How often do you change air filters?

Having tried carbon in cabin filters before, I can attest that they block airflow a bit, so Air coming out of the vents are drastically reduced. Stick with non carbon filter is my recommendation

 

Every time I change the oil on my Tacoma (change the cabin filter along with the oil filter, engine filter each and every time)

 

you're changing your cabin filter, and air filter...every 5k?

Well, you're not hurting anything by doing so, but unless you're in a wildly dusty environment like no other, its just throwing money away.

 

Yea, I've heard that one before but it's just a matter of opinion.

I've always done it that way ever since I first purchased my 2008 Tacoma brand new, driven off the lot back in April of 2008.
9 years later going on 10, with well over 265,000 miles and it's still driving like it's only a year old.

Other than servicing it myself for regular maint. (oil, filters, spark plugs, etc.) never have had any minor or major problems with the engine or transmission, still has the original drive belt (believe it or not), haven't changed even the shocks, alternator, starter, etc. not even the transmission oil has been changed all original (by the way I change the spark plugs once every year regardless of how many miles they say that the spark plugs can handle).

Only things that I've replaced on it have been the tires and rims and the battery (for obvious reasons) along with the custom front grill and headlights.

So with all that being said, I don't look at it as money being thrown away. Instead it's money well invested in my Tacoma.

But as stated earlier, it's a matter of opinion along with one's perception.

Not stating that I am an expert, that's just the way I do things.

By the way how many miles does your Tacoma have? Any engine, transmission problems?

 

I have a K and N filter every oil change

 

Depends... 10k-12k miles average, but more often if it gets dusty from off-road use. I usually check it when I change my oil.

 

I change the air filter and cabin filter every 10K miles, which is every other oil change. I'm on dirt roads quite often going hunting and fishing.

 

I just changed the cabin and air filters on the truck and the wife's Jeep. Every couple of years seems good to me. We're both low mileage drivers (13k on the Taco after 2 years, 20k on the Jeep after 3 and a half).

 

I check them and knock loose debris out with every oil change and change them 1 or 2 times a year.

 

Just curious, if you're so tedious about the maintenance, why do you ignore those items (in bold)? It's awesome the belt and trans have held up that long without replacement, but running them that long without maintenance is begging for failure. Shocks are also meant to be replaced every 50-100k. For someone who so frequently changes filters and spark plugs in the name of maintenance, it's just odd to ignore the other things.

I am approaching 40k. No issues, and there shouldn't be at this point since it's so new. Father in law is over 200k on his 2007, and hasn't had any issues either. Don't get me wrong, I firmly believe sticking to regular maintenance and taking care of any car will make it last. I have a GTO with 120k and have had no issues, family has Chevy's over 200k with no issues, even a Ford with around 250k going strong. I stick to all maintenance, and maybe go a bit "overkill" on some (GTO gets synthetic oil every 3k, air filters on the truck at 10-12 even when rated for more), but I don't go too banana sandwich. 30k plugs are known to go way longer, so I'm not gonna change them every year at 10-15k, it's not going to get me any more miles. Even if a plug fails, its an easy fix.

But as I said, if it makes you happy, more power to you.

 

Every 10-12k miles or once a year. Which ever comes first

 

Hahaha!.....Yes it makes me happy!


"For someone who so frequently changes filters and spark plugs in the name of maintenance, it's just odd to ignore the other things."
Why change anything if it's working properly. As for the belt or shocks, well no problems there. If the belt breaks, it breaks ( by the way if it makes you feel any better, I always carry a new OEM belt in my truck) all I'll do is just change it. If one or more of the shocks start to give out, ok so I replace all four, still no problem. When doing regular maint. I do a regular inspection, check certain things such as the battery, spare tire air pressure, belt, shocks, etc. (I just didn't mention it) so if any problems are noticed or found it gets fixed.

By the way why would you be bother'd by how I perform maint. etc. on my Tacoma? Like I said, I've always done it this way for the past 9-10 years and even beyond that on my other vehicles. I'd been performing maint. on my vehicles since the early 70's and never have had any minor or major engine or transmission problems. Yes I've been blessed! Why would I change what has worked for me now, just because of your comments?

On a previous post you referenced that I was throwing away $ on performing regular maint. I replied with how I perform maint. on my vehicles and the results are by proven facts, not just talk, on their up keep and performance. Why would you be concerned by how I spend my $ on my Tacoma?

As previously mentioned, smooth ride, no problems!

 

The filters are properly working after 6,000 miles...so by that logic why change those?

There's also a flaw in that logic. Your results haven't been proven by fact. Nothing has shown that changing filters more often than manufacturer recommendations has resulted in your vehicle lasting as long as it should (I say should because really, if taken care of, your vehicle should reach 300k). It has lasted as it should due to you giving it proper care. Perhaps excessive, but plenty of care nonetheless (except for that transmission! lol).

Anywho, I'm not concerned about how you're spending your money. It's your truck and do with it as you wish. I just questioned why it is done so often because this is a forum, and that's what forums are for. Then I became intrigued as to why portions of maintenance were ignored when others were done so often.

 

Just got home from a 2500 mile road trip, most of it highway, but a fair bit of dust, AND a lot of fire smoke, so I pulled the cabin air filter, and wow, it was filthy. amazingly, didn't hardly smell smoke in the cab while driving unless we rolled a window down, so blam, new $13 Fram "Arm & Hammer" air filter from Amazon.

I noticed a fair bit of dust has gotten UNDER the filter around the fan, so maybe next time I'll pull the fan out if its not too hard and clean the whole fan housing, or at least blast the dust off with a compressor.

 

do you actually notice a difference between the OEM and K&N filter?

 

After fall season when all the leaves are off the trees, just before winter. Once a year. This year a mouse made itself a home right against the air filter so its a good idea to change it every fall

 

you're supposed to replace them about yearly...so that...

 

Go paper filter. K&N filter has horrible filtration and no other benefit.

 

I change it when I start to have lower MPG almost every 3 to 6 months. I work in construction and it ends up being dusty as hell where I work. When I take out my filter and slap it on the side of the tire you just see a cloud of dust from it.

 

Do any of you know if theres a thread on Cold Air Intakes? Thats another upgrade i'd like to look into. Already did the Hewett Tech bypass for the Secondary Air Injection Pump, oh yeah personally....the K&N air filter seems like it really isn't worth it to me.