What's the Difference between an Air Filter and a Filter Element?
Looking for a replacement air filter for your car? You may have encountered the term "air cleaner element" or "air filter element". People can use these terms interchangeably. But for simplicity's sake, we only use the "air cleaner element" in this article. So what is the air cleaner element, and how is it different from the engine air filter ? The answer is no difference. The air cleaner element is exactly the same as the air filter. Air filter element is a fancy term for engine air filter Technically, the term "air cleaner element" pertains only to the filter material. The material may be cotton, paper, a synthetic material, or foam. The term "engine air filter" pertains to the entire part. But here's the thing: in some cases, an air filter is only the filter media material. Other air filters come with a frame or a rubber seal, but these parts don't do anything but hold the filter in place. So an air filter is often c