Engine air filter OEM vs replacement

Thank you! I am kind of a nerd and very particular haha

 

My dealer still carries them wonder if should buy more

 

Hah!
Slick 4Runner you have

 

I would stay with OEM

 

It really doesn't matter just change them at proper intervals.

 

I agree about intervals. But micron ratings and surface area do matter and affect how the oil breaks down with contaminants from anything that bypasses an air filter.

 

It won't affect the life of the vehicle. The only brand I'd avoid is k & n. They may cause some serious issues.

 

Fram filters from Walmart work fine for me. Cheap, fit well and no trip to the dealer needed.

 

Went with the

$21 Wix 49350 Air Filter

Wix 49350 from Rock Auto, $13.38, interchanges with OEM 1780138050, 1780138051, 1780YZZ13

 

Just put a Napa Proformer Air Filter in (part # 29350). For those that don't know, Wix makes Napa air filters. Thick filter with the pre-filter just like OE. The Napa Gold filters are slightly cheaper and have a thinner pre-filter.

 

I have a friend who is a Toyota parts manager and he says the difference between the two OEM filters is they have a value line to stay competitive with other filters. So if you're a picky bastard get the more expensive one like me.

 

I think somewhere the porosity of the filter medium becomes part of design. Next time you are in Home Depot look at the giant variety of HVAC filters and read their ratings. Very enlightnng.

 

I read Toyota also has a value line of Brake Pads?

 

At the end of the day, the thicker the cushion, the sweeter the pushin'.

 

Yes they do. They’re quiet, but grabby for the first 10k plus miles.

Also, a set of rears lasted me 30k miles, compared to 50k miles for the factory equipped pads.

Replaced the rears recently with the better toyota brake pads…definitely more expensive, but I’ll stick with the factory equipped pads from now on…they worked exactly as I expected.

 

I agree. I usually buy the thick, prefiltered NAPA version of the factory equipped filter. The napa version have slightly less pleats (if I recall correctly), and the media looks different. I’m betting the factory media filters better.

Wish I could buy the factory equipped filters from the dealer, but they play really hard to get around here and just tell me toyota “stopped making them”. I’m pretty sure that means “we don’t stock them”. Same for wiper inserts.

 

Rolled to the dealer today. My parts buddy said

$32 17801-38051 Genuine Toyota - FJ CRUISER AIR FILTER NEW - 17801-38051

17801-38051 is readily available nation wide. They were having a parts sale on fifth gen taco's 4runners with the hopes of decreasing inventory. Evidently the sixth gen 4runner sales are in the shit tank. Scored three 4runner t-shirts for $25.00!

 

I checked my engine air filter yesterday morning. It was the thinner Toyota filter. It didn’t look bad, but I decided to replace it.

I picked up the thicker WIX brand filter last night. I’ll install it today. I’ll try to pay close attention and see if I can notice a performance difference. I do not expect to notice any magical difference.

[QUOTE="southpawag, Evidently the sixth gen 4runner sales are in the shit tank.[/QUOTE]

I am seeing precious few 6th gens out on the roads in our area. Very infrequent sightings of 6th gens. They certainly aren’t selling like hotcakes.

My reasonings, be they right or be they wrong- Over-priced, Over-complicated, Under-sized piss ant 4 cylinder engine. Take note of your 6th gen sales volumes Toyota- you are reaping what you have sown. No thanks. And apparently a lot of other people are saying no thanks. To me, the 5th gen is the better machine. Keeping my low miles 2022.

 

Maybe the 6th gen engine air filter is too thin.

 

I’d say the economy in general is probably also hitting the “economy” segment of the auto market.

Lots of houses going up for sale near us, but I can’t think many outside of REIT’s would be inclined to buy anything big ticket with the wide range of job security, tariff impacts, policy changing on a dime.

I know Toyota technically sells every 4Runner they make but that was only something like ~20k way back for the 2009MY and less than 50k for the 2010MY.

Of course that’s independent of how good/bad the air filter of the 6th gen is.

(and the rest of it)

 

It's been a very slow roll out for the 6th gen.

For many months, there was very limited stock.

 

I have been using the Wix filter the last few changes but my local O-Reilly's wants $35 for one now. Ordered the Toyota 38051 again, dealer sent the thinner YZZ13 even though 38051 was readily available and selectable. So now they are sending me another filter today.

 

[QUOTE="Rick G., post: 757799, member
I picked up the thicker WIX brand filter last night. I’ll install it today. I’ll try to pay close attention and see if I can notice a performance difference. I do not expect to notice any magical difference.[/QUOTE]

I’ve been out doing some driving Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday with that new and thicker WIX engine air filter installed. I can’t notice any performance differences, nor did i expect to.

The previously installed thinner Toyota air filter wasn’t clogged or even that dirty looking, but I just wanted to replace it since it hadn’t been done since the dealer replaced it right before I purchased the vehicle pre-owned / certified back in November 2023.