Air Filters And Oil Filters, Why Maintenance Matters

If you never had the experience of living in community housing

, either in college or with a number of roommates, you missed cleaning the bathroom, specifically the clogged shower drainand what an experience it is. As the drain clogs, the water gathers, finally reaching the point where youre left standing in two inches of murk. And without Liquid Drano, the mess can get a whole lot uglier.

The air filter and oil filter in your vehicle are similar. They have to be replaced on a regular basis, just like a clogged drain. While there isnt a definite set of hard and fast rules that dictate exactly how often is often enough, depending on your driving conditions and the number of miles you log, there are some guidelines you can follow that will ensure everything continues to work properly.

OIL FILTERS

Simply put, an oil filter is your engine's primary line of defense, protecting it against abrasion and the resulting wear and tear it causes. A performance oil filter removes solid contaminants from the oil, including dirt, carbon and metal particles, before they make their way into the engine and damage bearings, pistons and cylinder walls. But as the oil filter begins to wear, it collects dirt and debris, which obstruct the flow of oil, resulting in a loss of lubrication that can lead to catastrophic damage to your engine.

To maintain performance and prevent engine damage, the oil filter should be changed before it reaches this point. But unless youre one of those who checks under the hood once a week, its hard to gauge exactly where you are in terms of saturation. Modern oil filters should easily stand up to 3,000 miles of normal driving but usually arent good much past the 6,000 mile mark. Replacing your oil filter every time you change your oil is the best practice to maintain the highest possible engine integrity.

AIR FILTERS

Similar to an oil filter, the life of an air filter depends on how much crud it collects. Here, however, youll find a slight difference between the two. An air filter that is slightly dirty actually cleans more efficiently than one fresh from the box. The debris that becomes trapped in the air filter actually helps screen out smaller particles. But when your air filter reaches its saturation point, your vehicle suffers from a noticeable pressure drop as a result of the restricted airflow, greatly impacting fuel economy, performance and emissions.

A performance-grade air filter, like K&N air filters, will last between 20,000 - 30,000 miles under normal conditions. Be prepared to change it more often if you take your vehicle off-roading or into any other situation where theres a heavy amount of dust or other airborne particles.

by: Andrew Bernhardt

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