K&N Air Filters
What Do Air Filters Do?
Before you can understand how air filters save you money at the pump, it’s a good idea to have an understanding of how air filters work. Think of the internal combustion engine in your auto as a really big air pump. Air comes in, mixes with fuel, burns and is then sent back out through your exhaust pipe. But, because the air that gets sucked in is often dusty, dirty and debris-laden, there needs to be a filtration device to prevent that gunk from ever reaching your engine’s internals. Hence, the air filter.
OEM air filters are made of paper. The paper is made to catch the crud while still letting air pass through, but the paper eventually gets clogged and needs to be replaced. When you upgrade to reusable air filters, like K&N filters, aFe air filters or S&B filters, you get a cotton-gauze filter that’s made to be cleaned and reused for the life of your vehicle. Most reusable air filters use a special oil, however, there’s a new breed of dry filters, like aFE Pro Dry and Spectre air filters. These air filters don’t require oil, so when it comes time to clean them, you just remove the crud and reinstall—it’s as simple as that.
