— For our sponsor, Advance Auto Parts, as part of a paid radio sponsorship on WIZS.

Air filters play a vital role in preventing dirt, grit and other impurities from fouling vehicle engines. In the old days, the air filter casing was pretty easy to spot: it was round like a donut and sat right up there on top in a housing that resembles a frying pan.

At least that’s how WIZS co-host John Stevenson said he describes it. These days, however, an air filter is likely found in a rectangular housing near the inside of one of the fenders.Stevenson and colleague Bill Harris discussed the finer points of air filters on the Pop the Hood segment of The Local Skinny!

Let the folks at Advance Auto Parts help you figure out the right type for your make and model.

With just a few bits of information – make, model, year and/or the VIN – the staff at Advance Auto can help you determine the exact type of filter you need.

The air filter should be changed annually – more often, though, if you drive along dusty areas like gravel roads or other places that kicks up dirt.

A clogged air filter can affect your vehicle’s overall performance, Stevenson said.

“It can affect your gas mileage and could throw a check engine light,” he said.

And if your vehicle rolled off the assembly line earlier than 1989, don’t go looking for its cabin air filter – they were first introduced in 1989.

The information contained in this post is not advice from Advance Auto Parts or WIZS.  Safety First!  Always seek proper help.  This is presented for its informational value on and is part of a paid advertising sponsorship.

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— For our sponsor, Advance Auto Parts, as part of a paid radio sponsorship on WIZS.

In this summer heat, drivers want to be able to count on their cars’ air conditioning to keep them cool. But what to do if the air coming from the vents provides little, if any, relief?

The first thing to consider is whether the vehicle’s cooling system has enough refrigerant. The staff at Advance Auto Parts can help owners choose the right refrigerant for your make and model.

WIZS’s own John Stevenson joined co-host Bill Harris on Thursday’s segment of Pop the Hood. Stevenson, himself a do-it-yourself when it comes to maintaining his own cars, said lack of refrigerant is the most common reason a vehicle’s AC unit isn’t performing properly.

This is especially true with older vehicles, he explained, that have seals that start to go bad.

“It’ll work in the summer, but in the winter, the seals will start to shrink and some of that gas will start to seep out.” Then, when you next call on the AC to work its magic, it won’t cool.

Adding refrigerant is the quick fix – replacing a faulty compressor is more involved, Stevenson said. And way more expensive.

Whether you take your vehicle to a repair shop or try to do it yourself, Stevenson said it’s important to flush the system of refrigerant before the work begins. A bad compressor can throw pieces of shrapnel through the cooling system, he explained, and if it’s not removed, it could wreck the newly installed one.

It could take a do-it-yourselfer a few hours to replace a compressor, depending on its location under the hood, among other things.

“If you’re handy and have the tools,” it’s not that bad, Stevenson said. “But it can be a pain,” he said, because you have to disconnect lines and remove belts to get to the compressor that also has to be removed.

Make sure you replace something called a “receiver dryer” while you’re at it, he suggested, because it tends to get clogged up over time. “Replace it just to be on the safe side,” he said.

The information contained in this post is not advice from Advance Auto Parts or WIZS.  Safety First!  Always seek proper help.  This is presented for its informational value on and is part of a paid advertising sponsorship.

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