A squeeze will do!

Clean air filters are important for all vehicles, but they're crucial on a HYEX. The engine will run rough or not at all if the filters are dogged. A dirty filter steals power and forces the excavator to struggle with any load in the backhoe.

Operators, it's a good idea to squeeze the dirt out of the dust cap on the bottom of the air canister every day. This is especially true if you're in a dusty or sandy area. This gets rid of the dirt from the canister, but not from the primary or secondary air filters.

Take the primary filter out and tap it real good with the heel of your hand to loosen dirt. Then shake it and tap some more. This will knock enough junk out of the filter to keep you going until you can replace it or clean it with low-pressure air (30 psi or less). Never bang the filter on a rock or hard surface. You can dent it, which causes a poor seal.

Keep an eye on the air cleaner indicator light on the operator's station inside the cab. When the light turns red, stop and clean the primary filter.

You might want to bone up on how the canister and air filters fit together before you start excavating. That means you'll want to take a look at Pages 2-6, 11-5, 14-9 and 14-10 of TM 5-3805-280-10.

* the primary filter is damaged and needs to be replaced.

* after 1,000 hours of operation or annually.