Does it seem like car problems always pop up at the wrong time? When you are in a hurry to get to the office, drop off the kids at daycare, or preparing to leave on a big road trip, the last thing you want to deal with is a vehicle that doesn’t run properly. The headache, the inconvenience, the cost, it’s all worth avoiding if possible, right?
While encountering mechanical issues is an inevitable part of owning a vehicle, you can significantly improve the life of your car by performing regular maintenance. Consistent and proper car maintenance is the key to having a safe and reliable vehicle. Plus, doing a few small and inexpensive tasks can help you avoid some major, costly fixes down the road.
One such task is replacing your car’s air filter. Every car’s engine needs oxygen to operate, and an air filter ensures clean, good air makes it there. An air filter prevents debris, bugs, sand, particles, and dust from entering your engine, giving your engine the air it needs to function at its best.
Air filters don’t last forever though. Over time, they become clogged with all the dirt and dust they have filtered out and need to be replaced. How do you know when your air filter should be switched out? Here are the top seven signs.
1. Check Engine Light – It’s like a punch to the gut when that dreaded check engine light comes on. That tiny light tends to make people think of the worst-case scenario, but it can also indicate something as simple as a dirty air filter. When an air filter becomes clogged, the lack of airflow results in a buildup of carbon deposits, which can trigger the check engine light to come on. Since a check engine light turns on for all sorts of reasons, make it a point to verify the diagnostic code and go from there. A seasoned mechanic can read the code the detect the issue.
2. Abnormal or Strange Sounds – Listening to your car is an excellent way to catch issues before they escalate into expensive problems. By getting to know the sounds of your particular vehicle, you can better identify when something sounds off. When it comes to problems with your air filter, your engine can make abnormal noises when deprived of clean air. It may make popping, coughing, or gurgling sounds.
3. Black Smoke from Exhaust – Engines need both air and fuel to operate. They work together to ensure your car burns fuel properly. Black smoke coming from your exhaust is a clear indication that your vehicle has too much fuel in the combustion chamber without sufficient amounts of oxygen to burn it.
4. A Gasoline Smell – A blocked air filter hinders your engine’s ability to move through fuel, and the lack of oxygen results in lingering fuel that does not burn all the way. It then exits through the tailpipe and produces the smell of gasoline.
5. Misfiring Engine – Unburned fuel issue can also cause your engine to misfire. Unburned fuel creates soot residuals. Soot residuals accumulate on spark plugs. Dirty spark plugs do not function correctly. If you press on the gas and your car jerks, consider changing out the air filter. Furthermore, if your car has difficulty turning on, check out the air filter.
6. Decreased Horsepower – Feel like your car doesn’t get up and go as it once did? It could be the air filter. If you press on the accelerator, and your car doesn’t respond adequately, that might mean the engine is not getting the air it needs to accelerate quickly.
7. Dirty-Looking Air Filter – It is always a good idea to visually inspect your actual air filter, especially if you are experiencing some of these troubling signs. A new air filter begins as a white, off-white, cream, or light grey color. Dirt or dust on the outside will discolor or darken it, but don’t stop your check there. Physically inspect the inner and folded layers of filter paper too.
Don’t underestimate the power of a new air filter. The vitality of your car relies on it. Most owner’s manuals recommend switching out the air filter every 12,000 to 15,000 miles. You can have the technician at your Sugar House tire shop perform the work while they rotate your tires and keep your care running at its best. No car is exempt from the potential damage caused by a dirty air filter. Do yourself (and your car) a favor, and make sure to replace this key component of the air intake system regularly.
Your car needs to combust petrol. And as every GCSE science student will tell you, this needs three things. Fuel, an ignition source and air.
In engines, this is supplied by the petrol, diesel or other fuel source, the spark plugs, and the air is drawn through the air filter, ensuring that dirt and muck doesn’t enter into the piston chambers. Of course – all that filth ends up caught in the air filter, reducing its effectiveness.
So after 10 to 15 thousand miles, you’ll need to replace your air filter (or sooner if you drive and live in very dusty areas). What are the tell-tale signs that this job is in your immediate future?
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Did you know that your engine needs around 10,000 litres of air to combust a litre of petrol? That’s a lot of oxygen in anyone’s book. The air filter is designed to catch the dirt and muck, whilst still allowing good, clean air to enter the engine, which then combusts with the fuel, before being expelled through the exhaust system.
The air filter will catch everything from small pieces of muck and debris kicked off the road surface, through to small insects or large pieces of pollen. Anything that wouldn’t be good for your engine – you can rely on this part to catch.
Be aware of the following symptoms. One could mean you need to inspect the filter further. See a few in combination, and you’ll be able to nail the cause a whole lot faster.
So we’ve told you that the engine needs air to burn the fuel. If the filter is clogged and letting less air through, the potential energy available from the fuel will be proportionally reduced – meaning it will need more juice for the same squeeze. If your car seems to be doing fewer miles to the gallon – check the filter.
If all the petrol in the piston doesn’t combust properly due to a lack of air flow from a partially blocked filter, it burns with a sooty black flame. You’ll see the results of this process all over the spark plugs, as similarly sooty marks.
In the same way you might wheeze and gasp for breath if you have a bad cold, and your lungs are bunged up, your engine might make its own unusual noises when it’s deprived of the necessary air to function properly. Keep one ear open for popping or coughing sounds, accompanied by vibrations. As you might clear your throat with a cold, you should inspect the filter to see if you can find a blockage.
The check engine light can illuminate for a number of reasons. If the air filter is clogged, then deposits of soot can trigger the system. Get the diagnostic code checked out by your preferred garage or service centre, where they’ll give you trustworthy advice on changing the filter.
So you’ve experienced some of the other symptoms of a clogged air filter on our list. Take a look at the actual part. Normally new filters are white, cream or an off white greyish colour. You won’t be able to miss the dirt on the outside, if the part is badly clogged and in need of replacement. Sometimes however, there can be a significant build up of dirt in the filter paper, requiring an actual mechanic to review the part to confirm that it’s not functioning at the required level.
Another symptom of your engine struggling for air can be found when you hit the accelerator pedal. If the car jolts forward, and doesn’t move with the usual smoothness that you recognise, then check the air filter further, to see if there’s a build up of dirt.
Remember how we mentioned about the spark plugs getting dirty? The same rich fuel mixture that leads to unburnt fuel in the residual gasses created by combustion, will also come out of the exhaust, if the air filter isn’t working properly. This can lead to black, sooty smoke, or particles of fuel can even ignite when they hit the hot exhaust, causing miniature explosions and fire.
Again, that rich fuel mixture that’s a real signature problem of a blocked air filter will show up when starting the car. If your nose detects fuel odours, then this could be down to unburned fuel. Investigate the filter further to confirm your suspicions.
At its worst the lack of air to the engine, should your filter be severely blocked, can actually cause the engine to misfire, which could create problems starting the car. If you have to make a number of attempts to start due to the rich fuel mix, then check the filter.
There are several reasons why you should change your filter, including the following…
Improved fuel economy – when the filter is supplying the exact amount of air needed to power combustion in the engine, it means that every available drop of energy is squeezed out of your fuel.
Lower emissions – unburnt fuel and other particles in your exhaust fumes increase when there’s not enough air. Cut down on your emissions by ensuring your filter is operating correctly.
Longer engine life – if the engine is not running correctly, this creates increased stress on the parts, such as the pistons, the piston chambers and even the camshaft. Engine’s struggling for air are under more stress, which can reduce their lifespan. Replacing the air filter decreases this stress, and as a result lengthens your engine’s lifespan.
Low cost – air filters are made to be replaced. You won’t be breaking the bank and the money spent on your filter will soon be repaid in lower fuel bills, thanks to a better running engine.
Get your mechanic to take a look at your filter when you have a service or an oil change, but remember we mentioned 12,000 miles earlier? You should not need a replacement filter every time you visit the garage even if there’s a little dirt on the part. If you suspect there’s something up with your mechanic – ask for a second opinion, otherwise you could be wasting your money.