mpg and my air filter

waterbaby

Hello,

I posted here

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=331872

to ask about my drop in mpg, and I am pleased to say that changing the air filter worked! I bought it for £11, and changed it myself. I didn't know it could have so much effect.

What I still don't understand is why the change happened so quickly, it dropped suddenly. Oh well, it's fixed :j That saves me £5 per tank.

saintjanet

The air filter should be cleaned at each service and changed as per the manufacturers recommendations.One way round this is to fit a K&N type which although more expensive will last virtually forever.

If i were you i would have your car serviced on a regular basis, by someone who knows what they are doing ,as the air filter is a basic item and should never have been allowed to get so filthy as to affect your consumption as badly as you say it has.

waterbaby

The manufacturer's recommendations are to change it once a year, and it was at about 11 months. So I would have changed it soon anyway, as I keep up to date myself on basic items.

I do have the car serviced on a regular basis, but I don't pay for the simple things which I was taught to do on my car maintenance course. That includes oil/filter change, air filter, spark plugs - and I changed my own brake discs and pads myself last year, saving £85.

saintjanet

If you can change brake pads there is nothing in a basic service you could not do yourself,i still cant understand how your filter got so clogged as to have the effect it did on your consumption though,if it is changed on a regular basis.Fuel consumption problems are usually a combination of a few things like filter, mixture, plugs ect.I have had to sort many such problems myself over the years and have always found this to be the case.

steveo3002

i run a re usable k&n filter on my cars...i can tell you at harvest time the combines throw up some massive dust clouds, i always make sure i clean mine after the havest is done

moonrakerz

steveo3002 wrote:

i run a re usable k&n filter on my cars...i can tell you at harvest time the combines throw up some massive dust clouds, i always make sure i clean mine after the havest is done

What are you driving ? a Massey-Ferguson coupe ?