Adding Electronic Filterminder to your rig

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rhyary

rhyary

Joined
Apr 5, 2006
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Location
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Just in case one day you wake up and want to monitor your air-filter, here is a thread on how I did it.

Credit goes to Tools-R-Us who inspired this insanity.
https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/245167-toyota-denso-air-filter-reusable.html#post5801692

I have a digital volt display in the cabin inspired by Gamiviti.
Gamiviti - custom mic holdershttp://www.gamiviti.com

I installed a three way switch and now I can have three sources for the display, battery one, battery two and filterminder.

Here is information about the electronic Filterminder:
http://www.filterminder.com/airsensor.asp

All modifications to the air filter canister were made possible by Crum's Custom Welding.
http://www.crumscustomwelding.com/

I drove two hours to CCW so David Crum can work on my air filter. Wouldn't trust anyone else.

Below are the pictures for modifying the air filter canister
 
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Female adapter

First you need a female to female steel adapter
You get the brass male-male from Filterminder. It has a tiny hole on the filterminder side, and a some kind of metal filter in it. So you want to use it.
e6894658.webp
 
Some observations:
The volt variations are as follow, all numbers are in volts:
Engine off - .50
Idle - .52
Cruising 65mph flat - .56 to .62
Going up hill - .62
Accelerating from stop, first gear - 1.5
Accelerating second gear 1.0
accelerating 3rd and overdrive .70 to .90

This voltages translates to pressure differences from outside/inside of the air canister. The location is after the air filter and before the MAF.

According to Filterminder voltage of 2.5 signify time to change filter because of filter being restrictive.
Anecdotal observation is that my 4 year old filter including one trip to Moab and and brand new one had very little difference if any.

I first took numbers with my old filter, than changed to brand new one and took numbers again.

I am still working with Filterminder to try to understand the numbers.

This is work in progress so I will update you as I learn more.....
 
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Out of the data comes the first question to the engine gurus out there:

I have noticed that at given RPM my vacuum vary. Meaning if I go 2000 RPM cruising and the pressure is represented by .52 volts, why would it go to .62 volts as I go up hill and maintaining 2000 RPM.

In other words, at a given RPM putting load on the engine increases vacuum, why?
 
I am surprised that they didn't calibrate the display to read inH2O, but as long as you the restriction/filter clean number I guess it doesn't matter?

In my experience, having a digital gauge is like using a stop watch to time glacier races, way overkill.:hillbilly: The stock filter setup holds a huge amount of debris, takes a very long time to clog, so glancing at the under hood one a few times a year is plenty. Unless you drive in dust clouds everyday, it takes years of driving before the filter needs to be cleaned.
 
rhyary said:
Out of the data comes the first question to the engine gurus out there:

I have noticed that at given RPM my vacuum vary. Meaning if I go 2000 RPM cruising and the pressure is represented by .52 volts, why would it go to .62 volts as I go up hill and maintaining 2000 RPM.

In other words, at a given RPM putting load on the engine increases vacuum, why?
Click to expand...

When load on the engine increases it uses more air and gas to increase power output. When you open the throttle plate you allow more air into the engine. More air consumption by the engine will increase vacuum across the filter, thus higher vacuum with the same rpm.
 
Yes,
It IS overkill, but so is the air filter and so is the Landcruiser for DD.
But it is fun, and I have learned a lot from this project.
And see my last question, it brings out the WHYs. :-)

Rami
 
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