What do most people do when they want to improve their Land Cruiser’s performance on the cheap? They get a fresh pair of all-terrain tyres, install a performance chip, and some of them even go all-out with a complete aftermarket performance exhaust. However, one thing that many people don’t consider which can significantly improve your Land Cruiser’s performance for under $100 is an air filter. Installing a high-flow, performance Land Cruiser air filter is something you can do on your own on a Sunday afternoon. Air filters play a simple, yet significant role in how your vehicle performs simply because they’re responsible for making sure your engine gets clean, cool air to work with. Not only can an aftermarket performance air filter improve performance, but it can increase your engine’s longevity as well.
As briefly aforementioned, your Land Cruiser air filter keeps debris, dirt and leaves out of your ride’s engine so that it can operate at peak efficiency. Air filters are usually made of pleated paper or cardboard material and are either cylindrically or rectangularly shaped – depending on the engine of your vehicle. They also come with a plastic or rubber rim that ensures the filter is properly locked where it’s supposed to be. Changing your air filters in a timely manner is extremely important as they play a crucial role in how your vehicle functions. A dirty or worn down air filter can lead to poor acceleration, decreased engine power, higher rotations per minute (which puts more wear on the engine), and a rough running engine.
When your air filter is worn down, dirty or clogged, your engine’s air-to-fuel ratio is also be affected, which ultimately impacts your Land Cruiser’s ability to run efficiently. In order to get the most out of your Land Cruiser in terms of power and fuel economy, it’s important to keep a close eye on your air filter’s condition. With that said, as a general rule, you want to change your filter every 50.000 km or so, but that’s a rough estimate and it ultimately comes down to how you drive your Land Cruiser. If you’re driving on dirt roads frequently, or you’re putting the engine through a lot of stress, then you need to check your air filter more often. Usually, checking the air filter twice a year to make sure it’s working properly is enough. If you’ve noticed your Land Cruiser air filter is worn down and you’ve decided to get a new one, here’s how to pick the ideal replacement.
First and foremost, when shopping for a brand new filter, you need to make sure it’s compatible with your Land Cruiser’s model, make and engine size. You can find all of this information by looking up your car’s manual guide or doing some research on the internet. However, if you’ve done changes in the engine to get more out of it, such as adding a supercharger, you might need to look for a custom-made air filter that supplies more air.
Next, you have to consider the type of air filter. You’ll come across a few variations in filter designs on the market. depending on your engine, you can get a custom-built air filter or a universal one. You can probably guess that universal filters are a good fit for most cars, and they’re more affordable and are widely available. Further, these filters are usually flexible enough to adjust to your engine’s intake system, so you don’t have to go through the trouble of matching the size. On the other hand, an air filter designed specifically for your engine to provide more gas mileage and horsepower will probably cost you a few extra dollars, but it will serve you for a long time, which kind of makes it up for the cost. These air filters can capture even the smallest dust particles, which results in your engine’s longevity being extended significantly. Regardless of whether you go for a universal or a custom-built air filter, you’ll find the following types.
- Paper air filters, which are the most basic type that comes with your Land Cruiser. They protect your engine from contaminants and dirt. The outer corner of paper air filters is covered with foam or plastic, and depending on your driving habits and the climate, you may have to replace these filters more frequently.
- Oiled performance air filters use an oil bath on foam or mesh to capture dirty air and pollutants.
- Reusable, or washable air filters can be cleaned and reused as many times as you want. Since they feature oil batch filters, these filters catch small and big sizes of dirt particles. Foam air and cotton gauze filters fall into this category of filters, and in order to clear them, you’ll need to get a recharge kit.
- Cabin filters are fitted behind the glove compartment or on the dashboard, and their purpose is to deliver clean air to your cabin from the air-conditioning and heating system of your Land Cruiser.