Car Maintenance Basics: All About Filters

Your vehicle has many parts that all work together to keep you cruising through life.

It’s easy to remember “big” things, like brakes, tires, and regular oil changes.

What you might not think about is the various filters your car uses.

They may seem like small potatoes but the fact of the matter is these little factors can have a big impact.

Here’s what you need to know about air, fuel, and oil filters.

Air filter

Your vehicle’s engine takes in air for combustion, making your car get-up-and-go.

The air filter removes impurities in the air before it goes through the engine.

Because this has a direct effect on how your vehicle runs, it also has an impact on your fuel-efficiency.

If you live in a heavily-polluted or dusty area, you’ll need to clean and change your air filter more often.

You should always follow the advice of your owner’s manual, but it’s generally recommended that you change your air filter at least once a year.

Oil filter

The oil filter also has an important role to play in the life of your engine.

It also has a significant impact on your car’s performance.

As the parts of your engine work together, the normal wear and tear produces tiny metal shavings can build up and hinder the flow.

These shavings end up in your oil pan and can be cycled back through the engine, potentially causing damage.

The oil filter keeps these contaminants out of your engine.

You should have your oil filter changed every time you get an oil change.

Fuel filter

Petroleum is an organic source of fuel so it has some naturally-occuring impurities.

By now, you can guess what your car’s fuel filter does, right?

It keeps those pesky contaminants from wreaking havoc on your engine.

Like your air filter, your best bet is to defer to your vehicle’s owner’s manual to determine how often your fuel filter needs to be replaced.

Don’t neglect your vehicle’s filters

Whether it’s your fuel, air, or oil filter, the important thing is that you don’t put off changing them at regular intervals.

To keep yourself on track, it’s a great idea to keep these tasks as part of your car maintenance routine, otherwise you run the risk of damaging your car’s engine or – at the very least– seriously reducing your fuel-efficiency and your car’s life.

At Conrad’s, we’re happy to help you stay on track.

Get in touch with us today and let us give your vehicle the VIP treatment.