Throttle Cable

Understanding the Air Intake System

The induction system of a fuel-injected car is the absolute beginning to the combustion process. It may be the most important component of a vehicle’s engine and the easiest piece to maintain by its owner. With a little knowledge of how it works and a few tips to keep it working, the air intake system under your hood will be running smooth and efficiently for decades.

The modern-day fuel injected engine is simply a giant air pump. The intake system brings a steady stream of air into the combustion chambers, fuel and spark are added to make power, and the air is expelled through the exhaust system. Every manufacturer has their unique design of the intake system but they all usually feature an air filter box, a long black plastic intake tube, an air-flow sensor and a throttle body.

The throttle body controls the amount of air that is sucked into the engine through a throttle cable (or electronic sensor on the newest vehicles) that is connected to the gas pedal inside the cabin. The long plastic intake tube is designed to keep an un-turbulent amount of air flowing to the throttle body at various throttle positions and RPMs. These tubes may also get thinner or wider at various points to maximize horsepower and torque at different rev points in the power-band.

The air-flow sensor can be differently designed depending on the manufacturer but basically tells the engines ECU (brain) how much air is flowing into the system and what temperature the flow of air is. The ECU can then adjust the fuel mixture depending on the sensors reading, to maximize fuel efficiency and engine performance.

Before the airflow gets to any of these components, it must first enter the air filter box. This is probably the most recognizable part of your vehicle’s engine. It will usually be mounted in front of your motor, where it can get the coldest and most prevalent flow of air from various ducts and passage ways in the front of your vehicle. Its job is to filter out any dust, leaves, bugs, water or any other types of debris that you absolutely do not want flowing into your combustions chambers. The air filter inside the box must be replaced or cleaned depending on your vehicle’s make and model. Most experts say to do this every 15,000 miles, or every three oil changes.

Replacement OEM (original equipment from the manufacturer) filters and aftermarket filters can be found at your local auto parts store. OEM replacement filters are cheaper and will flow how the manufacturer intended them to. Aftermarket replacement filters, while more expensive, can be cleaned every 15,000 miles instead of being replaced and will give performance gains and a smoother throttle response due to a better air flow design.

Along with replacing/cleaning your air filter, you should also keep the vehicle’s air flow sensor clean. You can find MAF (mass air flow) sensor cleaning solution in a spray can at your local auto parts store. Simply unbolt, or pull out the sensor from the air intake tube (depending on the style of sensor, refer to your owner’s guide for help) spray it liberally with the aerosol cleaning solution and allow it to dry before re-installation.

Keeping these vital parts of your engine clean will ensure longevity, efficiency and drivability of your vehicle. If you take the proper maintenance steps, the air intake system will be the last thing that malfunctions under your hood. A clean system will also keep you smiling every time you put the gas pedal to the floor.

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