Keeping into consideration that your car engine requires thousands of gallons of air to burn one gallon of gasoline, you require an air filter that is going to allow only clean air to reach its internal combustion chamber. When driving, the road debris, dust, and bugs usually enter your vehicle’s air supply system, and if they get to the engine, they can cause corrosion and other harm to its parts. The air filters are the one that helps prevent the dust from reaching your engine. The air filters usually get dirty and become clogged with debris over time, and you need to replace them from time to time according to the manufacturer’s directions. Therefore, a perfect air filter is required. Here are the qualities of a good air filter:
The Capacity
Air filters have membranes made of cotton, paper, synthetics, foam, and other materials that are typically used to hold the road debris. The air filter’s capacity is simply the amount of trash its media can grasp before it begins restricting the supply of air to the engine. The air filters of high-grade can hold more massive amounts of debris, and hence they require replacing after longer intervals. However, the intervals are also based on the road conditions in which you are typically driving. If you frequently travel along dusty tracks, you may be required to replace the air filter more often.
Efficiency
A good air filter is one that is so efficient in doing its work. Being efficient means that it can keep the maximum number of contaminants out of the engine. Some air filters manufacturers use the Coarse Test Dust that can measure particles from less than 5.5 microns to 176 microns. Therefore, you require a high-grade air filter that can remove 95% to 98.5% of the installation time particles. As the air filter continuously functions to remove debris, it can develop more than 99% efficiency. You need to go for cabin air filters that can effectively perform its function without any problems not to damage the engine.
The Sealing Gaskets
The availability of gaskets on your filter will indicate that it is good. A sealing gasket is an essential tool on the air filters. You need to ensure that the air filter has sealing gaskets attached to the steel end caps. This is to ensure that no small dust particles can escape the air filter and reach the engine.
The Air Restriction Gauges
Some air filters usually come with the air restriction gauges. The gauges are then installed inside the compartment of the engine or in the car cabin. Their function is to monitor the airflow released by the air filter and alert you when it requires cleaning or replacing.
It would be best if you kept in mind that higher-quality cabin air filters are going to cost you more, but they are going to require replacing less often and can protect your engine better. To get the best air filters, you need to inform the air filter salesperson about your car’s make, model, and manufacturing year. This will make it more comfortable choosing the appropriate air filter that fits perfectly in the housing. In case the new air filter does not fit correctly, it may prove to be ineffective.
