How To Diagnose A Failing Air Filter
The longevity of an engine air filter varies wildly. An engine air filter can last anywhere between 6K and 30K miles. It depends on a bunch of factors, including:
- The quality of the filter media
- Low quality aftermarket filters don’t last as long as high quality OEM filters, for example
- Air quality
- If you drive in an area with poor air quality, the air filter will clog up faster
- Whether you drive on paved or dirt roads
- Dirt roads will clog up the air filter faster than paved roads
Your air filters don’t always last the same amount of time. One air filter can last, say, 15K miles, and the next filter can last only 10K miles. Maybe it’s because you took your vehicle off roading that one time. Or maybe it’s because you took your car to an area with poor air quality.
This is why we don’t recommend changing your air filter in regular intervals. Instead, check the air filter once in a while (perhaps at every oil change). If it’s too dirty, replace it. Even if you don't drive your car often, still replace the air filter every 3 years. The materials can become brittle over time.
If you’re not sure when to change your air filter, this guide may help you.
Signs That Your Air Filter Has Clogged
Even if you check your air filter at every oil change, it can still clog up before the next oil change. That’s why we suggest keeping an eye out for the most common clogged up air filter symptoms:
- Check engine light is on
- Worse fuel economy than usual
- Less engine power than usual
- Strange engine noises
- Rattling idle
- Hiccups
- Coughing
- Unusual vibrations
If you have an older car that uses a carburetor, you may also notice:
- Black smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe
- Gasoline smell when starting the car
Checking The Air Filter
You may be pleased to hear that it's super duper easy to check the engine air filter. It takes only a few minutes. You don't even need any special tools! Here's how to check the engine air filter on any vehicle:
- Open the hood.
- Find the cold air collection box and then open it.
- Pull out the engine air filter.
- Hold it up to a bright light source like a flashlight, or the sun. If you're wondering how to hold the air filter (like which side up), it doesn't matter. You only need the filter media between the light source and your face.
- Observe how much light shines through the filter. If some light shines through, the air filter is still good to use. If no light shines through, it's too clogged up. You need to replace it ASAP.
A bad air filter is usually a dusty brown color. It's tempting to shake the dirt out of the filter to reuse it, but it doesn't work. Surface dirt will fall off, but the pores of the filter will remain clogged. So you should always replace the filter. Also, shaking the dirt out can compromise the filter's structural integrity. For example, you may inadvertently separate the filter media from the frame. This will affect the filter's ability to filter the air coming into the engine.
Need To Replace Your Engine Air Filter?
This tutorial will walk you through the process. It's even easier than checking the air filter! If you're looking for a replacement air filter, we have genuine OEM ones at wholesale prices. We carry OEM parts for many different automakers, including Audi, Honda, BMW, and more. Look up your make and model in our catalog of engine air filters to find the right filter.