4 Reasons You Should Replace Your Old Engine Air Filter

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Your car uses two air filters; the cabin air filter keeps the air within the car's passenger compartment clean while the engine air filter prevents dust and dirt from building up across the engine and keeps pollutants from contaminating other systems. People often fail to change the latter when they need to, but there are plenty of reasons why this is a bad idea.

Here are just four reasons why you should never neglect to change an old engine air filter.

1. Reduced Efficiency and Performance

Probably the most compelling reason to change an old engine air filter is that you'll reduce both the performance and the efficiency of your vehicle. An older filter won't prevent dust and dirt from clogging up the engine, and the flow of clean air into the combustion chambers will be impeded. In a sense, you will be choking your engine. This will mean that the vehicle needs to work harder, which will drive up fuel consumption. At the same time, acceleration will feel sluggish, and you may find the vehicle jerking and stuttering as you drive.

2. More Maintenance Work

If you're putting off replacing an old engine air filter, you could be setting yourself up for even more maintenance work in the future. For example, the dust and dirt that collects around an old filter can work its way into your oil system, which will mean needing to replace the oil and change the oil filter more regularly. Dust and dirt can contaminate plenty of other systems, and the increased strain on the vehicle will mean that other parts are likely to need attention.

3. Reduced Engine Life

As well as probably increasing the amount of routine maintenance that you need to take care of, not changing an old engine air filter can cause significant damage to the engine itself, often dramatically affecting its longevity. Internal parts, such as the pistons and cylinders, can be damaged by even the smallest amounts of dirt, debris and sand, and repairing those parts can be incredibly expensive.

4. Increased Emissions

Since your car will need to burn more fuel in order to perform as you need it to, keeping an old engine air filter isn't great for the environment. This issue is exacerbated by the fact that your engine's fuel-to-air mixture will be compromised. When this happens, your vehicle will produce more emissions, so using an old engine air filter is doubly bad if you want to boost your eco-friendly credentials.

If you go in for regular car service, you can ensure all filters are replaced in a timely manner.

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17 April 2017