While a lot of different components in your truck work together to keep things moving, you may not think about how important something like air is. Your truck has an air intake system that you cannot drive without, but you may be wondering what air intake systems are and why they are important. Read on to discover everything you need to know about air intake systems.
Before diving any further into why air intake systems are important, you must fully understand what an air intake system is and how it works. For your engine to work, you need a precise mixture of gas, oil, and air. This mixture makes the combustion in the engine possible, and the part of your truck that makes that mixture possible is the air intake system. This system allows for air to continuously run into your engine, making it work more efficiently. However, the benefits of air intake systems extend far beyond efficiency. Read on to learn what they are.
With the right maintenance and parts, you can have an air intake system that delivers the optimal performance your truck needs. Air intake systems ensure the best performance for your engine by allowing fresh, clean air to flow into your engine.
With the right filters, your intake system can filter out impurities and bring in the steady stream of clean oxygen your engine needs. Each part of the air intake system works together to contribute to the combustion process that powers your engine. Fuel efficiency and a high-power output are things every driver needs, and the proper air intake system makes achieving them easy. If you want to maximize your engine’s potential and drive smoothly, you need a quality air intake system.
While the air intake system is one of the more important parts of your truck, it’s not just one part. That system is made up of many smaller components, such as the air filter, throttle body, and mass airflow sensor. The air filter helps to keep rocks, dirt, and other debris from entering your engine and causing issues. This filter is important, but without the other components all working together, it’s useless.
The mass airflow sensor is what first measures the amount of air entering your engine, ensuring the optimal amount for the combustion process goes in. The throttle body helps make this process go smoothly, as it regulates the airflow. Without this throttle body, air would just flow freely into and out of the engine, meaning there would be no control over the amount of air coming in. When all these parts work together optimally, you get the perfect amount of air to ensure your engine performs efficiently.
The right air intake system can also help reduce emissions in your truck. The right air will boost fuel economy. When the air entering your engine is cleaner, it helps make the environment cleaner too. Optimized air intake makes cleaner combustion easier, reducing emissions along the way.
Conversely, when you don’t have clean air, the fuel you burn will have more pollutants. While the exhaust system filters out some of these contaminants, it can’t filter everything. Clean air creates a clean-burning engine, which reduces your carbon footprint—a positive for both your truck and the planet!
Clean-burning fuel is important for your truck, but another benefit that a good air intake system provides is reduced engine noise. No matter how good your engine is or whether it runs on gas or diesel, the combustion in your engine is loud. Thankfully, an air intake system will dampen the sound waves before they exit the combustion chamber. With an innovative air intake system, your truck can run smoothly with the added benefit of noise reduction.
The standard air intake system is something every vehicle has, and from model to model, there are a few minor design improvements that boost performance. However, you can also make several changes to dramatically enhance your engine’s air intake system and maximize the benefits we’ve discussed. One of the best examples of something you can do to benefit your engine is to invest in a cold air intake system.
Most engines rely on the standard air intake system, and while some changes can boost the quality of air coming in, they won’t alter the air’s temperature. Therefore, heat outside can make the air coming in hot, and the temperature under your truck’s hood can also heat the air. Hot air has a lower oxygen content, meaning your engine will require more air to achieve the same outcome that cold air could provide.
A cold air intake system boasts a design that cools the incoming air, making the engine combustion much more efficient. Cold air intake systems have larger and wider-diameter intake tubes and improved filters, benefitting your engine by increasing horsepower and throttle. A cold air intake system will also better dampen your engine sound, improve fuel efficiency, and decrease emissions. If you want to take your truck to the next level, put a cold air intake system under the hood.
After learning about what air intake systems are, why they’re important, and which kind of system can maximize their benefits, you should also learn about the potential problems. Mainly, as these systems bring in air, they can also bring in other things—things that could hurt your engine and truck. For example, air intake systems can draw in the following contaminants:
If any of those materials make it to your engine, they could significantly wear down the parts and cause premature aging. Air intake systems also come with a set of filters to minimize this risk, stopping these contaminants before they can make it to the engine. Unfortunately though, like all other car parts, these filters can wear down. Therefore, you must watch your air intake system to ensure everything is working properly.
Ultimately, air intake systems are incredibly important for trucks, and their maintenance is essential. It takes a lot of knowledge to take care of a system like this, but beyond knowledge, you need the right parts. If you need parts, let Norcal Diesel Performance take care of you. If you’re working with a Ford engine, consider picking up one of our 6.7 Powerstroke air intakes or any other intake system parts you need. With our help, you can keep your truck running for years!
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