Well, in order to improve the output of your car in terms of acceleration and horse power, it is really necessary that you make sure that your car's air filter is working absolutely fine.
The reason being that the more effectively your car's air filter, filters the air and send it down to the engine's combustion chambers to burn some fuel, the greater the power will be generated by your car and hence more acceleration. Absolutely something you crave for when you get on your ride.
So I've decided to do some posts about the air filters or air intake systems. Of course, they are going to be more than one posts related to this series starting from the working of the air filters to the types and kinds of them and of course in the end, some basic playing around / modifications that people normally do with their air intake units so that their cars start raging with power.
So let's start with the basic working purpose and function of your car air filter.
What And Where Is The Car Air Filter?
When you open your car bonnet, the most apparent thing at the top and right in the middle of the whole area (in most of the cases) is what you say a Car's Air Filter Unit A.K.A Car Intake Unit. It's a case with a pipe (again, in majority of the cases) extending out of it. The air filter is inside this whole unit and can be seen when you un-clip and then remove the lid off the unit . It may be rounded or squared shaped.
Coming to the question of how does an air filter work, the most simple answer is just like your nose hair. I'm sorry to be that gross but I believe that this example can be understood by people from every background. So what does your hair in the nose do? Simple, they block or filter out the dust particles coming from this cruel mean world and ensure that pure air reaches your lungs. The same is done by the car's air filters (air purifier) as they block the dust particles and send the air to get burned. The very air that contains oxygen. So less the impurities and more the oxygen, the more fuel will be burnt by the engine and therefore will produce more power in turn.
Types Of Air Filters.
When it comes to buying, installing, cleaning and replacing your air filters, its necessary for one to better know the types of air filters available in the markets. There are variety of air purifiers available in the market and of course the choice depends on the factors like durability, performance, maintenance and the size of your pockets. Like a "daddy" would like to have an air filters which has a long life and is economical but the racers would want to have filters which makes their cars like a person on anabolic steroids. So below are some of the types discussed, and by "type", I mean to say the material used in the manufacture rather than the shapes of the filters (like Cone, RAM, Panel e.t.c.). I hope that after reading them you'd be in a much better position of deciding one for your car.
1. Paper Air Filters
Easy on your pockets and to stay within your budget, these air filters are prepared using paper pleated to adjust in the filtration unit. Of course the term paper doesn't mean the same paper used in writing or scribbling e.t.c.
The pleated paper air filters are though economical and cost effective, yet they are not considered effective enough as they tend to restrict the air flow. Secondly, they also need to be replaced more frequently. Say, about after every 10,000 miles.
2. Gauze Air Filters
These air filters are further divided into two categories:
a. Oil Based Gauze Filters.
As the name suggests, they are normally laced with chemical which we normally call oil. So these oil wetted air filters restrict the abrasive and other hazardous organic particles to enter the engine cylinders hence minimizing the wear and tear of the car engine.
b. Dry Air Filters
These are the oil filters not equipped with any kind of chemical compound and the only line of defense is the very material they are manufactured with. Like paper, cotton foam e.t.c.
3. Foam Air Filters
Foam is used in such kind of air filters. They've considered as a good and effective material against dirt and dusts and the use of foam in the air purifiers until recently was not only restricted to the Cars' Air Filters, but many other household equipments used to have them within them. Like vacuum cleaners, lawnmowers e.t.c. The main reason being their high dirt capacity (ability to restrict larger quantity of dust) with minimal air restrictions.
The above mentioned kinds of air filters are not the only air filters that are used around the automotive world. There are more like oil bath air filters, cotton air filters e.t.c. You'd see many of them used in the combination with other kinds. Like foam and oil gauzed air filters.
So what I have tried to do is that I've discussed a rather generic kinds of the filters that you might encounter.
Since the post is getting longer, I find myself not in a position of discussing what type of air filters are suited for what kind of conditions and why the people just don't stick to the very best and optimum kind of the air filters. I'd rather leave it for some other day, some other post.
