subject: Spring Is In The Car Air Filter [print this page] Spring is in the air, and with it come allergies and hay fever. Ironically, the same pollen and air pollutants that plug up your nose and cause your sinuses to throb can also make your ride sick as a dog. Keep your car or truck up and running strong by constantly checking your air filter for over-saturation.
An air filter, like a Camry filter, Silverado filter, Ram air filter or Jeep Wrangler filter, is an essential component of your car's intake system, allowing the engine to "breathe." To operate efficiently and without failure, an engine needs an exact mixture of fuel and air. All of the air it receives enters the system through the air filter. Connecting to the intake manifold through a plastic tube, the air filter's purpose is to remove dirt and other foreign particles in the air, preventing them from entering the system and damaging the engine.
Due to the filter's simple construction, theyre typically quite affordable. Constructed of a paper-like or fibrous material, theyre folded accordion-style and arranged on a plastic or metal frame to fit your car's air filter holder. In addition, some performance grade models, like K&N air filters, are constructed of a more durable material that allows them to be reused. These environmentally-friendly, green air filters greatly reduce the number of disposable air filters that clog landfills. Plus, they have the added benefit of actually performing better than other aftermarket air filters, trapping more dirt and producing greater airflow while providing more power, longer engine life and better fuel economy that saves you 1 - 3 MPGs on average.
Many performance air filters also come in a cold air variety, further increasing horsepower by feeding air from behind an air dam. And, for an even greater boost to your intake, toss in a throttle body spacer, which adds performance by placing a high-velocity spin onto the incoming air.
A dirty air filter can cause your spark plugs to fail, allowing too much fuel and not enough air into the motor. Without properly-working spark plugs, you generally have a pretty tough time keeping your car on the road.
One preventative solution is to regularly change your air filter. When air is restricted, your engine can fail, leading to overheating and even a cracked block. The life of an air filter depends largely on how much crud it collects, with slightly dirty air filters actually performing better than those straight out of the box. This is because the debris trapped in the air filter actually screens out smaller particles, making the filter itself more effective overall.
In general, quality air filters last between 20,000 - 30,000 miles under normal conditions. But be prepared to change it more frequently if you drive around in poor air quality or on back roads that constantly kick up dust and other airborne debris. In this environment, air filters, like an Infiniti G35 air filter, Civic filter or Honda Accord filter, may only be effective for a month or two. Perform a visual inspection of your air filter every 10,000 to 12,500 miles. If it still looks OK, pop it back in and check it when you hit 20,000 to 30,000 miles of use.
