Signs Its Time for a New Car Air Filter From Your Chrysler Dealer

A car air filter protects your car’s engine from dirt and other debris in the air. It does this by trapping these particles as they flow in through the radiator grille. The filter ensures that only clean air enters your Chrysler’s engine. The filter will clog up with this debris, and it will need to be replaced. When it’s time for a new filter, your Cottonwood Chrysler dealer can easily fit a replacement for you.

Weird Engine Noises

Air flows into your engine through the radiator grille. It passes through the air filter where any pollutants are trapped and enters the combustion chamber. In the combustion chamber, this air will mix with fuel and it’s then ignited by the spark plugs. This process happens in each of the cylinders in your engine, and it enables your car to move.

Efficient combustion requires a larger amount of air relative to fuel. If your filter is blocked, it will limit the amount of air that enters your engine. With less available air, your engine will become fuel-rich. This type of atmosphere makes the spark plugs job much harder. You may feel vibrations, or hear hiccuping or coughing sounds as your engine is suffering without enough air.

Reduced Performance

Your GMC engine should always display the high level of performance it’s known for. If, however, you find you’re struggling to accelerate, you could have a problem with your air filter. As we saw above, fuel and air mix and are then ignited to produce combustion. Efficient combustion requires a 14:1 ratio of air to fuel, but a blocked air filter will prevent this.

When you step on the gas, extra fuel is dumped into your engine. When you have a poor fuel-air rato, much of this fuel won’t be burnt. The fuel is wasted and forced out of the exhaust pipe. The lack of air also means your engine has to work harder to achieve its normal performance. This extra effort needed will reduce your engine’s performance.

Strong Smell of Gas

A strong fuel smell from the engine is a sign that your engine is wasting fuel. The smell is given off by unburnt fuel that’s being forced out of the cylinders and into the exhaust pipe. The fuel is wasted due to a blocked air filter that prevents efficient combustion. Some of these fuel vapors will seep out of the engine and into your cabin.

You’ll also notice a strong smell of fuel from the exhaust. The exhaust smoke will change from a whispy white to a cloudy black. You may also notice sparks coming from the exhaust as unburnt fuel comes into contact with hot exhaust. Once we replace the air filter, the smell of gas will disappear.

An air filter is quick and cheap to fit, and not replacing it can cost a lot in repair bills. If your filter isn’t working, call us ASAP at Oxendale Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram.

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