Your car's engine requires a steady inflow of fresh oxygen, which mixes with fuel inside the combustion chambers. The air filter prevents dust, dirt, sand, insects, and other airborne contaminants from entering the engine. Good Ford air filter maintenance primarily involves changing the filter periodically to avoid engine problems. Let's look at how often you should do so.
Change Your Air Filter Once a Year
For most drivers, a yearly change will suffice when it comes to both the engine and cabin air filter. Air filters are relatively inexpensive compared to other car parts, and very straightforward to change.
Despite this, they're absolutely vital to proper engine performance, and it's wise never to forget about your engine's air filter. Once a filter becomes clogged enough to slightly impede airflow, the engine will misfire, and your car could become damaged in various ways.
How Dusty Are Your Driving Conditions?
Some driving environments have dirtier air than others, requiring more frequent filter changes. The air in Ohio isn't as dusty and sandy as that of some states like New Mexico, but if you regularly take your vehicle off-road or along rougher, dirtier tracks, your air filter will fill up with dirt and debris much faster.
Regular commutes in dense urban traffic also give the air filter more airborne pollutants to contend with. If you think you put your vehicle through conditions with dirtier air, consider changing the filter twice a year and inspect it more often, too.
Notice Signs of a Clogged Air Filter
As with any important vehicle component, drivers who know the signs of a clogged air filter will detect and fix it quicker. Bearing this in mind, here are a few indications that your filter has to go.
Sputtering, Vibrating Engine
When a blocked air filter restricts the amount of oxygen entering the cylinders, the fuel-air balance gets thrown off. With less air in the mix, there's now an excess of fuel, which coats the spark plugs in a sooty residue. The fouled spark plugs then begin to misfire, causing your car to shudder and cough.
Sluggish Acceleration
With an oxygen-starved engine operating less efficiently, your car won't accelerate as easily as usual. You might find it harder to cross a busy intersection quickly or reach top speeds on the highway.
Smoke From the Tailpipe
The excess of fuel that builds up inside the combustion chambers as a result of a clogged filter will eventually leak back into the exhaust system. Therein, the fuel can partially or fully ignite, causing smoke to pour out of the tailpipe. The catalytic converter might also get damaged by the fuel.
Visit Coughlin Ford of Heath in Newark, OH, today to avoid all these issues with a prompt, hassle-free air filter replacement.Â
