By Nathan Bagster
One of the things about car ownership that only auto enthusiasts enjoy, is performing basic maintenance; Changing your oil, checking tire pressure and tread depth, things of that nature. So, it’s not a surprise to find that many average drivers don’t commonly check or swap out their engine air filters. In fact, the only time most folks even look at theirs is when a CSR (customer service rep) brings it out to show them it’s dirty (and tell them the ridiculous price for a new one).
My years of wrenching in the industry can attest to that.
To us, we know how important a clean filter is to engine health, longevity, and performance overall. But to the less mechanically inclined, not so much. It’s because of this, I want to take a moment while changing out the one in my Subaru, to touch on the importance of air filters, their purpose, and why changing them is good practice.
Why Is It Important?
Cars are complex beasts, and they rely on several components working in tandem to ensure smooth and efficient operation. One of the most basic and important pieces of any engine is that of the air filter.
See, anything with a motor requires a precise mixture of fuel and air to operate. While the fuel comes from the fuel system and has its own set of filters, the air comes from the outside of the engine through the air intake, and requires its own filter. This means everything from Big Rig haulers to basic automobiles and everything in between (lawnmowers, leaf blowers, and even things like furnaces) have one.
But why?
If you’ve ever choked on dust just walking down the street, you’ll know that the air outside is often filled with dirt and other contaminants. And just like when you cough up a lung inhaling it, so can your car. Any sort of foreign debris brought into the intake, no matter how small, can make its way to the more precise and fragile components of the engine and damage it.
This is where the air filter comes in, trapping those contaminants before they ever enter the engine, thus protecting it from harm.
Changing Your Car's Air Filter
Since it isn’t self-cleaning, over time and through usage, the air filter can become clogged with debris. When this happens, the engine works harder to draw air in and can cause all sorts of issues; a decrease in fuel efficiency, increased wear and tear, and even lower performance.
A clogged filter can also result in engine damage if left unchecked.
Don’t believe me? Put your hand just barely over your mouth and inhale. As you do, slowly move your hand to cover your mouth. See how it becomes harder to inhale and your lungs feel like they’re struggling? The same thing happens to your engine.
So how often should you change it?
There is no EXACT frequency that you should change the filter out. Dealerships and lube joints will give you exact mileage ranges based on their own projections (and profit margins), but while that is a solid starting point, it’s hardly perfect.
See, there are a number of factors that go into the wear of the filter, just like with anything else on your vehicle.
Things like driving habits, driving conditions, and overall, the terrain you typically encounter can all make a difference in the longevity of the filter. The general recommendation is changing it out at 12,000 to 15,000 miles intervals, or once a year, whichever comes first.
However, that changes if you regularly cruise down dirt roads or drive in dusty conditions. Then you’ll need to check the filter more frequently.
Air Filters And Engine Performance
As I mentioned before, the air filter can heavily impact your engine’s performance based on its ability to flow air through it. When constricted, this is a bad thing, but, when air is able to flow more readily or in abundance, it can improve that performance.
Alongside your typical air filters and the brands that make them, there are also high-performance air filters available on the market. These improve airflow and air quality to help maximize the output of your engine and are a popular beginner’s upgrade for first-time wrenchers. Since increasing performance is a common draw for many gearheads, there are a number of companies out there that create products to do just that.
One of the more popular brands is K&N. These specialty filters are designed to provide better filtration and increased airflow from their stock counterparts and are designed to be washable and reusable, which is great for your wallet in the long run.
There are also ways to use filters to adjust temperatures, which can also affect your engine, but that’s a whole topic discussion in itself. We’ll save that for another time.
Look, there’s no need to beat a dead horse and tell you how important it is to regularly inspect or change the filter. So, I’d rather tell you that it’s ok to Google how to change it yourself, everyone starts somewhere. And if you can save yourself a few bucks and headaches down the road, isn’t it worth the ten minutes?
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