Filters Air Filters

Air Filters

Clean air is essential for the performance and longevity of your engine. A modern engines require many thousand times the amount of air as it does fuel for optimal combustion. For example, to burn one litre of diesel fuel at normal working conditions, 15,000 litres of air must be cleaned when you add a turbocharger to that engine, the air consumption requirements increase by 20% or more....Efficient engine air filtration is critical since even a tiny amount of debris can cause significant engine harm. The engine air filter's aim is to extend system life by keeping harmful particles away from sensitive engine components. A good functioning air filter does this by creating an air tight seal between the air coming into air filter housing and air being delivered to the engine. All dirty air should be passed through the filter to ensure no dirty air enters the engine uncleaned.

When To Change Air Filters?

Changing a dirty air filter at the correct time is crucial to the efficient operation of the engine, this isn't always easy to determine however as an air filter that appears to be in good condition may really be too restrictive. Similarly, a filthy filter may still have thousands of kilometres or hours of useful life. Because visual inspection cannot identify the true state of an air filter, it is recommended to use an air restriction gauge, which more reliably monitors allowable restriction levels. If it isn't practical to install a restriction gauge then air quality the vehicle or machine is operating in, engine performance and condition of the air filter should be monitored

As a general rule the following guidelines can be followed when to change an air filter:

• Automotive - every 15,000 to 30,000 kilometers, once per year or as per the recommended interval in the service or owners manual.
• Trucks - every 15,000 to 30,000 kilometers or as per the recommended interval in the service or owners manual.
• Machinery - every 1000 hours or as per the maintenance manual and the conditions operating in.

It is worth noting that a dirty air filter is more efficient than a new air filter at catching particles. The reason for this being the contaminant loading on a dirty air filters media helps to catch more contaminate, but the filter must obviously be changed to a new one once if becomes too dirty and restrictive to deliver the air flow required.

Before discarding an old air filter, thoroughly inspect it for any issues that may need to be addressed.

• A black, powdery covering could suggest that the air intake is too close to the engine exhaust.
• Dirt on the clean side of the filter element may indicate a dust leak caused by a faulty seal or a split in the filter media.
• Rust on the metal parts of the filter could indicate that water is being sucked in with the air. Examine the intake location and ensure that the water-venting ports in the induction system are clean and free of obstruction.

FCP Solutions have been supplying a massive range of quality engine air filters for over 32 years and can assist in recommending the very best air filters for your vehicle or equipment to replace your dirty air filter, keeping it on the road longer and performing at it's absolute best!