Air filter Alert, Alert, Alert (1 Viewer)

[2001LC]

Yet another alert

I'm just see, all to often, where engine Air Filter is installed improperly and rubber seal of filter has curled.

How could that be. We just pop in a fasten down with 4 clips right. Well right. But if care is not taken during install, to seat lid on seal. The seal gets curled and is ineffective at sealing.

Once rubber seal curled, it gets pinched. Then In most cases, not reusable.

This allows dust into intake. Inspecting air pipe can be helpful at revealing how much dust has entered the intake. Any dust in air tube is never a good sign.

To properly install and OEM filter. Open air box lid by releasing the 4 spring clips. Clean both bottom and top of seal area. If debris in box vacuum it out, filter will be effective longer (20K miles normal city driving. Off road replace more often). Then place seal in bottom side of box, seating seal on box. Placing lid on top of filters rubber seal, is where install gets tricky. The air pipe will be pushing outward against the air box lid. This keeps lid from lining up with box and rubber seal of filter. Press the lid inward toward the air tube against its resistance. Keep lid off the rubber seal as lid pushed inward until aligned with box/rubber seal of filter, and then bring it down onto filters rubber seal. Work lid onto filter rubber seals squarely, taking care now to curl the seal. Fasten all four clips. While fastening clips, the amount of force to fasten each clip should feel the same. If 1 or 2 clips, feel more difficult to fasten, the seal is not properly seated.

Note: If removing lid from air pipe for cleaning, by releasing band clamp. Disconnect battery negative post clamp, before unplugging MAF. Reattached MAF before battery. If battery left disconnected for 20 minutes, it reset ECU. Which is a very good thing during a tune. ECU will reset to baseline and relearn faster, the airflow of new filter. It's also great time to use MAF spray cleaner, and cleaner & grease battery post & clamps.

Busted air box clamps need correcting. Even tying down temporarily is good idea. OEM air filter is the best we can get. A rubber grease applied to rubber seal improves the seal, but not required. I pull out, any K&N filter, aftermarkets filters of filters with bad seal, and R&R with OEM. I've seen Denso non Toyota which are okay. But OEM fit best.

 

[ramangain]

What are the part numbers for those four metal clamps?

 

[Mars06LC]

What are the part numbers for those four metal clamps?

I looked and it doesn't look like they are sold separately, you probably have to buy either the lid or bottom (couldn't tell which). There's also a DIY fix here: Broken Air Filter Box Latch

 

[2001LC]

Correct, clamps come with air box assembly and are not cheap. It is almost always the lower air boxes plastic bracket that is broken. The bracket on the box is molded plastic, which a steel pin runs through and metal spring clamps hangs on. The plastic gets broken from forcing. If clips feel hard to clip in, lid is not aligned and seated properly. Forcing can break the plastic bracket.

The box assemble list for like $756 (17700-50310 CLEANER ASSY, AIR.) Toyota/lexus parts list prices, have been steadily rising for last 2 years, sometimes monthly increases. But as @Mars06LC link above, many ways to restore the box. Be creative

Parts rigs are a great sources for air box and pipe assemblies also. Typically $100 to $200.

 

[hickuptruck]

Yup, can confirm that when I got my LX, my air filter was like that - pinched.

Thinking about how much dust that I don't know about went into that engine makes me a bit depressed.

 

[KFunk740]

Yup, can confirm that when I got my LX, my air filter was like that - pinched.

Thinking about how much dust that I don't know about went into that engine makes me a bit depressed.

If it makes you feel any better, I had absolutely no air filters on my BMW for like 5 or 6 years of daily use. Just wide open velocity stacks on Weber sidedraft carbs, trying to kill that engine. It never died, and eventually tore it down for upgrades, and the machine shop thought the engine was low mileage. Filtered air is overrated.

 

[2001LC]

If it makes you feel any better, I had absolutely no air filters on my BMW for like 5 or 6 years of daily use. Just wide open velocity stacks on Weber sidedraft carbs, trying to kill that engine. It never died, and eventually tore it down for upgrades, and the machine shop thought the engine was low mileage. Filtered air is overrated.

Diving around on "most" city streets is very different dust condition than Off road or rural dirt roads. Even parking near and open field in the midwest. The engine compartment will get very dusty. This dust will blow around and get into the intake, even during city DD.

Fluid & filter replacement, is most important PM we can do, to insure a long life trouble free 4.7L. These 4.7L are known as the 1 million miles engine. I've no doubt, they can go and additional 1MM miles easily, and still likely not use oil and have the honing marks in cylinder. If good oil and filter always used.

Run without air filter, an I've no doubt the engine will not make 250K, with 80% compression remaining. Compression will not likely be balanced. That engine will likely smoke and use oil by 350K or much sooner. But even that is a testament to the 4.7L.

 

[abuck99]

If it makes you feel any better, I had absolutely no air filters on my BMW for like 5 or 6 years of daily use. Just wide open velocity stacks on Weber sidedraft carbs, trying to kill that engine. It never died, and eventually tore it down for upgrades, and the machine shop thought the engine was low mileage. Filtered air is overrated.

LOL- "say it ain't so"

City drive with your windows down for a couple of days and notice the amount of dust build up inside your vehicle surfaces. A greater amount from road, tire debris etc gets sucked up into engine bay.

FWIW I've had good luck with the fit and function of CA8918 FRAM Extraguard air filter (made in USA). The thick spun fiber filter media looks & feels like OEM, there are actually more pleats and the double edge seal fits snug into the lid.

 

[KFunk740]

Diving around on "most" city streets is very different dust condition than Off road or rural dirt roads. Even parking near and open field in the midwest. The engine compartment will get very dusty. This dust will blow around and get into the intake, even during city DD.

Fluid & filter replacement, is most important PM we can do, to insure a long life trouble free 4.7L. These 4.7L are known as the 1 million miles engine. I've no doubt, they can go and additional 1MM miles easily, and still likely not use oil and have the honing marks in cylinder. If good oil and filter always used.

Run without air filter, an I've no doubt the engine will not make 250K, with 80% compression remaining. Compression will not likely be balanced. That engine will likely smoke and use oil by 350K or much sooner. But even that is a testament to the 4.7L.

I live in Appalachia, man. That BMW was driven on dusty gravel and dirt plenty, and had somewhere over 200k or 300k miles. No idea, as no hundreds place on the odometer, and had an oil pump style that was discontinued in the 70s. It did smoke a little and was low on compression, but it was like that before i went unfiltered. Comp didn’t change after 5 or 6 years of abuse, most of which it was also autocrossed heavily.
I’m not saying cars don’t need air filters, but I don’t think they play as big of a role as we think.

 

[2001LC]

I live in Appalachia, man. That BMW was driven on dusty gravel and dirt plenty, and had somewhere over 200k or 300k miles. No idea, as no hundreds place on the odometer, and had an oil pump style that was discontinued in the 70s. It did smoke a little and was low on compression, but it was like that before i went unfiltered. Comp didn’t change after 5 or 6 years of abuse, most of which it was also autocrossed heavily.
I’m not saying cars don’t need air filters, but I don’t think they play as big of a role as we think.

Air Filters play a very big role, MAN! Run your engine(s) however you like.

I try to keep my post to what will add to reliability and life of vehicle, maintaining as it came from the factory.

But really:
200K or 300K miles, very big difference for a BMW. If no "hundreds place", maybe 900 miles you unaware of. So Which is it!
You said "machine shop thought the engine was low mileage " Really! It smoked and had low compression, and then you ran no air filter for 5 yrs. Perhaps you need a new machine shop.

Bottom line. Dust entering intake is hard on valve guides, stems & seats, also hard on cylinder walls and piston rings.

 

[2001LC]

Yup, can confirm that when I got my LX, my air filter was like that - pinched.

Thinking about how much dust that I don't know about went into that engine makes me a bit depressed.

I'd not be overly concerned. Just keep good filtration and oil, going forward.

 

[100d ua]

I noticed this on mine when I went into the intake to vacuum out all the ash from the recent forest fires. Definitely overdue for an air filter too.

 

[awesomeissquid]

Not going to lie, reading this scared me a bit since I just installed a new air filter and I didn’t check it carefully. Needless to say I went out to pull it apart and it all looked A-Ok! Good write up!

 

[medtro]

Check the 2 round clamps too if you are not the last person who touched them. I have seen loose clamps on a few 100s. Dust and unmetered air can get into the engine if clamps are not tight.

 

[HWY14South]

I would like to point out also that your area plays a huge role here. My wife brought her daily driver down with her from Colorado Springs to Alabama. She was horrified that I leave my windows open most of the time. “But the dust has to coat everything inside the vehicle right?” Well, I have never ever had a problem with dust in my car. Which leads me to speculate that the relative humidity and near constant rain here in the southeast most likely keeps the particulates way down when compared to Colorado. I have to assume that the same can be applied to the engine. While it is always important to filter properly I highly doubt that an air filter here in the warm wet south is working nearly as hard as one out west. Not that it’s not important but probably not even close to AS IMPORTANT.

 

[nissanh]

I went to replace the airfilter on a 03 tacoma and I was shocked to see the guy did it before had it installed reversed! 3rd gen 4runner and 96-03 tacos have a bit quadrilateral prism shaped airfilter. The wider side makes the contact with the gasket inside the airbox.

I am glad I maintain all my Toyos! no dust inside the intake... nice and shiny!!!

I read the machine shop who discovered a high mile BMW as a low mile truck. Should forward it to Scotty!!!

 

[2001LC]

I would like to point out also that your area plays a huge role here. My wife brought her daily driver down with her from Colorado Springs to Alabama. She was horrified that I leave my windows open most of the time. “But the dust has to coat everything inside the vehicle right?” Well, I have never ever had a problem with dust in my car. Which leads me to speculate that the relative humidity and near constant rain here in the southeast most likely keeps the particulates way down when compared to Colorado. I have to assume that the same can be applied to the engine. While it is always important to filter properly I highly doubt that an air filter here in the warm wet south is working nearly as hard as one out west. Not that it’s not important but probably not even close to AS IMPORTANT.

It is very true we have more dust in the atmosphere of the Denver basin and around the state of CO. Some states like Hawaii windward side, have extreme low levels of dust along coast. But regardless, if you want to take the best care of engine internals you can. Fluid & filter replacement is key. Running without filter or air bypassing the filtration is not best practice. It will have it's long term affect!

My mechanics teacher, would not allows us to even touch with fingers or even wipe any internal surface with a rag during assemble. We had to blow off with HP air before assemble. He'd say even the dust on fingers or dust from lint of a rag leaves behind will affect the seating of ring, cylinder wall, valves seats, valve stems, valve guides, bearings.

I HP wash many engines. Some come to me from GA, So TX, SoCal coast by way of vehicle transport some driven. When pulling coils (COP) electric housing or any housing, MAF sensor, Cabin HVAC sensors, cabin air filter, engine air filters, etc and blowing them off. I see lots of dust. Pull any engine cover off in a 100 series, that has not been pressure washed recently. Even ones just sitting out side not driven. You'll see!

Consider also dust is just not naturally occurring. The intake air pick-up begins in FR wheel-well of stock rigs. Brake dust, rotors wear metal dust, tire dust, road dust, road wear (rocks and cement) is filling the wheel well as we drive. We've even iron dust in the paints clear coat, which detail products on the market will reveal. Dust is everywhere!

As the picture in the first post illustrates. By looking in air pipe, it's possible to get and idea of how much dust has entered. Dust particles (or clumps/piles of), that can been seen, are about 30 microns or larger. But understand, dust is much more prevalent in the atmosphere everywhere than we see. Additionally the OEM filter, air box and pipe are design to run at a specific pressure. Try starting without air box/pipe on. You find it will barely run if at all.

If you a leak air (vacuum leak) past air filter or in other areas past air filter in air pipe (resonator). The fuel trims will show engine running lean. More so if air leak (vacuum leak) downstream of throttle body! Those downstream vacuum leak can run engine so lean, it may burn a valve.

No Air leak is a good

 

[AlpineAccess]

I live in Appalachia, man. That BMW was driven on dusty gravel and dirt plenty, and had somewhere over 200k or 300k miles. No idea, as no hundreds place on the odometer, and had an oil pump style that was discontinued in the 70s. It did smoke a little and was low on compression, but it was like that before i went unfiltered. Comp didn’t change after 5 or 6 years of abuse, most of which it was also autocrossed heavily.
I’m not saying cars don’t need air filters, but I don’t think they play as big of a role as we think.

 

[AlpineAccess]

FWIW, if you put the air filter into the top of the air box first, and set it down into the lower clamshell of the filter box it seats easier and without crimping.

 

[2001LC]

I went to replace the airfilter on a 03 tacoma and I was shocked to see the guy did it before had it installed reversed! 3rd gen 4runner and 96-03 tacos have a bit quadrilateral prism shaped airfilter. The wider side makes the contact with the gasket inside the airbox.

I am glad I maintain all my Toyos! no dust inside the intake... nice and shiny!!!

I read the machine shop who discovered a high mile BMW as a low mile truck. Should forward it to Scotty!!!

For sure upside down, wrong loose fitting filter, no rubber seal at all, etc... We should always inspect, when someone else has serviced before us!

Just removing engine cover. I find about 3 in 10 have either leaking vacuum lines or vacuum lines off. These lines feed unfiltered into intake. Some just into air pipe , others directly into intake manifold. They too will suck dust. Additionally, these "leaks" will affect fuel trims and may affect EVAP depending on location. The worst vacuum leaks, are one past the throttle body, in not only affecting fuel trims. But they can cause combustion comber damage.... Form excessive lean fuel condition..