While many vehicle components are complex and consist of many mechanical and electrical parts, one isn’t complicated but still important: your engine air filter. (And, we should point out that the engine air filter isn’t to be confused with the cabin air filter. The cabin air filter cleans the air that goes into the passenger compartment, while the engine air filter cleans the air that goes into the engine itself.)
Why does your engine need a filter? Think of all the stuff–dirt, dust, and debris in the air¬–that gets kicked up on the road. If that were unfiltered into your engine, it could damage other components.
An engine air filter uses many different materials, including paper, cloth (frequently cotton), and other synthetic fabrics. The material is usually folded tightly to maximize the filtering capability over a relatively small surface area.
Before computers were employed to determine the proper mix of air and gasoline, a dirty air filter could contribute to a decline in fuel economy. However, a 2009 study of engine air filters by the U.S. Department of Energy found that in modern fuel-injected engines, computers can maintain the correct air/fuel mix even when an engine air filter is dirty, minimizing fuel economy effects. However, that same clogged air filter can affect your vehicle’s performance, mainly how much power and acceleration it delivers. In testing three different cars, a dirty air filter made the vehicles slower by about 6-12%. That’s something you’d notice if you were driving. But it happens slowly, over several months, so you might not even know your engine air filter is dirty unless you bring it to us and have a technician inspect yours.
There are many different engine air filters, from those made by the original vehicle manufacturer to aftermarket ones. Some can increase your engine’s performance, and some can be washed and reused but are generally more expensive.
Your service advisor at Dakota Ridge Auto in Littleton can recommend several options for you, depending on the type of vehicle you drive and your driving habits. Dirty, dusty roads will require more frequent engine air filter changes than cleaner drive routes, and each vehicle manufacturer recommends when your filter should be changed. Keeping it clean will help your engine breathe a little bit easier.
