Achhoooo! Air Filters & You.
Achhoooo! Air Filters & You.
Posted on May 17, 2022
We all hate it when a mechanic comes up to us during an oil change, shows the engine air filter and says, “You should have this replaced. It’s an extra $30.” We are sure they are just trying to up-sell us to make money. Blah blah blah….engine performance….blah blah blah….gas mileage – we’ve tune them out. Who is going to fall for that? Not us!
Well, by not listening we have fallen for it because engine air filters are essential! You don’t have to know the intricate workings of the engine but, you do need to know the engine needs air. It pulls the outside air in as you drive.
Two words – nose hairs. Y’all know how dirty the outside air is we breathe. Nose hairs do a great job filtering it. As your nose hairs get clogged with dust and dirt, you get boogies and it’s hard to breathe!
That is exactly how to look at your engine air filter – as nose hairs. The filter blocks the dust and dirt from going to your engine. If you don’t change your engine air filter at your owner’s manual recommended suggestion, your engine will get boogies and it will be hard for it to breathe. So yes, your engine performance will drop and you will use more gas while driving.
Many vehicle manufacturers recommend replacing the engine air filter every 24 to 48,000 miles. Roughly, every 1-2 years.