Log-In
Filters
play a crucial role in the efficiency and performance of your vehicle as they
separate the good from the bad, whether it be air or fluids such as oil and gas.
Every filter needs to be as clean as possible to prevent dirt particles or other
contaminants from entering your fuel, engine or air conditioning systems.
Filters can and do become clogged and contaminated “ even from normal use. To protect all of the systems in your
vehicle, changing dirty filters is essential and will provide for a safer and
longer vehicle ownership experience.
Fuel Filter “ The
fuel filter is located between your fuel tank and your fuel pump. The filter is in place to remove any
impurities that could clog your fuel injectors.
If contaminants get into the fuel injectors the engine may malfunction
or deteriorate in performance.
Impurities can be anything from rust, to dirt and water as all of these
are present in fuel. When fuel filters
are clogged the engine will either stop running or fail to start, as sufficient
fuel will not be able to get to the engine.
Depending on your car type, you may be able to change it
yourself as some are located in easy-to-access locations and others are very
complicated. If you are unsure, take it
to an auto mechanic and have them change it.
If you can access your fuel filter easily, you may want to change it
yourself and there are several online videos demonstrating various safety
precautions and steps to perform this maintenance procedure. Just search œfuel filter change.
Engine Air Filter “ The
air filter acts similar to the fuel filter but instead it filters the air
coming into your engine. Any
engine that runs by internal combustion of fuel requires air to operate. That's
because without air, specifically oxygen, fuels like gasoline and diesel can't
burn and provide the explosive force to power the engine. And not just any old air will do. In modern automobiles, the air
must be cleaned before it gets sucked into the engine's air intake plenum and
combustion chambers. If not, you run the risk of dust, dirt and debris quickly
fouling up the engine, causing poor performance and potentially shortening the
life of the engine. Foreign particles act as abrasives on the metal parts of an
engine, wearing away at engine bearings, piston rings and cylinders.
In
addition, modern engines rely on a precise ratio of air to fuel. When the
engine is starved of air, the fuel mix is said to run too "rich,"
which in effect puts added strain on the engine and decreases MPG.
You should refer to your owner™s manual for proper intervals
to change the air filter, however, know that there is a big difference in
change intervals for vehicles driven in i) dusty conditions versus ii) clean
air conditions. The real issue is to
determine whether the air filter is clean, moderately dirty or heavily soiled
and does it have the ability to continue to œfilter the air and allow
sufficient clean air to enter the engine or not.
Air filters are frequently cited by auto-mechanics as
needing to be replaced, and luckily, it is quite simple to replace these
filters. The filter is usually attached
to the front or top of the engine in a black plastic casing. Simply open the
casing and remove the filter (sometimes held in by easily removable clips). If the paper looks off-colored or extremely
dirty it is time to be replaced. They
are relatively inexpensive, and can be replaced yourself or have it replaced at
your next oil change.