How Often Should the Engine Air Filter Be Replaced?
3 Answers
According to the car maintenance manual, it is recommended to replace the air filter every 10,000 to 20,000 kilometers or once a year. It is advisable to clean the air filter every 5,000 kilometers to reduce the formation of throttle sludge. The location of the car's air filter element varies depending on the intake method and the engine's structure. It is generally located in the air filter on the engine intake pipe. There are two types of air filters in cars: dry and wet. The dry type is made of paper or organic materials, while the wet type is made of metal wire mesh. The function of the air filter is to filter out particulate impurities in the air, ensuring that sufficient clean air enters the cylinder and preventing airborne dust from being sucked into the engine, which would accelerate the wear of the piston group and cylinder. Air filter: It is a type of filter, also known as an air filter cartridge, air cleaner, or style. It is mainly used in engineering vehicles, cars, agricultural vehicles, laboratories, sterile operating rooms, and various precision operating rooms. During operation, the engine needs to inhale a large amount of air. If the air is not filtered, the suspended dust in the air will be sucked into the cylinder, accelerating the wear of the piston group and cylinder. Larger particles entering between the piston and cylinder can cause severe cylinder scoring, which is particularly serious in dry and sandy working environments. The air filter is installed in front of the carburetor or intake pipe to filter out dust and sand particles in the air, ensuring that sufficient and clean air enters the cylinder. Using a dirty air filter while driving will cause insufficient engine intake, leading to incomplete fuel combustion, unstable engine operation, reduced power, and increased fuel consumption. Therefore, it is essential to keep the air filter clean. The car air filter is a device that removes particulate impurities from the air, consisting of one or several air filter components. Its main function is to filter out harmful impurities in the air before it enters the cylinder, reducing early wear of the cylinder, piston, piston rings, valves, and valve seats. Therefore, before air enters the cylinder, it must pass through the fine filtration of the air filter. A dirty air filter can cause poor engine performance, excessive fuel consumption, and engine damage. When inspecting the air filter, if it is found to have little dust and is lightly clogged, it can be cleaned using high-pressure air from the inside out and continue to be used. A severely dirty air filter should be replaced promptly.
I usually drive to work, covering about 30 kilometers daily, so I end up driving over 10,000 kilometers a year. I change the engine air filter according to the manual, typically every 12,000 to 15,000 kilometers or once a year. Why? Because if I drive on dusty rural roads, the filter gets clogged quickly, affecting engine air intake and increasing fuel consumption by over 10%. Changing it myself is simple—no tools needed. Just locate the filter box under the hood, unscrew it, and replace it. A new filter costs just a few dozen yuan, saving the hassle of going to a shop. Once, I neglected to change it, and my car accelerated sluggishly with higher fuel consumption. At the repair shop, I found the filter completely black and regretted not acting sooner. Now, I make it a habit to check during every maintenance—if it doesn’t look clear when held up to light, I replace it immediately. This small maintenance may seem minor, but it helps the engine last longer, saves fuel, and reduces hassle. In the city, you might stretch the interval, but in dusty conditions, be more diligent.
After years of working in repair shops, I've noticed many car owners often forget to replace their air filters. Personally, I recommend changing them every 10,000 to 15,000 kilometers, depending on driving habits; if you frequently drive on dusty roads, consider replacing it at 8,000 kilometers. Neglecting this can lead to clogged filters, causing insufficient air intake for the engine, resulting in up to 20% increased fuel consumption, or even overheating damage. Checking is simple: remove the filter and check for light penetration—if you can't see light through it, it's time for a change. Some people wash and reuse filters, but this isn't reliable as it reduces filtration efficiency and allows impurities to enter. Replacing it isn't hard either; for most cars, the filter box is located at the front of the engine, and it takes just 5 minutes to do it yourself. It saves money and fuel while preventing major issues like carbon buildup or excessive emissions, ensuring smoother driving with proper maintenance.
