What’s the best engine air filter?

Looking for information about engine air filters.
I know that all filters are not equal, which filter element is best for our trucks, and why?
I don’t want a new box or intake system, just recommendation for replacement filter element in the factory box

 

I usually go with OEM or Wix.

 

OEM Toyota, or find out who private labels for Toyota and buy direct.

 

Toyota doesn't make filters. I've been in the filter business a number of years and hate to say, they're isn't dime's worth of difference from most of them as long as they are produced here. I sell a fair amount of heavy equipment filters and the brand is Baldwin. They cross a lot of filters. Most OEM filters are just private labeled at the big filter factories. Few people realize that when you change your air filter that it's a the least stage of efficiency. Most need to build a cake a little to start filtering well. The oil change guys make it a racket.

 

A clean one.

 

You surely know why donkeys aren’t welcome at universities?










Nobody likes a smart ass!

 

I get that from my wife every day. But kidding aside, we're splitting hairs when it comes to different alr filter brands.

 

I’d say any paper filter. The more pleats the better. More surface area. I also believe in a slightly dirty filter is filtering the best. If you were to change your airbox, it seems that the S&B is the best filtering. I am using an afe dry filter. But when I go off road I switch it over to a paper OEM unit for the best filtration.

 

Anything except for the stock paper filter will just drop your low end tq.

 

AFe super dry is a good one. I bought two. One I keep clean in my garage and the other on the air intake. When it's time to change, I pop the clean one in and save the dirty one to clean later and reuse.

 

Thanks for the responses, my friends.
This is mostly as I expected.

@15whtrd
I’m not understanding why a dirty filter would be more efficient than a clean one. Can you explain that?

 

That's similar to what I do. I have the AEM dry filter and instead of buying two, I have one OEM filter that I will use when the AEM one is drying.

 

Kind of silly but I feel like I’ve read it, and it makes sense to me. A semi clogged filter or “cake” as @7.62Tundra said, will be more restrictive but also less particulate will make it through.

 

False. I enjoyed it immensely. Then again it does take one to know one so here we are.

 

Pretty much anything that DOESN'T say K and N on it.

 

The oe paper filter is plenty. It is a very very large filter for a small block v8. Plenty of air gets in

 

Here is a link that sort of shows testing. If you really want to understand the procedure it's ISO5011-2014.

http://www.rubicon-trail.com/public/K&N filter test.html

Basically it has been determined that particulate under 10um does not damage an engine. There has been a push over the past decade for higher efficiency fuel filters in diesels because the fuel rail pressures have come up significantly and finer particulate will erode injectors under high pressure. So many of the companies will use synthetic component in these type of filters to help increase capacity and cold performance. Synthetics flex more with cold temps

A paper air filter is fine unless it going to see moisture like in severe off roading. If you look at the efficiency graph on the chart you will see they are all with a percent of each other 98.5% to say 99.5%. The graph meister who made the graph makes it look significant. It's basically the same filter efficiency.

 

I have always use denso, pretty sure they make Toyota oem filter. I order from rockauto.

 

Dealers too. That is why I tell my daughter not to let them touch either filter.

 

Yep, they easily last a couple of years for an intake filter if you aren't on dirt roads. I look at mine and put them back in.

 

Same here and I will blow loose debris off

 

Stock filters just fine, until it gets dirty. Then, just replace it.

 

I agree 100%. Why waste money on something that results in no improvement. I never have bought in to the aftermarket air filter crap.

 

After market air filters make sense for a race car that operates above 5k rpm all day and then gets rebuilt. Dirt gets right past a k+n and cannot be good for your engine. They should get a marketing award for still being in business