Keep Dirt Out of Your Vehicle's Engine

Dirt is an automotive engine's worst enemy. Entering the engine compartment through various means, it prevents the smooth flow of clean oil and air that are critical to a vehicle's performance and efficiency over the long term.

Filtration media inside oil and air filters is specially constructed by companies like Purolator Filters NA LLC to keep out contaminants that cause engine wear. Purolator, which invented the automotive oil filter in 1923, is a leading supplier of filters to the automotive aftermarket. (http://www.pureoil.com)

"Using quality oil and air filters on your car is the best insurance you can buy to prevent costly engine repairs down the road," says Ramon Nunez, spokesman for Purolator.

Dirt in oil poses great risks, Nunez says. Modern engines are manufactured to precise tolerances and operate under high stress. As the engine turns, the oil pump circulates oil throughout the engine to ensure all components function smoothly, with minimal friction. Dirt particles in the oil can 'score' or scratch the surfaces of engine components, eventually requiring engine overhaul or replacement.

Just as with oil filters, the media in air filters is specially engineered to trap airborne contaminants that can enter and harm the engine. Dirt and dust particles in the air can get trapped between the piston rings and cylinder walls and scratch both the rings and the walls. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, replacing a clogged air filter not only protects against engine damage but also improves gas mileage by as much as 10 percent.

For manufacturers like Purolator, striking the best possible balance between filtering out the finest particles of dirt without obstructing the smooth flow of clean oil or air is crucial in the design and manufacture of the filtration media.

According to Nunez, Purolator's premium grade PureONE oil filter media can capture up to 13 grams of microscopic contaminants, including dirt and metal shavings, and its 99.9 percent filtration efficiency is the highest in the aftermarket.

Likewise, Purolator's PureONE premium grade air filter's exclusive oil-wetted filtration media offers twice the filtration capacity of conventional air filters.