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Air intake system: replacement and selection

When and why it is necessary to replace air intake system

The most elements of the air intake system, particularly, the intake manifold, hoses and pipes, have no exact operational lifetime limit. Replacement of the air filter can be required after 10 000 kilometers of mileage.

The common defect of the intake manifold is its mechanical damages. The air filter is replaced in case of its severe soiling. Replacement of the air intake rubber hose is performed at its integrity violation. And a new air supply metal pipe can become necessary, for example, due to corrosion of the old one.

Damages of the intake manifold are mostly the result of a road accident or engine overheating. In addition, in some cases the element can get damaged due to improper installation. The air filter often becomes unuseful as a result of clogging with dust. Cracks of the rubber hoses can appear in case of strong wear-out. Corrosion of the components is the result of moisture influence.

Usually, the signs of air intake system elements are failures in engine operation. Thus, clogging of the air filter can be indicated by the following: engine power lowering, its troubled start, detonation. Unstable engine operation and excessive fuel consumption occur at defectiveness of the intake manifold.

Installation of the air intake system components has a few peculiarities. In particular, some air filters should be saturated with oil treatment before installation. In case of intake manifold replacement you need to check condition of the hoses and install new ones if necessary. Moreover, it is recommended to replace the gaskets during every manifold demounting. In addition, take into account that you may need a lifting device during replacement of some air intake system elements.

How to select air intake system

A metal or plastic intake manifold is installed in the system. The first one is more reliable, while the advantage of the second is lower weight.

The air filters differ from one another by the filtering element type. Standard or zero-resistance filters are usually installed in modern passenger cars. The components of the first type are the most common. The filtering element function is performed by special corrugated paper.

The filters of zero-resistance are mostly used in sports cars. Typically, polyurethane foam or cotton fabric are used as a filtering element.

In order to make the air intake system elements serve faultlessly during continuous time, purchase products of proven brands. In particular, durable parts are presented in the assortment of THERMOTEC, Febi Bilstein, DT.

Consider technical characteristics of the engine when purchasing elements of the air intake system. Length and diameter of the pipes, shapes and sizes of the filters, construction of the intake manifold greatly depend on the car brand and model. Pay attention to the fact, that the air filters differ from one another by shape. Also they can have various filtration steps.