Extending the Life of Your Air Cleaner – Top Maintenance & Servicing Tips

Extending the Life of Your Air Cleaner – Top Maintenance & Servicing Tips

Servicing your air cleaner and replacing filters regularly is one of the best way to maximise the lifespan of your machinery – improving performance, protecting your engine and saving you money on replacement parts.

Get more from your machinery and keep them running at maximum efficiency for longer by following our top 8 air cleaner and air filter maintenance and servicing tips:

Never remove your filter for inspection

Taking your filter out to check its condition isn’t a good idea – and can cause serious damage. When you release the gasket, dirt and contaminants on the sealing surface can drop into the clean side of the filter – which can cause serious damage to your engine.

The best solution is to follow the regular maintenance schedule set out in the manufacturer’s guidelines. You can also service by restriction - measuring using an airflow restriction gauge and servicing once it reaches set indicators.

You can’t judge a filter by looking at it!

Appearances can be deceiving – a dirty looking filter may actually have plenty of life left in it, whereas one that looks clean may be harbouring hidden carbon deposits, dirt and contaminants that you simply can’t see with the naked eye.

Restriction indicators don’t lie – invest in a restriction indicator and measure the airflow restriction. This will give you an accurate indicator of when it’s time to service or replace your air filter.

Don’t bang it!

Banging an air filter on the ground to remove dust is never a good idea. Rapping or tapping a filter won’t remove deeply embedded dust, and it won’t clean your filter. The only thing it will do is damage your air filter, and reduce the protection it provides to your engine – costing you more in the long run.

Shut your air cleaner

Remember, the air cleaner is a direct entry to the engine, and leaving it open can cause serious damage – even microscopic contaminants can cause serious damage. Never leave it open any longer than necessary and when you’re replacing your filters, keep it covered to prevent contaminants from getting into your engine.

Use the right filter

Filters might look similar, but tiny differences in size, shape or specification can make a huge difference. Using an incorrect filter model can impact airflow and allow contaminants through, whilst reducing service life, filter efficiency and engine performance.

If you’re in any doubt about the filter you need, use the search facility on the Alexis Filters homepage, or get in touch – our team is always on hand to help you find the right air filters.

Check your gaskets

Worn or damaged gaskets in your air cleaner housing are bad news – and can have a serious impact in terms of cleaning performance, engine efficiency and airflow. Don’t ignore them, replace them with new gaskets as soon as you noticed they’re damaged.

Check your manuals – many filter models require the gaskets to be replaced with every filter change to work efficiently, prevent contamination and protect your engine.  

Don’t use damaged filters

It might sound obvious, but damaged, dented and punctured filters simply won’t protect your engine against contamination – and should never be used in your air cleaner. It’s also important to look out for bunched pleats – these will impact on engine power, reducing efficiency and upping your running costs.

Replace damaged or missing parts

If something is broken or missing from your air cleaner housing – replace it straight away. Common culprits include vacuator valves and air cleaner fasteners, and failing to replace them can cause leaks. Don’t attempt to repair damaged filters, it simply isn’t viable or economical. The best solution is to replace them with new ones.

Air filtration support from Alexis Filters

At Alexis Filters, we’re air filtration specialists – providing a comprehensive range of high performance air filtration products and replacements for all kinds of vehicles and machinery, across a full range of industries.

Choose Alexis, and you’ll benefit from the best prices on quality components from leading brands like Donaldson and HiFi, responsive, personal service and expert advice on all your filtration needs.

For additional information, visit https://www.alexisfilters.co.uk or call 01482 711259 today.