Does the replacement frequency of air filters affecting car performance? Yes, it does.
Replacing the air filter prematurely is one of the most common car maintenance scams, some prudent technicians may try to sell the filter when the driver does not need a new filter element. Changing air filters frequently will not damage your vehicle, but it will affect your wallet. On the other hand, not replacing the filter can cause serious engine damage. The role of the filter is to prevent dust, dust, and debris from entering the engine cylinder, thereby achieving optimal performance.
Replacing the engine air filter is a maintenance item that is often overlooked, but a dirty air filter can have a negative impact on the performance of the car. For air filters, many car owners are in the dark. What are they doing? Will they affect the performance of my car? When do I need to change them? These are all good questions and signs that show that a person is serious about the “health” of his vehicle. The air filter is very important to the performance of the car. If the air filter is not replaced properly, the service life of the car may be reduced.
The role of the air filter
The main purpose of an automobile air filter is to ensure that large debris such as leaves, bugs, dust, debris, and other substances do not enter the engine’s sophisticated system. Basically, the air filter is similar to the anti-allergic mask that some people wear to prevent pollen from entering their system in the spring. Similarly, the vehicle air filter will prevent larger particles from entering the engine intake, allowing only pure air to enter.
How often to replace the filter
Vehicle experts usually recommend that you change the air filter every 3,000 miles. Naturally, if there is any damage, the air filter should be replaced. However, in order to maintain the highest performance of the car, it is recommended to replace the air filter at least every 12,000 to 15,000 miles (19,000 to 24,000 kilometers). If you often drive in dusty conditions, you should shorten this interval. However, as with any “replacement” estimate, you cannot really determine the exact date when the air filter will be replaced. The performance of an air filter depends on many factors, including:
Smoke and pollution levels in the environment
Driving habits
The make and model of the car
Therefore, the best way to ensure that the air filter is fresh is to schedule regular complete car inspections.
Changing the air filter is easy, fast, and cheap. However, there are a variety of air filters on the market, so be sure to choose the right air filter for your car brand and model. If the air filter cannot be replaced regularly, then it will become dirty.
Dirty air filter found
The wear and tear of most parts of the car are normal, including the wear and tear of the Audi air filter. While driving, if your Audi needs to change the air filter, there are some symptoms that can be found.
- Reduce fuel economy
- The engine misfires and it is difficult to start the engine
- Abnormal sounds from the engine, such as vibration or beating sound
- Obviously dirty air filter
- Reduce horsepower and slow acceleration
- Lighting inspection engine light
- The exhaust pipe has a strong fuel smell
How a dirty air filter affects performance
Like any other working vehicle component, the engine air filter needs to change over time. This is because the filter tends to collect a lot of dust, debris, and other blockages when it is working. These may hinder the airflow required for the car’s engine to operate at its best. This is a bit similar to the situation when the filter bag or filter of a vacuum cleaner is full-when the airflow is not 100%, the motor cannot work effectively.
In most cases, a clogged or dirty air filter may not affect the mpg as it would on a deflated tire, but it will certainly take away your engine power. Think of it this way-your engine runs on combustion power. In order for this chemical reaction to occur, the engine needs a stable supply of oxygen to allow the fuel to burn properly. If this does not happen due to clogging of the air filter, then acceleration, power, and torque may be affected.
The poor condition of the air filter will cause deterioration of the internal ducts of the engine, which will not only affect the exhaust but also blacken and thicken the exhaust smoke, thereby affecting the speed of the car. This may cause a series of problems on your hands: excessive fuel consumption, harmful emissions, and even engine failure.
If you continue to drive in this state of the car, over time, the car may cause serious damage to other engines. For example, due to an improper air-fuel ratio, the engine can suffocate and in some cases overheat.
Have you ever thought about what you inhale while driving? If like most people, you spend a few hours on the steering wheel every day, the air quality in your car cannot be taken lightly. Without a clean and functioning cabin air filter, you may breathe all kinds of undesirable particles: dust, pollen, mold spores, bacteria, and even volatile organic compounds (VOC). Why not save yourself all this?
3 benefits of regular replacement of car air filters
a. Improve fuel efficiency
Depending on your car make and model, replacing a clogged air filter can improve fuel efficiency and increase acceleration. When you realize this, it makes sense to change the air filter regularly.
How are air filters different? A dirty or damaged air filter restricts the amount of air flowing into the car’s engine, making it work harder and therefore consume more fuel. Since your engine needs more than 10,000 liters of oxygen to burn every liter of fuel, be sure to limit this airflow.
b. Reduce emissions
Dirty or damaged air filters will reduce the airflow to the engine, thereby changing the car’s air-fuel ratio. This imbalance can contaminate the spark plug and cause the engine to misalign or run at idle speed. Increased engine deposits and caused the “Service Engine” indicator to light up. More importantly, this imbalance will also directly affect the exhaust emissions of cars, thereby causing pollution to the surrounding environment.
c. Extend engine life
The salt-sized particles will pass through the damaged air filter and cause great damage to the internal parts of the engine (such as cylinders and pistons), and the maintenance cost of these parts is very high. This is why it is so important to change the air filter regularly. A clean air filter is designed to trap dust and debris in the outside air, prevent them from entering the combustion chamber, and reduce the possibility of you receiving a large repair bill.
Don’t fall into the filter scam
In some cases, the deceptive mechanism will show you a dirty filter, it may not even be your target of a scam, they entice you to buy a new filter. If this happens every time the oil is changed, it’s time to find a new store. There are usually no exact specifications on when to replace them, this may lead to filters becoming one of the most oversold products.
It is said: “The reason for this is that the condition of the filter is subjective, and it can be justified by showing the customer the dirt on the filter.” “How much dirt is too much dirt? Another reason is that they are very dirty. Easy to replace, so even entry-level technology can replace them. This makes them very attractive because air filters are sold to you every time the oil is changed, which is too frequent. This has been chain lubricants It happened in the store and they only provide some services.”
Therefore, the air filter replacement frequency does affect car performance in many ways, but the highly acclaimed car mechanic said that the driver first needs to find the right balance between changing the car filter too frequently and not changing the filter at all.