When it comes to car maintenance, one of the most important components to keep an eye on is the air filter. A blocked air filter can cause a variety of issues, from engine ignition failures to decreased fuel economy. To ensure your engine is running smoothly, it's important to watch for the symptoms of a dirty air filter and replace it when necessary. Flames or black smoke from the exhaust pipe are two of the most common signs of a clogged engine air filter.
This is because the dirty air filter restricts the air supply to the engine, causing unburned fuel to form a soot residue that accumulates in the spark plug. This dirties the spark plugs and reduces their ability to generate the spark needed for combustion. Changing the affected air filter and spark plugs will restore engine performance. Older vehicles with carburetor engines will experience a significant drop in fuel economy when the air filter is blocked.
Since a blocked filter restricts air flow to the inlet, the engine cannot achieve an adequate air-fuel ratio and, therefore, the efficiency of the internal combustion process is greatly reduced. However, most modern vehicles with fuel-injected engines will have a much less drastic drop in fuel economy. In addition to air-fuel ratio problems, a clogged filter slightly reduces fuel economy by requiring the engine to work harder to draw air through the filter. Decreased fuel consumption is a clear sign of a faulty or dirty air filter.
A bad or dirty air filter restricts air flow and reduces oxygen in the mixture. The engine compensates for this by consuming more fuel to produce enough power to move at the same distance or speed as with a clean filter. As a car owner, you should be aware of any unusual noises coming from your engine compartment, such as coughing or clicking noises. These can indicate that your engine is not getting enough air flow, which means that your air filter needs to be replaced.
Older car models that don't include any type of airflow sensor have difficulty managing air volumes, making them very vulnerable to the effects of a clogged air filter. If you notice any of these symptoms, consult your service manual to see exactly where your air filter is located and how to replace it. Inspecting a dirty air filter and replacing one is without a doubt one of the easiest maintenance tasks you can perform for your car. The air filter is installed in the engine to prevent dirt and debris from entering the intake manifold and possibly causing it to block.
If you start to hear coughing or clicking noises coming from the engine compartment, or if your vehicle vibrates excessively, it may be a symptom that a dirty air filter is damaging a spark plug. A congested or clogged filter requires the engine to work much harder to suck in air, causing numerous performance problems. Once an air filter is too clogged and stops working, it can decrease car performance and even damage the engine. If you notice any of these symptoms, check your air filter immediately and replace it if necessary before performing other diagnostics. Since you can clear your throat with a cold, you should inspect your car's filter to see if you can find any blockages.
