Replacing the air filter (VF) is part of the technical regulations, which are carried out with every car at regular intervals. In a motor vehicle, filters are used to clean the air entering the engine and the interior ventilation system. The task of the product is to delay mechanical, biological and chemical impurities to ensure the correct operation of the power plant and create a comfortable atmosphere in the cockpit. Products have a certain resource and need to be replaced regularly. The period of its implementation is determined by the model of the part and the conditions of its operation.
Types of pollution
Outdoor air is a mixture saturated with solid impurities of organic and mineral origin. When in contact with metal, they cause friction, which leads to rapid wear and tear of the equipment and its breakdown. As for the diesel engine, microscopic foreign objects quickly clog the injectors and the engine stalls. The motor needs a lot of air to form a combustible mixture of the desired consistency. For each liter of fuel, it is consumed up to 150 liters.
The composition contains the following types of pollution:
- Large (30-100 microns). These are sand, stone chips flying off the road, bits of soot, insects and organic fragments that are present everywhere.
- Dust (3-30 microns). The most dangerous substance for machines that can penetrate the smallest holes. There is especially a lot of dust on dirt roads, where it is lifted by the wind and the wheels of the car. Therefore, in rural areas, the filter has to be replaced more often.
- PM2.5 particles (0.3-2.5 microns). Suspension, dangerous both for technology and for human health, consists of solid microparticles and molecules of liquids, to a greater extent toxic. According to the source of origin, the finely dispersed mixture is divided into primary and secondary, artificial and natural.
- Pollen, spores, mold (5-15 microns). Organic impurities that fill the atmosphere in the city and beyond. Even the smallest spores pose a danger to the fuel system, as they alter the composition of the fuel, clog pipelines and scratch metal.
Regular replacement of the air filter allows the car to perform better, while creating a comfortable environment in the cabin.
The need to replace the air filter
The first production cars did not have air filters, but very soon this part became a must-have accessory in any engine compartment.
Mechanical damage
If you do not change the filter in time, during prolonged use, the internal filling of the product breaks, solid particles, dust, insects, and soot begin to enter the combustion chambers. This is fraught with abrasion of the cylinder walls and clogging of the fuel lines.
Clogging
There is a material inside the filter, on which impurities that have entered the air intake are deposited. Accumulating on the honeycomb, they gradually overlap the gaps.
To understand the need to regularly replace the VF, you should figure out what happens under the hood if this event is ignored:
- The fuel injection system will not receive enough air and will automatically compensate for it with fuel. The consequence is its increased consumption.
- Fuel does not burn completely.Because of this, carbon deposits appear in the cylinders, the catalyst, the flame arrester becomes clogged, and scuffs form on the walls of the combustion chamber block.
- The load on all elements of the engine increases, the parts overheat, and the risk of jamming increases.
In order not to bring the situation to such a state, the WF should change as often as possible.
Varieties of air filters
To achieve high-quality cleaning of the mixture entering the engine, constructions of various shapes, sizes and internal filling are used.
According to the degree of purification, VF are subdivided into the following categories:
- Rough cleaning. Collect large particles, insects, organic and mechanical suspensions over 50 microns in size. Manufactured in the form of a mesh or cyclone chamber.
- Fine cleaning. Retain the smallest suspension, including flour and cement dust, PM2.5 particles, spores of plants and fungi. It is made of dense fabric with high permeability properties.
The form is as follows:
- annular;
- panel;
- cylindrical.
VFs differ by filling options. The property of the material determines how well it retains contamination and the service life of the product.
The following materials are inserted inside the product body:
- Waterproof paper impregnated. The paper is folded in multiple layers to increase efficiency.
- Non-woven porous synthetic fabric. The price of the product is higher, but the quality of its work is also better. The fabric is stronger and traps more debris.
- Polymer plastic fibers. Pressing is used, as a result of which a dense composite with microscopic pores is obtained.
The degree of cleaning is 99.5% for paper, 99.9% for textiles and polymer.
Advantages and disadvantages
Before replacing the air filter, you should familiarize yourself with the merits and demerits of each product category.
Products with paper inside effectively trap almost all types of contamination, are inexpensive, and do not need to be disposed of. The downside is that under pressure, the membrane can break and all the collected and new debris will enter the engine.
Tissue VFs are more efficient and reliable. They are durable and water resistant, and the preset manufacturing parameters provide a fixed pore size. The only drawback is the high cost and the need for disposal.
Polymer fillers are resistant to all types of impact, but their scope is limited to rough cleaning. In addition, plastic must be recycled, since it practically does not decompose.
Air filter renewal
The time interval for replacing the VF is registered in the car's service book and is determined in months or mileage. The standard regulation prescribes changing this part 2 times a year or every 10,000 km of run. More frequent replacement will be required when operating the machine on dirt roads or in a gas-polluted metropolis. Reduces the life of the air filter moisture. Even one ride in the rain can completely destroy a paper-filled product.
There is no need to go to a service station to change the air filter. This is a fairly simple procedure that even a novice car enthusiast can handle. The VF casing is usually located above the engine in an accessible place. It is necessary to remove the cover from it, take out the old one and install a new filter in the landing slot. It remains to secure the cover in place and check that it is correctly attached.
