Does Water in the Air Filter Have Any Impact?
2 Answers
Water entering the air filter can potentially cause severe mechanical accidents and may lead to phenomena such as bent connecting rods and cylinder damage. Below is relevant information about air filters: 1. Types of Air Filters: Based on the filtration principle, air filters can be categorized into several types, including filtration type, centrifugal type, oil bath type, and composite type. The commonly used air filters in engines mainly include inertial oil bath air filters, paper dry-type air filters, and polyurethane filter element air filters. The inertial oil bath air filter undergoes three stages of filtration: inertial filtration, oil bath filtration, and filtration-type filtration. The latter two types of air filters primarily rely on filter element filtration. 2. Advantages and Disadvantages: Each type of air filter has its own pros and cons, but inevitably, there is a trade-off between air intake volume and filtration efficiency. With in-depth research on air filters, the requirements for air filters have become increasingly stringent, leading to the emergence of some new types of air filters, such as fiber filter element air filters, composite filtration material air filters, noise-reducing air filters, and constant-temperature air filters, to meet the operational needs of engines.
As an auto repair professional, I've seen too many cases of engines being ruined by waterlogged air filters. When your air filter gets soaked, the filter paper fibers deform and can't trap moisture at all. This water gets sucked into the engine's combustion chamber, compromising the seal and in severe cases causing hydraulic lock that bends connecting rods. Last time, a Highlander was started forcibly after wading through water, and its crankshaft got twisted like a pretzel. During rainy seasons, always be cautious of water depth when driving. After stalling, immediately check the air filter box. If you find water inside, never attempt to start the engine - towing it to a professional shop for intake tract cleaning is the only proper solution.
