5 most common mistakes with air filters

The importance of good air filtration

If the engine does not get enough air, there is a suboptimal mix of fuel and air. Because this results in poorer combustion, you not only have less power, but also much more soot is formed and more dirt is deposited in your engine. An additional disadvantage is that an engine that has to work harder for the same performance, or is poorly cooled, also builds up more heat. This also causes increased wear.

Mistake 1 - Not replacing the filter according to schedule

Ignoring the maintenance schedule can lead to a clogged filter, which can restrict airflow and reduce engine performance or cause damage. This makes sense in itself, but did you know that replacing it too early is also not good? This is because the dust layer on the outside of the filter material ensures additional filtration. This dust layer captures finer particles before they reach the actual filter media. Manufacturers are not secretive about this either. This is simply how an air filter works. The first 10% of contamination that does enter your engine through the filter happens in the first operating hours after installing a new air filter.

Tip:

The first thing you can do is keep track of the operating hours in an Excel or in a machine overview on paper. Always include the manufacturer's advice. The replacement intervals are often around 250 or 500 hours. If you work in extremely dusty conditions, replace the filter sooner. If you have a dust-free environment, you can continue operating a little longer than the specified operating hours. Allow for a maximum exceedance of the number of operating hours of approximately 30%.

What you can also do is install a filter sensor. Many of the premium brands simply have these sensors available. Because these sensors tell you exactly when you need to replace them, you prevent damage to your engine. This is an advantage that you will not immediately notice in your wallet. What you will immediately notice is that these sensors also let you know if you do not need to replace the filter yet. In almost all cases, a filter can last longer than the recommended number of operating hours. This will immediately save you money.

Mistake 2 - Improper installation

Installing an air filter incorrectly can be just as damaging as not replacing it at all. An improperly installed filter can allow unfiltered air to enter the engine, leading to increased wear and possible engine damage. It is critical to ensure that the filter fits properly and that all surfaces form a good seal. What often happens is that the filter does not fit comfortably into the housing. Applying a little force often seems to solve this problem, but this often causes damage to the filter and causes it to no longer seal properly. It also often happens that cheap aftermarket filters do not fit properly at all. This is of course a total shame. Not because of the money wasted, but because of the guaranteed damage to your engine. Often just 100 grams of dust in your engine is enough to completely destroy it. Please note that this is for the entire lifespan of your engine.

Tip

The first thing to check is of course the dimensions of the air filter. This makes so much sense that we assume you did this before purchasing a filter. What may be the case is that very cheap aftermarket filters do not always have the exact dimensions that are needed. Sometimes the edges or fittings are not finished to the millimeter. Therefore, always use high-quality filters.

The second thing to do is to always check it for damage when receiving a new filter. Damage to the filter can always occur during transport or logistics at the manufacturer. In the case of minor damage, simply return it immediately and do not install it.

Finally, you can pry a little during installation to get the filter in the right place, but do so with a light hand. As soon as you notice that you are applying force, you can almost be sure that the gasket or filter itself will be damaged. Better a few extra tries.

Mistake 3 - Using the wrong filter type

Each filter has specific micron ratings, flow capacities and efficiencies suitable for different engines. Using a filter that does not have the necessary specifications can cause major damage in the long term. For example, the filter media in the filter may not allow enough air to pass through. In that case, the flow is not sufficient, which means that not enough air comes out of the filter. This means your engine does not get enough air and this leads to suboptimal combustion. This in turn causes more internal pollution in your engine.

Another thing to pay attention to with a new air filter is the filter efficiency. Strangely enough, it is the smallest particles that cause the greatest damage to the cylinders or the engine. It is therefore important that the filter also filters out these smallest particles.

The above two properties of a filter often reveal the difference between high and low quality filters. After all, a filter that filters very well has the challenge of allowing enough air to pass through. The filter material with a good flow has the challenge of also capturing small particles and achieving high efficiency. The well-known filtration brands do a lot of research into filter material that has both good flow and high efficiency.

Tip

To find the right filter you can dig deep into the specifications of each filter, but even then you run the risk of selecting the wrong one. The easiest thing to do is to see what "cross references" there are for your OEM filter. These are filters that match the specifications that your engine and machine need. If you want to find all alternatives for your OEM filter, you can enter the original number in the search bar and you will immediately see all the options. These have already been selected based on specifications. If you want to quickly find filters for your specific machine, you can follow the link below:

Filter Webshop Machine Make & Model

Mistake 4 - Failure to Clean the Filter Housing

When replacing the air filter, always ensure that you thoroughly wipe and clean the filter housing after removing the filter element. This is one of the times when the chance of dirt in your engine is greatest. This is also the reason why there is often a secondary filter in the housing. This is not, as many people think, an extra step to filter even more finely. The sole purpose of the secondary filter is to prevent dirt from entering the air intake duct of the engine when the filter is changed.

Tip

After removing, wipe the housing thoroughly with a lint-free cloth. Make sure you always work with clean cloths. If there is really a lot of dust in the housing, you can first remove it with a vacuum cleaner. The additional advantage of cleaning the housing properly is that you can immediately check for cracks and damage.

Mistake 5 - Reusing old filters

This is often done to save costs. You can clean an air filter with air pressure. You then blow the dirt and dust out of the filter in the opposite direction.

However, we advise against it. When cleaning with air pressure there is a chance that you will damage the filter media. The media can tear due to the air pressure itself, but also because the contamination causes damage when it is blown out of the filter. You have to imagine that the contaminant is trapped in the fibers of the filter media. This also includes small particles with sharp edges. If you blow it out with force, the chance that the media fibers will be damaged is considerable.

Tip

New air filters only determine a small part of your operating costs and a new filter costs little compared to an engine overhaul. So it is better to replace your air filters than to try to clean them.