Starting a career as a commercial truck driver can be an excellent way of earning a living. However, you will need to be reasonably well-informed about your truck to ensure that you can take proper care of it. Unfortunately, there are some misconceptions that new drivers may assume are true, and this can result in some serious problems for their trucks. By learning the truth about these two air filter myths, you will be in a much better position to keep your truck running smoothly.

Myth: A Dirty Air Filter Is Not A Serious Problem

It can be a fairly common mistake for new drivers to assume that it does not matter if the air filter is dirty as long as it is not clogged. However, this is not the case, and a dirty air filter can seriously degrade the performance of your truck's engine. This stems from the fact that the engine requires air to burn fuel, and a dirty air filter can inhibit the flow of air to your engine. As a result, your truck may experience decreased power, increased smoke production, and the engine may produce strange sounds. Once these issues start to develop, they will likely worsen until your engine suffers a serious mechanical problem.

Myth: Replacing The Air Filter Is Too Expensive

Unfortunately, there are some new truck drivers that may attempt to delay replacing the air filter due to a concern about cost. While it is true that the air filter for a big rig will cost more than the one for a passenger sedan, it should be noted that this cost can be offset. A clean air filter will improve the fuel mileage of your vehicle, which can directly translate into savings. Also, you can claim the cost of buying these filters on your yearly taxes, which can help to offset this expense. By combining these benefits with the potential damages that a dirty air filter can have for your engine, it becomes clear that this is an investment that is worth the cost.

Maintaining your new big rig will require you to become familiar with some of the mechanical components of the truck. Knowing that a dirty air filter can create serious problems for your truck and that the costs of changing the air filter can be offset will help you to be better prepared to get the most from your big rig, which will help to ensure that you spend as little as possible on the long-term ownership costs of your truck.

For semi truck air filters, contact a company such as Big Rig Fleet Air Filters.