We love our engines
Quick Answer: Your car’s air intake system delivers clean air to the engine for combustion. A clogged air filter or leaky intake tract can rob power, hurt fuel economy, and trigger check engine lights. Replacing an air filter takes 10 minutes and costs $15–$40. Ignoring intake issues can lead to $500+ repairs. The Day a … Read more
Last Tuesday, a regular customer rolled into my bay with his 2019 Honda Accord sputtering like it had asthma. Temperature gauge was climbing toward 90°F outside, and he’d already spent $340 at the dealership for “computer diagnostics” that found nothing. Misfires on cylinders 2 and 4, rough idle, and fuel economy had tanked … Read more
It was a Tuesday morning, about 20 degrees outside, when Sarah rolled her 2016 Honda Civic into my bay with that unmistakable stumbling idle. She’d been dealing with it for three weeks, and now the check engine light had finally joined the party. “It feels like the car’s about to stall every time I stop … Read more
![K&N Air Filter Review: Worth the Investment? [2025]](https://vehiclebar.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/PWCAI02_1024x1024.webp)
It was a sweltering July afternoon in Phoenix, about 112 degrees on the asphalt, and a guy named Mike pulled his 2019 Ford F-150 into my bay. He was complaining about a sluggish throttle and a slight dip in MPG while hauling his boat. I popped the hood and found a paper OEM filter so … Read more
The $3 Filter That Nearly Killed a $28,000 Engine It was sweltering in the Bay Area last August—104°F with that dry, dusty Central Valley wind blowing through the shop doors. A woman pulled up in a 2019 Toyota RAV4, saying it “just doesn’t feel right.” Hesitation on takeoff, rough idle at red lights, and that … Read more
From a master tech who’s replaced 500+ MAF sensors: here’s exactly what fails, how to test it, and whether you can clean it or need a new one. Quick Answer MAF sensor problems typically show up as rough idle, hesitation, or poor fuel economy. Cleaning works 30-40% of the time if the sensor is just … Read more