Monday, September 9, 2013

Dirty Engine Air Filter?

Is your engine air filter dirty? 
Does it matter when you changed it last? 
Take a deep breath..... "Yes", it does..
It is a very important, and it is inexpensive to change.

Dirty Air Filter - Engine can not breath
The Engine Air filter(s) are to prevent harmful debris from entering your engine.

Internal Combustion Engines -
From large to small, require air flow to work.
When air flow is restricted - engines quit working properly.
If you run an engine with out an air filter you run the chance of Dust, Dirt, Bugs, and more making there way into your engine, and again.. it quits working properly, and may cost you a bundle to fix the problem.

Sign if Wear?
Sluggish acceleration - Decreased fuel efficiency
Fouled plugs

Engines need good clean air to operate. When your air filter gets clogged it will
slowly perform less efficiently until it just isn't running properly at all.

True Story:
One day I decided I needed to check under the hood. So I started to look everything over.
I wasn't getting the same power as I used to get and I wondered why.
Yep.. here's your sign...

Okay, so what happens when I don't change the air filter on a timely basis?
Umm... Mice make it there home!
Yea...I live in the country, and my vehicle is parked outside, and when I pulled the
Air Filter out of the air box....there was a mouse nest in it...
Well that answered some questions. So I changed the filter, continued to check all the other essentials; Plugs, Lines, Fluids, wiped things down, closed the hood and turned the key..
I could tell almost immediately that the engine was getting more air, and the engine just sounded healthier.

So here is a the short and sweet of it: 
  •     Your Air Filter should be changed regularly, or your gas mileage will suffer.
  •     A Dirty Air Filter can also cause other systems to run ineffectively, such as your emissions control system, which regulates the car's air-fuel mixture.
  •     A Dirty Air Filter can also cause your spark plugs, to foul, as there will be too much fuel without enough air; if your spark plugs foul, you may have problems keeping your car running.
  •    Change the Air Filter at least once a year under any circumstances. Some manufacturer's recommend every 5,000 miles.

Let me know, what have you run into when changing your air filter? Any mouse nests for you.?

Keep it between the lines,
Happy Motoring