Air Filters are an important component of the car’s intake system. It is a device that filters the air that enters the engine of the car. Air Filters remove different impurities from the air like hydrocarbons, fine dirt particles, minute substances like pollen particles, volcanic ash, mold spores, dead mites, cigarette smoke, dust particles, exhaust gas particulates and many such substances.
Air is the most important element to ignite the fuel in the engine. The quantity of air inducted by internal combustion engine is vast. An estimated 10,000 times the volume of air passes through an engine for each unit volume of fuel. Since the atmospheric air is seldom clean, unless intake air is filtered, the possibility of inducting a considerable mass of solid contaminants is obvious. Filtered air helps in propelling the engine and using the fuel completely. Obstructions like pollen and dirt reduces the performance of the engine in the long run and also damages the engine cylinders, walls, pistons and piston rings.
Automotive air filters are characteristically a pleated-paper or synthetic fiber sheets like fiberglass, foam, cotton gauze or stainless steel mesh with the element employed in the form of annular cartridge, with the flow from the outside to the inside. Impurities and contaminants like dust, dirt, pollen, mold spores, dead mites, volcanic ash, cigarette smoke, etc. are thus collected on the outer surface of the pleats.
Air filters are available in different sizes and shapes; the simplest form of air filter is a pleated paper, folded in accordion style and finally arranged on a metal or plastic frame. The frame is then fitted into the air filter’s holder. The holder is either a metal or plastic box which is connected to the engine by a plastic tube to provide direct air flow.
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Engine Air Intake filters
The holder or casing of filter becomes of permanent fitting, mounted on the engine to intake, with a detachable lid to facilitate removal of the cartridge. In most of the vehicles, air filter is generally enclosed in a metal or plastic casing near the center top of the engine. It is advisory to change car’s air filters on a regular basis, as it will enhance the engine life and performance. Changing filters twice a year or roughly per 15,000 miles is considered to be a standard function; however this may vary depending upon the amount of pollution in the atmosphere where the car is used.
Checking the Air Filter
An Air filter is a black plastic or metallic black box located on the driver’s side of the engine just under the battery. There are either clips on the lid or else the box is screwed in the center, once you unscrew the lid and all the other devices attached to the filter a cleaner is found. These can either be round, square or rectangle. However, they consist of the pleated-paper or other fibrous sheet like fiberglass, foam, cotton gauze or stainless steel mash filter which consists and dust particles. Depending upon the amount of degradation on the filter, it is then removed and replaced by a new one.
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