xzyragon

OK guys, I know that many of you have already seen threads discussing these filters before, but now as a "school project" for community service, I will go over how to make your vehicle more economical in the way of using less gasoline.

First off, the key to conserving gas is not with the air filter but how you drive:

1: Don't drive aggressively (punching the gas, accelerating fast, etc)
2: Shift early (only applies to manual transmission... )
3: Do regular maintenance on your vehicle and for those that tinker with their engines, make sure that it is timed properly.

Now, as for open element air filters, there has been debate over whether these types of filters really do provide a noticeable increase in horsepower. This is a fallacy first off. Open element air filters really only provide "more access" or unleashes more of your engines available horse power. As for the Toyotas on this forum (especially the 22re) the horsepower is not all that impressive of a number compared with the mileage on the odometer. However, after adding an open element filter, I have noticed a slight (note the slight) increase in starting power and acceleration.

Now, regarding the gas mileage using an open element filter, I have found that an average tank using the stock air box equipped with my 94' pickup's 22re got me 197 miles. Now, the two tanks that I have filled up after installing the open element filter have averaged at getting me 213 miles to the tank.

It is important however to address the variables included with this installment. My reason for installing the open element filter was because of a car crash that obliterated the existing airbox beyond repair. Thus, it was cheaper to install and after market air filter than buy a new or used air box. The discrepancy in gas mileage, though points to the fact that open element filters allow for better gas mileage, it could also indicate a change in my style of driving (for the better) after the car crash. Looking retrospectively, I would say that although the crash has been a personally costly experience, if it means that I am a safer and more economical driver, it was an overall beneficial experience (especially considering the knowledge I have gained).

Now for the question of debate: Is it worth the money to buy an open element filter?

This is really a personal question to you. Do you consider your carbon footprint on the world through using your car? If you truly did care, you would have gone out and gotten a Prius instead. However, if you do worry about your gas mileage and how much money you would save by purchasing an open element filter, it would take 20-30 full fillups before you equaled your spending on a similar setup (mine was $47) depending on the cost of gasoline in your state. If you are concerned about just the power gain from an open element filter, then by all means get one, as it does increase the initial acceleration and has a noticeable increase in horsepower.

My setup:




Thank you for reading (hopefully you did)

Matt16

I didn't notice a mpg gain, but I did notice throttle response changed and the engine pulled better at mid-high rpm and maybe even came on its power band earlier. My engine seemed to start to make more power around 2700rpm with the airbox. With the cone filter, it starts to pull at 2400rpm.

Good writeup, thanks.

arizonaguy

sorry dude but i disagree, unless you arnet running a hood than all you are really doing is pulling in hot dead air from the engine compartment, plus you are collecting any other krap that goes in there, if i was you id get an are box from a salvage yard, and add a k&n to it mabe take out the baffle if you do so desire.

fdeeznutz

To get proper mileage figures you need to do a little more work than just saying how many miles to a tank. You need to run no less than 10 tanks worth through and get a figure by dividing how many miles you drove from your last fill-up by how many gallons you just put in. For example, on my last fill-up, my truck went 228 miles and it took 12.3 gallons to fill. 228/12.3=18.5 mpg. This obviously isn't going to work because you don't have a stock airbox to compare it to.

I would like to see more "support" before you can definitively say that an open air element would net more MPG and how much exactly.

Shawsheen

This is great, I'd like to do a cone type filter not only for the fuel savings, but usually there is a nice acoustic benefit as well.

I think you need to be careful though with shifting early. I believe the 22r/re is a high revving motor. So if you shift "early" you are making the CLUTCH pull the weight of your vehicle versus the engine pulling the weight of the vehicle.

I think coming out of first gear especially you need to bring the RPM's up some lest you put extra wear and tear on your clutch.

then again if you don't mind replacing clutches, moot point?

mt_goat

Check out Ace's dyno testing here: https://www.yotatech.com/51031296-post250.html

A quote from link above:

Matt16

I was really skeptical about cone filters, but one came with the truck, and I got bored one day, so I bolted the cone on and it did make a difference. I didn't have any bias because I didn't buy the filter myself.

turner01

I made a cone filter setup for my 22RE and the only thing that I noticed was a little better throtle response.

myyota

I don`t think much of the dyno run in the link or the shop that did the dyno on his 4Runner. He said in the vidoe that the engine was heat soaking and causing his numbers to go down with each pull, well go figure, you have a vehicle thats not moving hardly any air throught the radiator/engine compartment because its sitting still. Did anyone bother to notice the big fan sitting by the door of the dyno shop ?, if the dyno shop had a clue as to what they were doing they would have had the fan turned on and blowing air through the radiator and that would have made his dyno pulls more consistant.

arizonaguy

do you really beleve those stupid things do anything for performance?

Tacoclimber

I just run five or six tissues soaked in Canola Oil duck taped to my intake plenum. I'm getting 300 rwhp!


Not really. I've run them both. Seen 2 motors get hydrolocked because of failed cone filters. I'll stick to my deckplated airbox, thank you very much.

Besides...they remind me of small cars with large stickers and park benches bolted to their trunks.

arizonaguy

Hey thats a good one mabe i should try it!

Matt16

I would think cone filters would be less prone to hydrolocking as the intake is inside the engine bay vs. behind the headlight. Unless you immerse up the engine bay, your not likely to hydrolock w/ a cone filter, but splashing the headlights is all too common an event.

littlecommando

what if you put a cone filter in the back pasenger side of the engine compartment? so that it is less likely to flood

Tacoclimber

It was pretty deep in one case. In the other situation, the truck was being driven along the water at a lake, and there was enough water coming up that it somehow got through,soaked the filter which then actually tore the element, allowing water into the intake.

The filter location on a 3.4 would make me nervous with a cone. Of course, I put in my deckplate anytime it rains heavier than a drizzle (which out here isn't very often to say the least).

arizonaguy

what if you got two cone filters and put them on the top of your cab and called your truck madonna dont forget to go out and get your like a virgin album.

okie81

or put a cone on your roof

xzyragon

well

i have seen performance increase in my car because of it, so ya, I do believe it...

arizonaguy

HAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!! now thats funny, i dont care who ya are.

arizonaguy

ok no more making fun of cones