TRD Cold Air Intake

That is odd none of the ones I have installed have that hole and I went pulled the filter out took a look in both the Tundra and 4Runner.

 

Oh no!

 

This thread is done...
Sad for everyone here; we are all children.
Ryan.

 

Thank you for this!! I would have regretted having to undo stuff to redo that simple thing.

 

I love CAI threads on NA vehicle forums.

 

But it makes the engine bay so pretty (the TRD version does for me at least)! Lol
Ryan

 

AEM sell a non-oiled version of the K&N Oiled filter (same parent company) ($40 Direct), if you don't want to use an oiled filter, but still benefit from K&N filter technology.
AEM P/N 28-20438 (2010-2021 4Runners)

 

There's one benefit of the TRD setup that interests me more than either the looks or perceived performance gains - it gets rid of that hunk of plastic that covers the area on the left side (looking from the front) of the engine.

When I first picked up my 4R, it had about 300 miles on it, and I went on a road trip. About 100 miles from home, check engine light came on, Trac Off light lit up, truck ran crappy. Shut it off. After a few minutes, tried it again, all was normal. Not knowing what it was, I continued to my destination. When I arrived, I was able to stop in at a Toyota dealership to have it checked out. Turns out it was a rodent-chewed injector wire. I'm 99% sure that happened in transit from the factory to the dealer. Long story to say - I need to monitor the injector wiring on that side and make sure no pests mess with my truck's wiring again (nothing since 2019), and having that plastic mess there makes it very hard to see or get to. The TRD box allows free access to that area.

 

Is this a good idea though?

Doesn't this just mean larger particulates are making it through the filter?

 

No chance of your MAF getting clogged up with oil from a K&N Filter (been there, done that).

 

I had the MAF wire on my brand new 1999 4Runner burn out due to oil from a K&N Air filter. I've been driving 4Runners and FJ Cruisers for over 20 years!

Dealer was nice enough to cover it under warranty, but removed the K&N air filter as the root cause.

The AME filter was $40, free shipping, sold direct from AME. Oddly enough, the paypal payment said K&N Engineering, so I assume that is the parent company, as the AME filter looks identical to a K&N, but without the oil and the dark pink color.

 

I've seen a comparison of all the aftermarket filters vs. oem, but cannot remember where the AEM dry version ranked in the filtration of particulates department.

It would be nice to have a filter that can be cleaned and reused, though...

 

I used a K&N filter on my 3rd Gen for a while.
I got tired of washing it then waiting for it to dry before oiling it. And I never knew exactly how much to oil it before it would cause possible MAF problems.

So I went back to OEM paper filters. Filters are like Kleenex tissues. When they get dirty throw them out. Plus they cost under $20. I can afford that every 30,000 miles.

 

Thank you for posting this...I could be wrong, but this seems like the best bang for the buck, and zero problems. Especially for someone like me who doesn't care for the extra "growl", looks under the hood, etc...?

 

Oem are better

 

I’ve had this one for almost 20k miles and no issues so far. I really like it, and it’s super easy to clean. I’ve been going on lots of dusty roads in the desert and all I have to do is remove the filter, blow some air on it and put it back. No sign of dust making it through the filter either. Very convenient for my use.

 

I have been using this AEM for quite some time and its been perfect. Filters better with time too without the oil.

 

Probably not a fan of oil catch cans on NA engines either I'd imagine...

 

If it makes you smile every time you pop the hood, then get it.

 

I shopped around for an intake, ended up installing an Airaid one ($350 from Summit Racing). Fairly simple to install, but did have one issue that was a pain. I couldn't get the large hose barb to thread into the plastic tube, so I ended up going to the local hardware store, getting a brass hose barb, and using it to rethread the plastic tube. After that, the black plastic hose barb went in like it was supposed to. Also, did have to trim the engine cover a bit to clear the larger diameter air tube, but that was simple.

Airaid 514-302 Airaid SynthaFlow MXP Series Cold Air Intake Kits | Summit Racing

 

Best bang for the buck is the $20 stock paper filter that is already oversized for the 4.0L. That's why it's the stock setup.

Rip out the charcoal secondary filter in the airbox lid for more placebo horsepower if you don't live in California. (You may suffer cancer and reproductive harm if you ripped it out in California.)

Next best bang for the buck if you do want the extra growl would be an HPS intake tube, which basically deletes the stock resonator:

 

Take the money you would spend on Cai and play the lottery instead. Smarter move

 

That didn't do anything and it would fail a smog inspection anywhere.

I wanted this but I can't even buy it here.

When I'm at full throttle people stare as the TRD intake noise because it takes a long time to go by.

 

I've been running this noise make for over a year now. Cleaned out the filter twice. No issues. Vroom vroom

 

MOAR POWR!!!!

 

One of the first mods I did to my 18 TRD ORP > TRD CAI intake then eventually TRD exhaust.
No complaints here, love it.
Also run the TRD oiled air filter, bought two when they were available and check every year, no issues. Re people who worry about oil getting on their MAFS, they must be using a crazy amount of oil as the TRD box has a cloth and charcoal filter built in under the top of it.
There's definitely a more direct route for air w this setup. You loose the stock baffles and also the intake cone (in the fender) is an open flat rubber circle vs the stock plastic upside down "cup".
My experience, I gained +/- 2 mpg when adding CAI, then lost 1 MPG adding TRD exhaust with stock size KO2's (C) and normal overall weight added. (200 - 300 lbs total gear) I'm at 20 - 21.5 MPG highway. Completely stock I was at 22 - 24 highway. Not disappointed in that at all for a 4Runner.

 

You'd think TRD would've figured out a better location for the MAF sensor, instead of having to run the wire in front of the tube with the sensor on top of it. Even the stock location on the backside of the tube looks better than that.

 

Agreed. Would be a much cleaner look. And I also wish they had thought out the clips and hinges for the air box better, as you have to loosen and slide the coupler over to open. Not a huge deal every now and then but if you were in a dusty environment and checking/cleaning constantly could become tedious.

 

Do the commissars in Cali fine you and take away your rights to own a brick if you remove something without approval and paying permit fees?

 

I haven't lived in CA since the early 2000's, but have been back several times. I believe they can fail a vehicle immediately upon a visual inspection, so something like a CAI without an enclosed airbox would most likely fail, unless it has a CARB sticker on it (CA Air Resources Board). Even an enclosed CAI like the Airaid one I installed could fail a visual inspection, since it doesn't have a CARB sticker on it. I replaced the big and heavy OEM muffler with an oval one from Summit Racing, which does make the exhaust a little louder, and that mod could fail an inspection as well, since it's not OEM equipment. This is all before they even put the sniffer in the tail pipe to measure the actual emissions. The Republik of Kalifornia has just gone overboard on SO many things, that's why I left...