Clean air is vital for combustion, and your engine requires a large and continuous supply of it. The air that flows in contains dirt and other contaminants, and it’s your car air filter’s job to keep these contaminants out. The filter collects all this debris, but as it does this it slowly blocks up. A filter isn’t reusable and will need to be replaced. In Temecula, CA your Cadillac dealer is here to help you.
3 Signs You Need a New Car Air Filter From Your Cadillac Dealer in Temecula, CA
Coughing From the Engine
Strange coughing sounds mean your car’s engine is gasping for air. Combustion requires fuel, clean air, and an ignition source. Air and fuel should mix in a precise ratio in the combustion chamber. This air-fuel mix is then ignited by the spark plugs, and the resulting chemical reaction allows your car to move. When your air filter is blocked with debris, however, the process doesn’t work correctly.
A lack of air in the chamber creates a fuel-rich environment, and while it may seem strange, too much fuel is not a good thing. Spark plugs can’t ignite effectively without enough air. The coughing sounds come from the spark plugs trying to spark amid the fuel vapors.
Gas Smell from the Engine
When the air filter is working correctly, you won’t notice a smell of gas. Efficient combustion prevents any of the vapor from escaping, and the burnt fuel reside leaves the chamber as a gray-white smoke. A strong smell of gas is caused by the combustion chamber being flooded with fuel. If there isn’t enough air in the chamber due to a blocked air filter, as we’ve seen the fuel won’t burn effectively. Most of the fuel in the chamber actually won’t burn at all.
Unburnt fuel in the chamber is wasted as it’s forced out of the exhaust, but some of the vapor escapes the chamber and provides the heady gas smell. A second strong smell of gas will come from the exhaust as the unburnt fuel molecule come into contact with the outside air.
Damaged Spark Plugs
A high fuel-air mix can also cause damage to your engine, and one of the first victims is the spark plugs. The high concentration of unburnt fuel in the heat of the chamber causes a sooty carbon buildup to form on the plugs. This residue makes the plugs sticky and over time will prevent them from firing correctly. This damage to the plugs makes combustion even more difficult and results in more fuel being wasted.
Replacing the air filter will fix one of the problems, but unless we replace the damaged spark plugs your engine will continue to have problems.
An air filter is inexpensive, but not replacing it can be an expensive exercise. Your engine won’t work properly, leading to wasted gas, extra pollution from unburnt fuel, and engine damage. If you have a blocked air filter, call us at Paradise Cadillac and we’ll replace it.
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