Engine's Lungs - How Air Filters Work
Published Time:
2025-04-23
The air filter is the engine's gas mask. It filters out most of the impurities in the air, providing clean air for the engine. Therefore, its role is very important. In daily use, it must be cleaned frequently and replaced in a timely manner to ensure that the engine inhales clean air.
An engine needs two raw materials to operate: gasoline and air. Gasoline is purchased, added to the car's fuel tank, filtered through the fuel system, and then sent to the engine's combustion chamber where it mixes with air and burns. Air, on the other hand, doesn't need to be purchased; it's readily available. How does air enter the engine? Does it also need to be filtered?
1. How does air enter the engine?
When the engine is running, it goes through four strokes, one of which is the intake stroke. During this stroke, the engine piston descends, creating a vacuum in the intake manifold. This vacuum draws air into the engine's combustion chamber, where it mixes with gasoline for combustion.
So, can the air around us be directly supplied to the engine? The answer is no. We know that an engine is a very precise mechanical product, and the cleanliness of its raw materials is very strictly controlled. Air contains a certain amount of impurities that can damage the engine, so it must be filtered. Air must be filtered before entering the engine. This device is the air filter, commonly known as the air cleaner.
2. What is the function of the air filter?
The engine needs to inhale a large amount of air during operation. If the air is not filtered, the suspended dust in the air will be sucked into the cylinder, accelerating the wear and tear of the piston assembly and cylinder. Larger particles entering between the piston and cylinder will cause serious "squeezing", especially in dry, sandy work environments. The air filter is installed in front of the carburetor or intake pipe to filter out dust and sand from the air, ensuring that the air entering the cylinder is sufficient and clean.
Among the thousands of parts in a car, the air filter is a very inconspicuous component because it doesn't have a direct relationship with the car's technical performance. However, in the actual use of a car, the air filter significantly impacts the service life of the car (especially the engine). On the one hand, if the air filter doesn't filter, the engine will inhale a large amount of air containing dust and particles, causing serious wear and tear on the engine cylinder; on the other hand, if the air filter is not maintained for a long time during use, the filter element will be filled with dust from the air, which will not only reduce the filtering capacity but also hinder air circulation, leading to an overly rich air-fuel mixture and abnormal engine operation. Therefore, regular maintenance of the air filter is essential.
The air filter is the engine's gas mask. It can filter out most of the impurities in the air, providing clean air for the engine. Therefore, its role is very important. In daily use, it must be frequently cleaned and replaced in a timely manner to ensure that the engine inhales clean air.
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