Engines are used in a variety of different environments, many of them where high or extreme amounts of dust are present. Dust and other contaminant needs to be removed before the air reaches the engine to prevent premature engine failure. Engines are fitted with air cleaners to remove this contamination from the incoming air. Sometimes, the amount of contamination or dirt being removed from the incoming air is so great, the air cleaner reaches capacity very quickly and requires servicing.

It is possible to extend this service interval greatly by using a pre-cleaner.

What is a Pre-Cleaner?

A pre-cleaner is a device which is installed in the intake system of an engine before the air cleaner. It removes much of the contamination and dirt from the incoming air. They are effective at removing the larger dirt particles and water droplets. As a result, they will greatly reduce the dirt reaching the air cleaner, resulting in extended filter life.

How does a Pre-Cleaner work?

There are many different types of pre-cleaners available. Most of them use some form of inertial separation process to remove dirt without using a replaceable filter

Dirt particles are heavier than air and will try to continue traveling in the same direction even if the air flow is made to change direction. Effectively, the flow of dirt splits from the flow of air. The heavier the particle, the more effective this process is.

Does the choice of Pre-Cleaner matter?

Yes. Apart from the different types of pre-cleaners, all pre-cleaners need the air flow to be moving at a reasonable speed for the separation process to work effectively. If the pre-cleaner is too large for the engine’s air flow, the air will not be traveling rapidly enough for the dirt to separate. The dirt will stay mixed with the incoming air. If it is too small, the level of restriction of the intake system will be too high for the engine.