The air filter prevents dirt from entering the car engine. Thanks to this, the engine can last longer.
The air filter also serves as a noise suppressor, and in gasoline vehicles it also serves as a temperature regulator for the combustible mixture. When it becomes dirty, the amount of air entering the engine results in reduced power and increased fuel consumption.
To prevent this from happening, such an element also requires cleaning. How to clean the air filter?
In the article:
- Why you can't do without an air filter
- What are the dangers of a dirty filter?
- How does an air filter work?
- Is it possible to wash
- Traditional cleaning methods
As you know, internal combustion automobile engines run on gasoline or diesel fuel. For ignition and normal combustion of fuel, air is also required, or rather, the oxygen contained in it. Moreover, a lot of air is required, the ideal ratio is 14.7 parts of air to one part of fuel. An air-fuel mixture with an increased fuel content (ratio less than 14.7) is called rich, and one with a reduced fuel content (ratio more than 14.7) is called lean. Both components of the mixture are cleaned before they end up in the engine cylinders. The air filter is responsible for cleaning the air.
Ipone Air Filter Clean
If you don’t have the desire or time to bother with washing the filter, you can buy special products. Ipone Air Filter Clean can be used for the engine and cabin filters.
Clean the part as often as possible. Not performing the procedure regularly can lead to serious damage.
Mode of application:
- Pour the liquid into the container.
- Immerse the part for 15 minutes.
- Gently squeeze out excess moisture, rinse, dry and treat with oil.
A cleaned filter will be no worse than a new one. One 5-liter canister of Ipone Air Filter Clean can be used up to 30 times.
Why you can't do without an air filter
Is it possible without a filter at all? Such a naive question can only arise from an absolute beginner who does not have the slightest idea about the functioning of the internal combustion engine. For those who have ever changed the air filter and seen what gets in there, this would never even occur to them. Leaves, poplar fluff, insects, sand - without a filter, all this would end up in the cylinders and in a short time would bring the engine to major repairs. But it’s not just about large debris, soot and fine dust visible to the eye. The air filter can also trap moisture in the air and thereby protect cylinder walls, pistons, valves and other parts from corrosion. Thus, it is absolutely clear that the air filter is an extremely important thing, without which the normal operation of a car engine is impossible.
What are the dangers of a dirty filter?
Gradually, the air filter becomes clogged, and at some point the contamination begins to affect its throughput.
Less air enters the cylinders, which means the combustible mixture becomes richer. Moderate enrichment initially causes a slight increase in engine power, but fuel consumption also increases. A further decrease in the air content in the air-fuel mixture leads to incomplete combustion of fuel, which is noticeable by black exhaust. The engine begins to operate unstably and the dynamics deteriorate. Finally, there is not enough air to ignite the fuel, and the engine stops starting. The air filter is a consumable item and, according to regulations, must be periodically replaced. Most automakers indicate a replacement interval of 10...20 thousand kilometers. Increased air dust, smog, sand, and construction dust reduce this interval by about one and a half times.
So, everything seems clear - the time has come, we buy a new filter and change it. However, not everyone is happy with this; they want to save money, especially since for some car models the prices for air filters are steep. So people have the idea to clean, wash the filter element and give it a second life.
Is it possible? First, let's figure out what an air filter is and what we are going to wash.
Who is right?
The time has come, I thought. Just a few years ago, many people didn’t even think about doing any manipulations with the old filter, they just bought a new one and that’s it, and it was significantly cheaper. And now people are forced to count every penny.
However, if you brought your clean filter with you to the service in working condition, the technician does not have the right to force you to buy a new one. And where you got this “consumable” - washed it or bought a new one at a car store - no one should care - it’s your business. The main thing is that it can perform its function efficiently.
How does an air filter work?
Most car air filters come in the form of a flat panel or cylinder. In some cases, the design may contain a pre-cleaning mesh, which traps relatively large debris and extends the life of the main filter element. This solution is useful for use in off-road conditions and high dust levels. And special equipment operating in special conditions is often equipped with an additional cyclone filter, which pre-cleanses the air.
But these design features are not directly related to the issue of flushing. We are directly interested in the filter element, which in most cases is made of special types of paper or synthetic materials and is laid out in the form of an accordion for greater compactness.
Filter paper is capable of trapping particles 1 micron or larger in size. The thicker the paper, the higher the degree of cleaning, but the greater the resistance to air flow. For each engine model, the filter air flow resistance value must be quite specific to ensure optimal operation of the unit. This parameter must be taken into account when selecting analogues.
Synthetic filter media usually have several layers with different pore sizes. The outer layer retains large particles, while the inner ones produce finer cleaning.
Thanks to special impregnations, the filter element is able to retain moisture, gasoline vapors, antifreeze and other substances that may be present in the air and the entry of which into the engine cylinders is highly undesirable. Impregnation also prevents the filter from swelling due to high humidity.
A special case is the so-called zero-resistance filters, which are not used on ordinary cars due to their high cost. In addition, they require frequent - every 5,000 kilometers - and very thorough maintenance, including cleaning, rinsing with a special shampoo and impregnation with a special oil. This is the only type of reusable air filter that can and should be cleaned and washed. But we are not talking about saving money here at all.
What means are used?
Typical cleaning of a special air filter consists of blowing the element with compressed air. To solve this problem, an air compressor, such as one purchased at car dealerships, is suitable. In passenger cars, there is mainly a filter with a paper base; it has a carbon layer, so it is useless to clean it; it is better to buy a new one.
With other options, to wash with your own hands, you need to prepare a vacuum cleaner for household use. Serious dirt deposits can be cleaned using low pressure running water. You can wash the car's cabin filter from adhering dirt using fuel or gasoline. When choosing this option, it is necessary to keep in mind that after the work done, a clean special filter will perform worse in its cleaning functions, because the pores on it will increase in volume. When using compressed air, these problems will not arise, so this method is considered more applicable.
For high-quality cleaning of pleated-type engine air filters, you will need an atmospheric hose or the same electric vacuum cleaner for household use. When using both methods, it is recommended to exercise maximum care, as there is a possibility of causing damage to the folds. The hose is held 10 cm from the element to be cleaned without squeezing.
When using a compressed air stream, the process is carried out far from the car, otherwise you can blow dirt deposits under the hood.
- Remove the air filter cover;
- We remove the old air filter;
- We clean all the channels through which air flows to the engine;
- Install a new air filter;
- We put back the air filter cover;
- You can measure the quality of filtered air using an indicator.
As you can see, the repair only takes a few minutes. The procedure can save us not only money, but also delay future engine repairs.
One way to optimize engine power is to install a cone filter, which is commonly used in sports car models.
Is it possible to wash
The parts of the cylinder-piston group have a precise fit, so even the smallest particles of dust and soot, getting inside the cylinder and accumulating there, will accelerate engine wear. Therefore, high demands are placed on the quality of filtration of air entering the cylinders. This is especially true for turbine engines, which consume significantly more air. Relatively speaking, a gauze cloth is absolutely unsuitable as a filter.
Now imagine what a paper filter element will turn into after washing. Precisely in a gauze cloth. The filter will become deformed, microcracks and tears will appear, and the porous structure will be damaged.
If a washed filter element is reused, the quality of cleaning will sharply decrease. Coarse dirt will be retained, and small particles of dust and soot will penetrate the cylinders and settle on its walls, piston, and valves. As a result, you will receive a time bomb. Negative consequences will not be noticeable immediately. At first, the washing result may please you, but sooner or later the motor will “thank you” for this attitude.
One can only guess how the effects of detergents will affect the impregnations. They can dissolve or, as a result of a chemical reaction, turn into some substance that completely clogs the pores. And then the air simply will not be able to pass through the filter element.
Dry cleaning is also ineffective. You can shake off relatively large debris, but no amount of blowing, knocking out, or shaking out will get rid of the smallest dust stuck in the pores of the deep layers. The filter element will clog even faster, the air pressure will increase, and this can lead to the paper tearing and all the accumulated debris getting into the engine. And then you will spend the money saved on the air filter on engine overhaul.
Dry cleaning is justified only in one case - the filter was not replaced in time, the car stalled and you need to at least temporarily revive the engine in order to get to the garage or car service center.
If the presented arguments convince you, then you don’t need to read further. Buy a new air filter and install it in place of the used element. And those who think differently can continue reading.
Traditional cleaning methods
The recommendations below are a product of folk art. Use at your own risk. There are no official instructions and there cannot be any.
And no matter how hard you try, the restored element will be significantly worse than the new one in the following respects:
— degree of purification;
— resistance to air flow;
— pore sizes;
— throughput.
With any cleaning method, you should handle the filter material very carefully so as not to damage it. Do not rub, do not crush. No boiling water, no brushes or anything like that. The washing machine is also not suitable.
Dry cleaning
The filter element is carefully removed from the housing. Make sure that no debris gets into the air duct.
Large lumps of debris are removed by hand or with a brush. Then the corrugated paper must be treated with a vacuum cleaner or compressor. Blowing with a compressor is preferable. The vacuum cleaner may suck in the filter element and damage it.
Cleaning with spray
After dry cleaning, spray the cleaning spray over the entire surface of the filter element. Leave for a while to let the product work. Rinse thoroughly with warm water. Dry without using heating devices.
Wet cleaning using cleaning solutions
Place the filter element in an aqueous solution of laundry gel, dishwashing detergent or other household cleaner. Leave for several hours. Rinse with warm, but not hot water. Air dry.
In auto stores you can purchase special products for cleaning and impregnating foam air filters. Those who have tried it know how suitable they are for paper elements.
And, by the way, pay attention to the prices of special equipment. Maybe it’s cheaper to buy a new filter and not fool yourself with dubious measures?
Washing powder
You can wash the filter using regular washing powder or dishwashing detergent. They will not damage the part and will remove any remaining dust and dirt.
Action algorithm:
- Take a container of a size that will accommodate the device.
- Pour in enough water.
- Pour in washing powder. The quantity is determined by eye, depending on the degree of contamination.
- Place the filter in the solution overnight.
- In the morning, rinse with clean water.
After the part has completely dried, you can use it again. It should be remembered that in the winter season it will take longer to dry, so you can purchase another part and change it when the cabin filter needs to be cleaned.
