2005 Tundra and TRD air filter

A number of guys on TundraSolutions.com have reported better performance with the OEM filter than with the TRD filter. Save your money. The only aftermarket filter element that *might* make a difference is TrueFlow, and that's questionable. I know one guy that removed his TrueFlow intake because it hurt performance compared to stock. There are more folks there who have found that K&N, AEM, etc., intakes are inferior to OEM compared to the folks who like them (or just like the woooshing sound).

The only real performance improvements have come from headers. S&S seems to be the best, JBA is CARB certified, and SSAutochrome is the best for the buck. Performance mufflers may offer a slight boost if you stick with stock pipe diameter. Larger pipe diameter kills low end torque.

Ken

I installed at K&N on my '01 Tundra, after having installed at TRD filter. I wish that I had not spent the money on the TRD filter. I did not notice any change in HP (not that I dyno'd it, but no noticeable power gain). However, when I installed the K&N, I noticed a 4-5 mpg gain, plus when I tow my

4000+lb boat up a steep hill, it actually can accelerate. Consider the K&N filter.

Interesting. I owned a 2000 TACOMA, with 2.7L 4-cylinder. It came pre-installed with a K&N filter. Not having driven it with a stock filter I had nothing to measure it against. Still, the performance was impressive. I "chalked" up a portion of the performance to the K&N filter.

I installed a TRD filter on my 2003 TUNDRA, after having modified the air intake box -- a feat for which Toyota stated was "very clever". The modification alone made a SIGNIFICANT difference. With the TRD filter installed, in addition to the modification, the difference was approximately

30% additional (combined)!

Could you post what your "very clever" modification was?

Thanks,

GC

approximately

performance

Sure, sorry. I removed the air filter box, seperated the lower half from the upper half and used a router, following the contours of the lower half and "routed" the bottom box. I then reassembled the lower and bottom halves, pulled the intake tube from the front quarter panel, capped them so that only the air from the "routed" lower half drew air. HUGE all around performance gain. I drove that way for over one year with NO driveability issues -- NONE!

Maybe this would help my 02 Tundra. The engine always feels so muted.

It might. If there are no design differences between the 2002 and 2003 motor and/or any of its underhood accessories then I can think of no reason why not.

Mind you, I was taking a huge gamble -- warranty or not; Toyota would not have warranted any work had I encountered any problems because of an unauthorized modification. That didn't matter as I had already exceeded the warranty period (I had in excess of 60k. I drive an average of 300 miles per day, 5 days per week).

I began experimenting incrementally: first, a few small holes drilled into the bottom. Then more holes. Then I enlarged the holes. Then, finally, I took the plunge.

If you take the plunge, be careful, be precise and be patient (don't be in a rush -- take the entirety of your weekend with nothing to do but this). And, make sure you pull the tube from inside the box. You will, of course, have to "break" the riveted connection the tube has to the air intake box lower half. Remember to "cap" the intake breather hole (where the intake breather tube came through the air intake lower half). I just happened to have a plumbing cap insert -- that fit -- in my garage. And, believe it or not, I used hot glue -- liberally, but precisely -- to make the seal on both sides of the new sealing cap. I used ribbed ducting tape to seal the hole in the quarter panel.

Very inexpensive; time (labor) consuming -- especially if it is your first time (probably nerves more than anything -- what it questions abound); but very much worth the performance gain.

Thanks Ray Ban.

I have a 2002, and will look into doing this when I have time. I saved all your stuff here.

Wouldn't mind a picture or two if you can do that.

GC

Sorry, no pictures -- except in my head (I recently traded in my 2003 for a

2005). If you decide to do what I did, and have any further questions, let me know.

Ray Ban,

It will be awhile for me to get to it, so what I saved from your emails will have to do.

Thanks,

GC