Why is There Oil in My Air Filter? All You Need To Know

Why is there oil in my air filter? Excessive carbon and engine sludge formation in the crankcase is the reason for having oil in the air filter. When the oil travelling does not happen correctly, the pressure inside the system increases gradually. As a result of the pressure, the excess oil will travel back into the PCV valve and the air filter. This article is about oil in the air filter. Stay tuned to have extraordinary knowledge about this process.

Is it Normal to Be Air in the Air Filter?

No, it is not normal to have engine oil in the air filter. Most people only care about the engine oil when doing maintenance or service in the vehicle. Lots of them don’t know the importance of the air filter. For instance, engine oil is like the blood in our body, while the air filter is like the lungs.

Changing the engine oil is not enough to run the system efficiently. There are several essential components there to function the whole system. The air filter is like that. The main task of the air filter is to filter the outside dust, harmful particles, etc., from entering the system. It acts as the breathing component in the engine bay. But somehow, most people will notice the engine oil in the air filter. But is there any engine oil in the atmosphere? That will be the dumbest question anyone could ask. No, there are no any engine oil in the atmosphere.

It is not normal to have engine oil in the air filter. Somehow you noticed any oil in the air filter that would not be a severe issue, but there will be some minor problems lying under the engine bay. Checking the issues with the help of a professional is essential.

Does the Oiled Air Filter Damage the Engine?

When there is oil in the air filter, the suction of the air is much more complicated than usual. Cleaning the air filter is a must. Due to the oil particles in the air filter, the intake can be clogged. The engine’s carbon and sludge build-up is mainly affected by the oil in the air filter. The oil in the system travels to the air filter due to the pressure. As a result, the pressurized oil will be clogged inside the air filter.

An oiled air filter will directly affect the mass airflow intake sensor [MAS]. The mass airflow intake is situated between the intake manifold and the air filter. This sensor mainly measures the amount of airflow in the engine. If the engine oil clogs the air filter, the amount of air coming through the filter will be reduced. As a result, the mass air flow intake sensor will malfunction. Oiled air filters mainly affect the MAS functions.

How do I Get Oil Out from the Air Filter?

Air filters should be replaced every 15,000 miles. Regular cleaning of the air filter may enhance the performance of the car. If you notice a decrease in engine performance, you should definitely check the air filter. Because the air filter is the main thing affect with the air intake of the car.

The trapped dust can be removed with the help of pressurized air. If it is not working, try the vacuuming process. Air filters can be cleaned easily. Air filters are made up of cotton or paper. Check the owner’s manual or the air filter manual to remove any kind of hard material trapped in the air filter. Using soap and other cleaning agents along with the air filter is completely safe. But always be gentle when doing these things. The filter material is so thin, and it will tear with hard cleaning processes.

Before doing any cleaning first, you should remove the air filter from the system. After removing the air filter, try to remove all the dust by tapping it gently. Then use a fan or pressurized air pump to remove all of the trapped dust. After removing the dust inside the filter, then try washing it. Use soap or any cleaning material to do this process perfectly. As we already mentioned, always be gentle with the cleaning of the air filter.

But if there is any oil in the filter, what should we do? Oil is hard to remove from the filter. That’s why replacing a new filter is easy than cleaning it. To clean the filter, first, you must submerge it in a detergent or a certain kind of liquid that is capable of removing stains. Then immerse the filter in that liquid for an hour or two. Then try to remove the stain from the filter. But if the stain is not removed, that will be your call to replace a new one. But fix the issue with the system before replacing the filter. Changing the filter is not a solution for having engine oil in the filter. 

Summary

Why is air filter this much important? Because it is the breathing source in the engine. The air filter helps to clean the intake air of the engine. The filtering process is crucial because there are many dust particles in the environment. If all of them entered the engine, there would be huge problems.

But along with these factors, air filters are not designed to filter any of the engine oil. If engine oil particles are seen in the air filter, that is not a good thing. Some serious engine faults may appear in the coming days. If there is engine oil in your air filter, seek professional care.

If your air filter also has engine oil particles, Be sure to read the whole article without skipping because this article will help you to resolve any kind of problem regarding the engine oil in the air filter. So we hope you read the article and never forget to leave a comment.

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