Jack Williams

Time for a new air Filter?

Fall is almost here. The kids are back in school, the pool has closed, and the deck chairs are going back in the garage.

And, with the summer road construction season behind us, it's also a great time to change the air filter on your car.

Your car's stock air filter is only a few pieces of pleated paper in a plastic frame, but it's also the last line of defense between the often-invisible clouds of road dust you drive through almost every day and the inside of your engine.

Without the air filter, that material would form a grit that worked its way inside your engine's cylinders, causing abnormal wear and tear to the cylinder walls. That would eventually degrade your engine's ability to generate power and ultimately shorten its life.

Manufacturers differ on how often they recommend you change your air filter. Some advise that it's only necessary to change it every 60,000 miles. Others suggest every two years, or 24,000 miles, whichever comes first.

If you live in a very dry area or often drive on dusty roads, you should consider changing your air filter every 15,000 miles, or once a year. A dirty filter restricts the amount of air that gets into your engine, which can cut your power and your fuel efficiency.

Most replacement disposable air filters cost less than $20. You might also opt to spend $40-75 for a permanent air filter that can be removed for cleaning, rather than replaced. Some of these filters may even offer modest performance boosts for your engine.