Clean filters are vital to the performance of your vehicle. Four filters come to mind the air, fuel, transmission, and oil filters. In addition to grit and dirt, which enter the engine and transmission from the air and other factors in the environment, your car also manufactures its own contaminants from condensation, chemical reactions and wear. If it were not for these filters, some components in your car would self-destruct. Let's take a look at these filters' jobs and recommended maintenance schedules.
Air Filter: Air filters have always played an important role, keeping harmful, abrasive dust and dirt out of the inside of the engine where it can do damage; however, they are even more important today with sophisticated computer-controlled fuel injection. A clean air filter is absolutely necessary to maintain the delicate balance of air-to-fuel ratio in a fuel injection system. Introduce a dirty air filter into the equation and the fuel delivery system goes haywire trying to maintain balance. Recommended replacement interval: Every 10-12,000 miles.
Fuel Filter: Fuel filters are small yet critical members in the fuel delivery system. The injectors in the fuel injection system have small orifices through which fuel is forced under high pressure, creating an air/fuel mixture as a vapor, which, of course, is the best state for combustion and power. The smallest particle of dirt can clog an injector and thus disable an engine. To avoid this, the fuel filter must do its job. In addition, fuel injection systems rely on electric fuel pumps to maintain the necessary pressure. They are generally located in the fuel tank, behind the fuel filter. Introduce a partially clogged filter into the system, and the fuel pump overworks trying to overcome the restriction ahead of it. If the fuel pump is allowed to operate in this condition for a prolonged period of time, it will fail prematurely. Recommended replacement interval: Every 10,000 miles.
Oil Filter: The oil filter traps dirt, metal filings and sludge (which are by-products of the internal combustion engine). Without this filter, these contaminants would be allowed to flow through the engine causing heat, friction, and ultimately premature engine failure. Recommended replacement interval: Every 3,000 miles.
Transmission Filter: The automatic transmission is a mechanical wonder in its design and function -- making your car go forward and backward! The automatic transmission is nothing more than a giant hydraulic pump that lubricates itself. The fluid follows a pre-determined path under hydraulic pressure, creating what is called a "fluid coupling" or linkup between the engine and transmission, propelling the car forward. In order for all this to happen, the fluid must be clean and flow freely. The transmission filter plays a major role, keeping the fluid clean of debris such as dirt, sludge, and clutch material. If the filter gets clogged, the flow of fluid is inhibited, the pressure lowers, the fluid breaks down, and friction and heat build up affecting the performance of the transmission or -- worse yet -- the transmission fails! It is extremely important to keep the filter and fluid in your transmission clean! Recommended replacement interval: Every 24-25,000 miles.
Following these recommended guidelines for servicing your vehicle's filters will net you a great profit in trouble free miles!
