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Air Filter Q&A
Q: What exactly is an air filter
and what does it do?
A: The air filter is a replaceable object containing special
fibrous paper designed to allow air to flow freely through it and
trap microscopic airborne dust and dirt particles so your engine
can "breathe" clean air. Think of it as your engine's
"dust mask". The air filter serves an important purpose
because as an engine operates, it pumps massive amounts of air through
itself. The air needs to be clean and free of dust to prevent damage
to the engine's rings and cylinders. The air filter also prevents
dust and grit from contaminating your engine's oil.
Q: How often should I replace
my vehicle's air filter?
A: Most vehicle manufacturers recommend changing the air filter
every 5,000 miles. Dusty conditions require more frequent changes.
Q: Why is it important to replace
the air filter so often?
A: An air filter is designed to trap microscopic dust particles.
Over time, as the filter's paper element becomes clogged with trapped
particles it results in restricted air flow. That air restriction
starves your motor of needed air and causes it to "work harder"
to "pull in" the necessary amount of air it needs. That
results in reduced fuel economy. In addition, a clogged air filter
allows excessive dust particles to enter your engine causing increased
wear on critical components.
Q: How difficult is it to replace
an air filter?
A: It's one of the easiest items to replace on most vehicles.
See: Air Filter Replacement.
Generally, access to the filter is easy, and no special tools or
experience are required. Usually it takes between 5-10 minutes.
Q: How do I know if my filter
needs replacing, can I test it?
A: Here's a simple test to perform. Remove your air filter element
and tap it on a clean surface to knock any debris off. Hold it up
to a bright light like sunshine or a bright lightbulb. Looking from
the inside (clean side) of the filter, hold it between you and the
light source, you should be able to see light shine through the
paper element. A new or still good filter will allow light to shine
through it's paper element - compare with a new one to see the difference.
If no, or very little light shines through, replace your filter.
Q: Where can I buy a new air
filter and what do they cost?
A: Air filters are available at auto parts stores and most discount
stores such as Walmart and Kmart. They generally run between $5-$12
for most vehicles.
Q: Is it better to buy replacement
filters from my dealer?
A: Not necessarily. The advantage of buying a filter form your
dealer is that size and quality of the replacement filter will meet
the specifications set down by the manufacturer. Usually buying
from the dealer doesn't necessarily mean their filters are better
than the high-quality grade filters sold at your local parts stores.
Most aftermarket filters are designed to meet or exceed manufacturer
specifications. Dealer prices are usually higher (sometimes astronomically).
However, if your dealer offers filters at a competitive price, you
can't go wrong with their product.
Some new vehicle warrantees require OEM filters be
used. Check with your dealer on warrantee specifics.
Q: What information must I have
before I buy a new air filter?
A: You will definitely need to know the model year of your vehicle
(i.e.. 1995), the manufacturer (i.e.. Ford), your vehicle model
(i.e.. Taurus), and your vehicle's engine size (i.e.. 3.0 L).
In
some cases, they may also need to know the specific date your vehicle
was manufactured, transmission type (auto/manual), number of doors,
2 wheel or 4wheel drive, the
VIN numbers, and weather it has air
conditioning or not.
Q: Who makes the best air filter
on the market?
A: This is a difficult question to answer because some manufacturers
boast greater air flow, while others claim superior particle filtration.
In addition, most filters are produced by a handful of major filter
manufacturers and sold under various brand names. Most discount
and auto parts stores offer a "premium grade" line and
a less expensive "economy grade" line. Premium grade filters
may (but not necessarily) use a superior filtering paper and are
likely to have more pleats which translates into greater filtering
surface area - longer life. Like most things, you usually get what
you pay for.
Q: Can I just blow the dust out
of my filter and reuse it?
A: It's not recommended.
It's nearly impossible to thoroughly clean a paper air filter by
reverse blowing (blowing compressed air from inside to outside).
Most manufacturers say that the compressed air damages the paper's
filtering matrix which could actually allow more dust, dirt through
the filter.
Q: Will removing my air filter
improve engine performance?
A: Yes/No. Generally the better an engine "breathes"
the better it's performance, at least on paper. In the real world,
factors such as valve size and exhaust system components (exhaust
manifolds, mufflers, catalytic converters, pipe size, etc.) are
primary sources of air flow restriction. On an unmodified engine,
removing the air filter will gain you little. On the down side,
operating an engine w/o an air filter allows airborne dust and grit
to freely enter your engine. The increased abrasion can quickly
destroy piston rings and ruin an engine.
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