Not changing your engine air filter for a long time will affect how your engine draws in air and we both know how important that is. Some of the after-effects are rough idle problems, a gummed up throttle body, damaged spark plugs, engine not starting.
A clogged air filter blocks air from entering your engine, preventing it from achieving the correct air-to-fuel ratio. It starts to function inefficiently, using up more gas while increasing pollution. Engine power diminishes, the throttle does not respond as quickly, and acceleration becomes weak.
Symptoms of a Clogged Air Filter
Common symptoms include: Reduced acceleration and horsepower. Sluggish throttle response. Increased fuel consumption.
Dirt or grime build-up
Grime on the air intake end of the throttle body could be a sign of a failing intake hose/pipe, which will lead to sludge buildup around the throttle body plate. This will eventually cause the throttle body plate to become stuck.
Dirty air filter chokes the engine for clean air. It destroys gas mileage. It robs the engine of power. Incomplete gas combustion decreases, robbing the engine of fuel power produced. These incompletely burned hydrocarbons go right out the tailpipe. It is like throwing dollar bills out your window every mile you drive.
When the air filter of your vehicle is too dirty or clogged, the vehicle will not be able to accelerate as quickly as normal. You may not immediately feel the difference in performance if you drive the vehicle regularly. However, you may notice that the vehicle takes longer to get up to speed over time.
Rich fuel conditions – in other words, too much gasoline relative to the amount of air – means that more fuel than usual will escape your engine unburned. As a result, the EGR valve will remain open even at times when it normally wouldn't. One of the most common culprits here has to do with your car's air filter.
Either you don't have enough petrol, or you don't have enough power in your vehicle. There are several causes for your car to lose power significantly while accelerating. The most typical causes of a car not accelerating while driving include a faulty sensor, contaminated fuel or air filters, or a faulty timing belt.
Grime and dirt build-up can disrupt airflow and pressure, causing uneven or slow acceleration. Once the throttle body is clogged, the car usually needs more power for combustion. So if you notice your vehicle is taking longer to pick up speed, it might be due to a dirty throttle body.
The mass airflow (MAF) sensor is located in your engine in the air duct. You will find it in the duct between the throttle body and your air filter box. This sensor detects the amount of air flowing into the engine and reports the quantity to your engine control module (ECM).
Can a dirty air filter cause high-speed idle? Yes, dirty air can damage the air-fuel mixture, causing inefficient combustion and potentially running the engine at a higher speed.
More air volume and speed is a surefire way to increase horsepower and throttle response at any given RPM. It is easy to achieve this at high RPM when the engine sucks in substantial amounts of air on its own.
While throttle-body cleaning is good preventative car maintenance, it should also help engine drivability. In fact, if you've noticed a rough idle, stumbling initial acceleration or even stalling – all when the engine is fully warmed up – a dirty throttle body could be the culprit.
Dirty Air Filter Symptoms
Engine misfires and violent vibrations can be caused by an air filter that is dirty and clogged. The clogged air filter may allow oil to burn improperly, thus contaminating the spark plugs of your engine with excess oil deposits.
One of the main causes of a malfunctioning throttle body is internal contamination. Due to the contamination accumulated in the throttle body, the throttle valve can no longer move properly, causing problems with the control of the air supply.
A car that hesitates when accelerating is likely to have an engine issue—like a clogged fuel filter or broken fuel pump—although it's also possible that there's something wrong with the transmission.
When the throttle body gets dirty, it has a direct effect on how smoothly the engine operates. Signs indicating a problem include rough idling, jumpy or sluggish acceleration, poor fuel economy, and stalling.
If left unchecked, a dirty air filter can cause severe damage to your engine over time as particles build up in the combustion chamber and reduce its efficiency even further. An extremely clogged filter may even stop airflow and cause your engine to overheat or shut down entirely while driving.
A malfunctioning EGR valve can lead to a noticeable decline in engine performance. You may experience a rough idle, hesitation, or stalling when starting your vehicle. Acceleration may feel sluggish, or you may notice a lack of power when driving uphill.
An example of a common problem is a clogged air filter, which does not pump enough air into the cylinder or allows dirt particles to get into certain parts. This can lead to a broken or damaged turbo and/or engine block. Air filters should therefore be replaced in good time.