19T00:27:45Z")
if it looks like this then it would sit just like it is in the picture. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/5/0/508a22eac06ea7898c40d46e3b13dda6a98914b1.png) ---
**Author:** ![nickc498](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/838e76/32.png) [@nickc498](https://community.cartalk.com/u/nickc498)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 12:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-bad-to-drive-without-my-air-filter-cover-secured/187477/10 "2022-11-19T00:33:10Z")
The filter looks exactly like the one in the picture Nevada posted. I appreciate your help though. ---
**Author:** ![nickc498](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/838e76/32.png) [@nickc498](https://community.cartalk.com/u/nickc498)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 3:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-bad-to-drive-without-my-air-filter-cover-secured/187477/11 "2022-11-19T03:49:22Z")
I tried to push the tabs to connect as much as I possibly could, but the filter is still slightly visible on the right side. Can this lead to a problem? ![20221118_214111](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/5/9/5931a9eb9c8462d545e2d6635e147fe6ed12496d.jpeg) ![20221118_214358](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/d/5/d5b5b5f33ef5096085baef2fc21f2a8139d115b4.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 11:56am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-bad-to-drive-without-my-air-filter-cover-secured/187477/12 "2022-11-19T11:56:42Z")
> [@nickc498](#): > > I tried to push the tabs to connect as much as I possibly could, but the filter is still slightly visible on the right side. > > Can this lead to a problem? You are good. ---
**Author:** ![TheWonderful90s](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/thewonderful90s/32/29584_2.png) [@TheWonderful90s](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TheWonderful90s)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 1:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-bad-to-drive-without-my-air-filter-cover-secured/187477/13 "2022-11-19T13:57:55Z")
Avoid driving behind someone on any dirt roads on the way to the store. Boat 2 strokes usually didn’t have air filters. I saw someone’s 2 stroke dirt bike that had the wrong filter on it. There was a bild up of dirt on the side of the pipe on clean side of the air passage. It still seemed to work fine. 2 strokes must have more dirt tolerance with the oil constantly being replaced. A while back I read about a test with tillers, one having no air filter and one with. After a sort time of operation in such a dusty environment, the engines were torn down and the one with no air filter already had significant wear. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 2:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-bad-to-drive-without-my-air-filter-cover-secured/187477/14 "2022-11-19T14:18:20Z")
Get the tabs inserted first, then push down opposite side. You did compare new filter with old? ---
**Author:** ![nickc498](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/838e76/32.png) [@nickc498](https://community.cartalk.com/u/nickc498)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 6:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-bad-to-drive-without-my-air-filter-cover-secured/187477/16 "2022-11-19T18:21:15Z")
Can anyone tell me what size hex bolt I should get for closing the air filter box? I lost the one in the back. I wanted to bring the front one into Home Depot with me, but I had a difficult time getting it off. ---
**Author:** ![nickc498](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/838e76/32.png) [@nickc498](https://community.cartalk.com/u/nickc498)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 6:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-bad-to-drive-without-my-air-filter-cover-secured/187477/17 "2022-11-19T18:25:50Z")
So is your answer that there won’t be a problem? I’m confused. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 6:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-bad-to-drive-without-my-air-filter-cover-secured/187477/18 "2022-11-19T18:51:03Z")
> [@nickc498](#): > > Can anyone tell me what size hex bolt I should get for closing the air filter box? No. We don’t know what kind of vehicle it is. Tester ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 6:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-bad-to-drive-without-my-air-filter-cover-secured/187477/20 "2022-11-19T18:55:05Z")
> [@nickc498](#): > > I wanted to bring the front one into Home Depot with me, but I had a difficult time getting it off. If you got it off once it should be easier the second time . ---
**Author:** ![nickc498](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/838e76/32.png) [@nickc498](https://community.cartalk.com/u/nickc498)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 6:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-bad-to-drive-without-my-air-filter-cover-secured/187477/21 "2022-11-19T18:55:23Z")
The car is a 2005 Camry. Did you see the last two pictures I posted? Do you think it is safe to have my air filter slightly exposed like that? I tried to connect the tabs as much as I could. ---
**Author:** ![nickc498](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/838e76/32.png) [@nickc498](https://community.cartalk.com/u/nickc498)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2022, 6:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-bad-to-drive-without-my-air-filter-cover-secured/187477/22 "2022-11-19T18:57:21Z")
I didn’t have to completely get the bolt off to replace the air filter. There is an unusual looking fastener/nut at the end of the bolt. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-bad-to-drive-without-my-air-filter-cover-secured/187477.md?page=2)