TRD vs K&N air filter?

Has anyone had experience with the K&N air filter vs the TRD performance air filter? Design wise they basically look the same so I’m wondering if anyone noticed a difference?

I’ve always used K&N air filters in our cars in the past and been very happy, but the TRD filters are basically the same price and put out specifically by Toyota for this motor so I’m tempted to go that route this time.

 

There is almost no difference between any air filters if you go with a reputable brand, so whichever one you like will be fine!

 

Me personally, I stay far away from K&N filters or any oiled filter. Either OEM or AFE dry filter.

 

Same exact filter. In fact the Toyota brand filters I got for my new Tundra specifically say clean with a K&N recharge kit...

 

The TRD air filter says to use K&N oil after you clean it

 

I put the trd ones in my 2023 SR. Looks just like a K and N except the rubber is red not black. A slightly higher amount of engine noise since the swap. Don’t forget to buy two!

 

I just called my dealer and they said they could do them for $38.50ea on an online match so I figure I’ll try the TRD’s

 

I paid $65 each from Amazon. Dealership has a good price.

 

I saw the same on Amazon, and started to get worried he was ordering the standard filter, so I called back the part # checked out. ​

 

Why does it matter if its turbo'd? A turbo'd engine doenst suck air in any harder than an NA engine making the same power.

 

I know that is a thing for Turbos and to each his own, but I went down the rabbit hole on this before on my Audi S6 which runs fairly high boost, the few actual documented cases on that engine of mass air flow sensor fouling by an oiled air filter were from people who had recharged and over oiled the filter. I mean it’s Toyota selling the part directly with instructions on how to recharge so they can’t that worried about it.

Like I said to each his own, but while I like the ability to clean and recharge an oiled air filter in a pinch trail/road side if needed. They are fairly cheap and for normal maintenance I usually just replace them.

Sure, the benefit to an oiled air filter is pretty debatable, I’ve put them on probably 8-10 cars and motorcycles, some with a very noticeable difference some with none.

 

The only reason I see going for the TRD Filter or K&N Filter is the reusability. Cleaning kit can be bought for $20 at local parts store and has multiple use. The power gain is negligible on stock tune. I may get the TRD filter as my evo also uses K&N filter and I have cleaning kit for it already.

As for oiled filters destroying MAF. That's mostly due to user error, usually people over oiling the filter when cleaning. I'm running a ExtremeTurboSystem intake on my Evo X which uses K&N Filter for well over 30k miles now and never had any issue with MAF sensor.

 

AFE Dry all day errrrday

 

Yeah, I very much dislike K&N filters. Take one out of the box and hold it up to the light, there are tons of holes.

 

My other Toyo has 277,000 and has had a K&N since it was new. Just replaced original MAF at 272. Still runs strong and doesn’t burn a drop of oil. I must have oiled mine properly.

 

In addition you can clean your MAF also. For me it’s part of my regular maintenance schedule…

 

This guy is great! He has some very thorough testing. I have watched some of his oil testing videos that left me surprised with the results.

 

He's saying both making the same power. A combustion engine is all about moving air, the more air you move the more power you will make. If they're making the same power they're moving the same amount of air.

Had a '97 Supra turbo I modified from 320 crank hp to 680whp, and it didn't run by MAF it ran by MAP. I lived in Houston at the time, which was the Supra capital of the US back around the turn of century. We all used K&N cone filters, nobody ever sited any issues, only heard good things. UOAs were fine.

 

Oh, K&N does have both the oiled version and a dry alternative now.

 

Clean the filter and forget about it. Engine will wear out for other reasons way before. Oiled filters just need to be cleaned more often than a standard pleated filter for proper filtration.

 

TRD air filter and K&N are basically the same.

 

I really think this entire "internet hates K&N guts" thing that has gone on for years now is not warranted, just a bunch of people jumping on a bandwagon and virtue signaling. Like people virtue signaling and insisting on changing their fully synthetic oil after only 5k miles of use in normal conditions.

In searching a little, I did find threads where K&N users demonstrated comparatively poorer filtration results, but for every thread people were bashing K&Ns there were threads like this:
https://stangnet.com/mustang-forums/threads/k-n-filter-effectiveness-from-oil-analysis.847239/

Or posts like this:
https://forums.anandtech.com/thread...ess-at-filtering.2244133/page-3#post-33405862

Unless you're living in the desert and driving through sandstorms every day, I wouldn't worry about what type of air filter you're using.

 

why?

 

The oil in any filter, not just K&N, messes up the air flow meter. Here is a test they did on various filters.

https://www.nicoclub.com/archives/kn-vs-oem-filter.html

 

When I didn’t know better I was on the K&N bandwagon. Now you couldn’t give one to me for free.

 

K and N are fine. Just lets more small particles in and if not cleaned regularly can get clogged up. For a daily driver that’s not over oiled it shouldn’t cause any issues. Unless you’re in the Baja race or always on dirt I wouldn’t worry about that.

 

Didn’t K&N have some marketing back I. The days, that the US Army would use their air filters in their Apache helicopters?

 

Not related to the engine air filter (I prefer dry filter) but the k&n cabin filter is great for critters, if that’s a thing where you’re at. It’s a dry washable filter that has a steel mesh over both sides. Makes it harder for them to chew through. Yup, I know, still have to do the screen under wiper cowl (on my to do list).

 

I wouldn't waste my time with a K&N unless you are working on a performance build. You're not going to see most of the benefits unless you are at WOT often.

Even if you decide to run one you run the risk of developing MAF issues.

The added engine wear is a long term problem that will impact some more than others depending on where you live.

Ultimately it is a trade off better flow vs better filtration.

 

I will take the better filtration. Any aftermarket filter will do nothing for performance. Need to remember an engine is a pump. A filter doesn’t magically make it pump more. Forced induction will do that.