Does my Hummer need an air filter?

[H2Miami]

What car you da use to drive , most old cars (1950-1985) could live without an air filter , also without an oil change .. I know this cause long ago I drove old cars in my country where no oil or filters were available including a Rambler 59 which never in 3 years need a filter or oil change .
Of course those cars were Carburetor , no fuel inj , no sensors and engine was built as a tank

[jsbihn]

Originally Posted by H2Miami

What car you da use to drive , most old cars (1950-1985) could live without an air filter , also without an oil change .. I know this cause long ago I drove old cars in my country where no oil or filters were available including a Rambler 59 which never in 3 years need a filter or oil change .
Of course those cars were Carburetor , no fuel inj , no sensors and engine was built as a tank

Umm H2Miami,
No offense but it has nothing to do with older cars.
Any car out there can "live" without an air filter.... like it was said though, if there isnt one you run the risk of sucking in the dust, dirt, and other external crap that could cause harm to the engine. Even in the 50s cars came stock with air and oil filters, and they were meant to be changed. Remember that since the 50s the technology has gotten better not worse... which is why air and oil filters now last longer, but they still need to be changed.
The fact that you drove them without changing the oil or the air filter just means that poor engine must have been a wreck. You might not have known it, but if you would have torn it down, I guarantee there would have been so much sludge in there (and if you arent familar... imagine yourself walking through a deepy muddy boggy marsh, with your legs getting stuck and how slow you would be walking and the amount of work it would take for you to get through it..... same concept for a engine with sludge).
I have seen cars run for long periods of time on the oil in the engine (Ie. like you drove yours for 3 years without an oil change) but when the oil was drained it was so thick it was unreal. I have also seen engine run for long periods of time without oil too. Doesnt mean a you should run the engine without oil. And when those engines were opened up they were horrible... usually junk. The internals were shot with shavings of metal everywhere, the sludge build up, and the way everything has been worn and grooved. Basically the engine was usually only good for a full rebuild and milling (or in most cases it was just easier to junk it and buy a new crate engine)

There are reasons for filters and for the oil changes we do.
Do you want to see your rig run to about 100k or do you want to see your rig run to 300k.
I dont know if you remember the old commercial that stated "Take care of your engine, and it will take cre of you"... Personally I would rather do everything I can to make sure I am not stuck on the side of the road.

So will a car continue to run if you ignore all these? Sure.
Is it right? No. Will it shorten the engine life? Yes

I say spend the few bucks now, so you dont spend thousands later

[hmer]

Originally Posted by H2Miami

What car you da use to drive , most old cars (1950-1985) could live without an air filter , also without an oil change .. I know this cause long ago I drove old cars in my country where no oil or filters were available including a Rambler 59 which never in 3 years need a filter or oil change .
Of course those cars were Carburetor , no fuel inj , no sensors and engine was built as a tank

my father used to drive a LADA among other cars that never saw an oil chance for years its amazing how long older cars last in cuba without oil changes and the like .....

[jsbihn]

In response to those who mentioned the older cars lasting longer under extensive stress... let me say this

1) There is no baseline you are comparing against. I am sure you didnt have one car with a filter and one without, and then waited to see which one has issues first.

2) Again I mention that it isnt so much that the lack of an air filter will destroy an engine, it will just allow alot more garbage into the engine which will decrease performance and life

and lastly
3) You are comparing older technology with new, and you cant really do that. You are talking about iron blocks versus aluminum, aluminum components versus steel, etc.... Yeah your dad's vehicle might have been able to take more, but it also worked harder to produce less. Todays engines are able to work easier and produce more.

Given, I understand that if you dont have the money or the supplies, that you have to make do sometimes... but I definitely wouldnt want to buy a car that was treated like that nor would I be the owner treating mine like that.

Just saying...

[hmer]

JSB i understand what you are saying i was just making a coment and not comparing with newer vehicles at all

[H2Miami]

[quote=hmer]my father used to drive a LADA among other cars that never saw an oil chance for years its amazing how long older cars last in cuba without oil changes and the like

Now you know what I'm talking about. .. Good to see another Cuban here...
Btw I agree the this thread is ridiculous ... convincing someone to run a air filter .. wow I felt dumb .. No offense

[KTM640Dakar]

You will scar the cylinder walls of your pistons with out an air filter. Eventually the scored cylinder walls will allow oil to seep past the oil rings of the cylinders and your motor will use oil and smoke then seize up.

Sorry but your Dad was not very smart. The poor guy who bought your Dads car next was even less smart.