How often do you change out your air filter?

JLam · 11-30-2006, 04:48 PM

The thread title really says it all.

**Corey** · 11-30-2006, 04:52 PM

Supppose to be yearly I think.

This is what I am doing.
I ran the stock filter from July the 24th (pickup day) until Octover 14th on my first outing.
It was very dusty up there where I go.

A few days later I pulled that filter out and put in a brand new one.
Next time I head out on a trip to the hills again when it is dusty, the old filter will go back in since it is already a little dusty.

Then when I get back the clean one goes back in.

But I think once a year is good.
And I will only run the stock Toyota one.
The ones you oil if you over oil them they can screw up your TPS.
I prefer the Toyota stock filters.

**opg4759** · 11-30-2006, 04:58 PM

your supposed to change them?

I put the TRD filter in mine. As Corey said too much oil will mess up the TPS, just don't oil them like female oil wrestler and you will be fine. I clean mine every 5K, unless I'm somewhere it's really dusty then I clean it after the trip.

frogeye · 11-30-2006, 06:36 PM

Quote:

opg4759 previously said:

your supposed to change them?

I put the TRD filter in mine. As Corey said too much oil will mess up the TPS, just don't oil them like female oil wrestler and you will be fine. I clean mine every 5K, unless I'm somewhere it's really dusty then I clean it after the trip.

I'm using the TRD filter too. I plan to clean it each oil service (every 5k) and right after any real dusty days out on the trails.

White Rim · 11-30-2006, 06:53 PM

If I spend a lot of time in dusty areas I will do it more often, but with less than 7K miles on the rig it does not seem that it would be an issue yet.

BLK PUG · 11-30-2006, 11:38 PM

Whenever it starts looking way too dirty? Uh, I've used K&N air filters, and I don't even bother with cleanings and re-oiling anymore. I think at around 50,000 miles or extreme dirtyness, whichever comes first, I just toss in a new one. Tap out the bugs and rocks whenever you check it. Do the cleanings and re-oiling if you are capable of the patience. I've done it, but it seems that so much time passes in between, that buying a new filter at that point is worth it. I'll have to see with the FJ. I just dropped in the K&N at 1K miles with more than half of it being off-road, the paper filter was just a little tan. There were small pebbles and some dirt pre-filter, which I just shook out. I don't expect to have to "tap-out" the K&N filter til around 10,000 miles, then just pop it back in.

ididntdoit5150 · 12-04-2006, 12:05 AM

i clean mine after about every other time off road just because i dont like the idea of using a dirty air filter, plus it is a K&N so it is really easy to clean.

BLK PUG - check it, i bet it will look disgusting. mine always looks almost black on the intake side.

BLK PUG · 12-04-2006, 09:14 PM

The Pug's paper nose is clean after 1004 miles. The Pug went to the sticky K&N nose hairs at that point. It's now at 1300 plus miles. I really feel no need to check the K&N filter until my next oil change at 3K miles. I did spend more time offroad than usual too, with the paper filter. Must be the way I drive. I like to go slow offroad, and enjoy the scenery. I also like to avoid body/suspension damage. The paper filter has been through; A favorite no-name Mojave OHV area, Afton, through the soft sand portion at the start of The Mojave Road (I had to go faster there to plane above the sand, or get stuck), Mule Canyon, Last Chance Cnyn, and Red Rock Cnyn which connected back to Last Chance where I exited.
I have attached a picture of the factory paper filter at 1004 miles. My TRD did not come with the TRD air filter, which my salesman read off to me as he was doing some research before I purchased. I suspect some do in less restrictive areas other than California.