With the right air filter, your vehicle’s engine can perform according to its full potential. Along with choosing a quality product, it’s also essential to maintain the air filter properly. This precaution ensures that the air filter improves the engine's fuel economy and prolongs its life. A good air filter cleaner will also lower harmful gas emissions and boost the overall acceleration of the vehicle in question.

Maintaining an air filter will result in sufficient air intake within the engine. Without this boost, the fuel mixture in the engine (which requires around 10,000 liters of air in each liter of fuel) will be too concentrated. The result will be ineffective burning and inefficient fuel use, which could also harm the engine.

Most experts on engines recommend that the vehicle user or owner replace the air filter every 15,000 miles or every year. If the surrounding area has a lot of dust and other impurities in the air, the filter might need to be changed frequently. Of course, using an effective air filter cleaner can make the part work much more efficiently.

No matter what kind of a vehicle you have—a dirt bike, a sports car, or a lawnmower, an air filter cleaner ensures that the engine stays in working order. Further on, we will discuss how to figure out if the air filter needs cleaning/replacement. We will then check out some useful tips for cleaning these air filters.

How to Know if Your Diesel Engine Air Filter Requires Cleaning or Replacement

So, how do you know when it is time to whip out that air filter cleaner right away? Of course, a regular cleaning time should be in operation every year at least. However, there are times when you may want to have another go with the air filter cleaner.

Your vehicle will tell you whether the engine or air filter requires special attention. Here are some of the major signs to watch out for:

• The vehicle is not getting as many miles for its fuel as before
• There is a lot of soot residue from the engine
• There are issues while starting the engine
• Strange noises from the engine; popping or coughing
• Excessive vibration in the vehicle
• There is less horsepower than before
• The car releases a tank of gasoline when you start it
• The check engine light is on
• Black smoke or flames coming out of the exhaust

If you notice any such traits in your vehicle, it is telling you that the filter is failing. Do not wait to have this issue checked as it could damage the rest of your car as well. If you have not used an air filter cleaner for some time, try it now and see if that helps.

Oiled and dry air filters

The recommended frequency of cleaning or replacing your air filter will depend on its type. Dry filters mostly consist of foam, which can get quite dense with accumulated dirt. This is why they need replacing or a thorough cleaning after at least every 15,000 miles.

Oiled filters do not require as much attention since they are quite effective at keeping out dust and other impurities. However, they will probably need attention after every 50,000 miles or earlier.

Pro Tips to Clean Your Diesel Engine Air Filter

Maintaining your diesel engine’s air filter should be a regular task if you want your vehicle to operate smoothly. Fortunately, it is not difficult with the right air filter cleaner.

Here are some pro tips to keep in mind:

1. Find the housing of the air filter (usually a box made of metal or plastic) and remove the air filter from it; this process could take up to an hour or longer because you have to loosen each connection beforehand

2. Inspect the air filter thoroughly by looking at its interior and exterior

3. Clean the filter by using a brush, a cloth, or a vacuum cleaner’s soft brush attachment

4. Check if the air filter’s manufacturer allows the use of water to clean it; it is not recommended with oiled filters

5. For dry filters, soak the whole thing for some minutes to wash away the dirt

6. Rinse off and make sure there isn’t any soap residue; the water stream should be gentle so that there’s no damage

7. Allow some time for drying; you might have to shake away the water to speed things up or dry the filter gently with a hairdryer

8. Reinstall the filter after it is totally dry, along with any mounting brackets or panels that you took off before the cleaning

9. Ensure that everything is back in its place very securely

Choosing a reliable air filter

All the steps above will not be as effective if you do not have the right air filter cleaner. Choose carefully, as this choice could help you save fuel, reduce engine damage, and limit turbo damage to the charger as well. All of this will save you a lot of money in the long run.

Not every air filter cleaner is equal. So, here are some factors to take into account during your selection:

1. The rotor construction should be lightweight, and the cleaner should fit several rotor sizes

2. The shaft shouldn’t be too heavy, too short, rough, or made of materials that are prone to corrosion or rusting

3. The lid should be lightweight and have multiple edges to help venter the cleaner

4. The cleaner should regulate air pressure so that it’s both effective and safe

5. There should be proper air movement in the air jackets

The Takeaway

When you choose an air filter cleaner like the Air Filter Blaster, it is possible to enjoy a quality tool's perks. Since it saves so much on maintenance and replacements, this choice pays for itself over time. Maintaining your air filter and diesel engine should always be a priority. So, get the Air Filter Blaster as soon as possible!