What's The Best Performance Air Filter?

[cougarhunter]

So I have a performance air intake on my car. 99 toyota camry. And I cleaned out the intake before I put it on. A year later my car was surging while driving and would die. I looked inside and it was dirty so I cleaned out the air intake again and that solved the problem.

What's the best brand of performance air filter (cone type clamp on) that you guys know allows for great breathing for the car yet catches the most dirt?

[LynchburgCSI]

It's really not going to matter a whole bunch. Just get something that you can clean. Scepter, K&N.... etc

[cougarhunter]

Originally Posted by LynchburgCSI

It's really not going to matter a whole bunch. Just get something that you can clean. Scepter, K&N.... etc

Thanks.

Well the reason behind this is that this had been doing this for a couple of days where when I was driving the car's rpm's would bounce up and down. And today it was doing it and then it started to make my car die. And I was barely able to limp into an Autozone store when it threw a check engine light. Their scanner said it was a bad temp coolant sensor or circuit. I had just replaced that sensor a few weeks ago from that same store. So I replaced it. And it was still having the problem of dying while idling. It would have an erratic idle and then drop real low in rpm's and die. This car is a 99 toyota camry 4 cylinder. So I replaced the vacuum line that comes off the throttle body to this one unit that pushes on the accelerator cable unit when vacuum is applied. Do you know what that vacuum unit is? I looked all around online for it and can't find it. I then sprayed carb cleaner in the throttle body down all the vacuum lines and the vacuum ports on the throttle body. And so far it seems to have worked. It must of been dirty inside. I don't know why that would throw a bad coolant sensor? Maybe one of the other air intake sensors is on it's way out?

[Kiwi-Corolla]

Originally Posted by cougarhunter

So I have a performance air intake on my car. 99 toyota camry. And I cleaned out the intake before I put it on. A year later my car was surging while driving and would die. I looked inside and it was dirty so I cleaned out the air intake again and that solved the problem.

What's the best brand of performance air filter (cone type clamp on) that you guys know allows for great breathing for the car yet catches the most dirt?

You may find this link useful:

http://www.australianauto.com.au/HTM...hoot%20Out.pdf

P.S. Love the username!

[LynchburgCSI]

I have no idea, off the top of my head. EGR or VSV valve maybe? That CEL code is odd though...

[korrupt1]

main reason I stay with cone filters that have a shield on them. too many times have I had the fans come on with a basic K&N and the fans caused erractic idle....too much air also....could be your CEL possibly....too much air and not enough fuel....massive problems. in fact I had a rip in a intake boot and made the car shut down.

[cougarhunter]

Originally Posted by LynchburgCSI

I have no idea, off the top of my head. EGR or VSV valve maybe? That CEL code is odd though...

I know right. I was shocked by that error code.

It's a little unit that has a plunger on it that will push out (when vacuum is applied) on the lever that the accelerator cable wraps around on the throttle body. That's the best way of explaining it. It's tough when you don't know what it's called and try to explain it. The unit has only 1 vacuum port on it.

So I took it for a drive for a while and it's acting good.

It is really dusty here in Utah. How often should I be cleaning my performance air filter? And should I put some oil on it when it's clean, and what type?

[LynchburgCSI]

Hmmmm, i'd say to visually inspect it every 6 months. Clean as needed. Most autoparts stores carry a air filter cleaning and re-oiling kit.

[cougarhunter]

So I took my car into my local mechanic. And he ran a more intelligent scan on it. It shows real time data from sensors. He said that the downstream o2 sensor was bad. He said that can be your problem there.

He also said something about my shift point or points being off 5 points or degrees. Is that bad? He didn't think it was. What is in control of that and can you change it?

It has a new timing belt on it.

[LynchburgCSI]

O2 Sensor could EASILY be the problem! I'd say to replace it. BE SURE to get an OEM, Denso, or NGK O2 sensor. Stay away from Bosch for Toyotas. Shift points... I have NO idea.

[cougarhunter]

Originally Posted by LynchburgCSI

O2 Sensor could EASILY be the problem! I'd say to replace it. BE SURE to get an OEM, Denso, or NGK O2 sensor. Stay away from Bosch for Toyotas. Shift points... I have NO idea.

The one I'm getting is a NTK brand. It's on NGK's website.

Yeah I don't know what exactly he was talking about on the shift points. When I take it in to get it fixed I'll ask him again about it. We're going to re scan it after we have installed the new o2 sensor and driven it for a bit.

[LynchburgCSI]

^

[deadrx7conv]

I don't care for some not so independent testing as test conditions can be adjusted to make ANY filter the best in flow or filtration.

Easy choice for dry filters as too many over oil theirs:
http://www.amsoil.com/products/ea_fi..._and_Specs.pdf
http://www.aemintakes.com/dryflow_air_filters.htm
http://afepower.com/prodrys_overview.php

Donaldson Powercore filters are excellent. Volant sells them in various sizes as some are used in their different CAIs. Just google the PN for a pic.
http://www.volant.com/filters.asp?filterType=powercore

[Stillrunning]

[QUOTE=deadrx7conv;3326422]I don't care for some not so independent testing as test conditions can be adjusted to make ANY filter the best in flow or filtration.

Easy choice for dry filters as too many over oil theirs:
http://www.amsoil.com/products/ea_fi..._and_Specs.pdf
http://www.aemintakes.com/dryflow_air_filters.htm
http://afepower.com/prodrys_overview.php

I like the AEM claim in the linked ad: "123% more flow than stock engine requires!" So why would you by it? Notice none talk about filtering capacity - just flow. Why don't you just leave the "filter" off and get 200% more flow than the stock engine requires.

[fenixus]

Originally Posted by cougarhunter

It's a little unit that has a plunger on it that will push out (when vacuum is applied) on the lever that the accelerator cable wraps around on the throttle body. That's the best way of explaining it. It's tough when you don't know what it's called and try to explain it. The unit has only 1 vacuum port on it.

you are talking about the Throttle Opener which is mounted on the Throttle Body, single vacuum line
it's only function is to push the throttle plate open when engine is shut off (no vacuum). it's sole purpose is to prevent throttle plate sticking/freezing to throttle body in dusty/dirty/freezing climates.

pulling vacuum on it (like when engine is running) actually retracts the opener pin, so the throttle plate can close normally at idle.