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What is this pink/purple liquid in my engine air filter?

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by RichardC.ranium, Jan 1, 2025.

  1. Jan 1, 2025 at 6:14 PM
    #1
    RichardC.ranium

    RichardC.ranium [OP] Member

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    IMG_5485.jpg IMG_5484.jpg IMG_5486.jpg I popped the air box open to change the filter and the old one has pink on it, I use dry filters.
     
  2. Jan 1, 2025 at 7:13 PM
    #2
    outdoorgb

    outdoorgb (.)(.)

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    Did the vehicle previously have a K&N filter? Is there oil residue in the filter area. I do see some "wetness" where the filter seats.
    PSA: DO NOT USE K&N FILTERS...
     
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  3. Jan 1, 2025 at 8:54 PM
    #3
    RichardC.ranium

    RichardC.ranium [OP] Member

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    The existing filter is the first one I put on since buying the vehicle, do you think a previous filter would have left behind oil? I didn’t notice anything weird with the first filter.
     
  4. Jan 1, 2025 at 9:03 PM
    #4
    TnShooter

    TnShooter The TacomaWorld Stray

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    Looks like a stream coming in from the air tube.
    The air tube comes in from the fender. And the fender is open to outside air.
    But pink fluid from the fender / outside air? Kind of hard to explain.

    Unless it came from engine side of the intake?

    I guess you could pull the intake off at the throttle body and take a look.
    Get an idea of what direction the fluid came in from?
     
  5. Jan 1, 2025 at 11:15 PM
    #5
    RichardC.ranium

    RichardC.ranium [OP] Member

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    I’m cleaning the throttle body this week so I can take a look, it does look like air filter oil but I think it would’ve shown on the air filter that had the oil in it? I changed the filter as well and cleaned the area so we will see if it comes back
     
  6. Jan 2, 2025 at 5:00 AM
    #6
    eherlihy

    eherlihy 2009 Access Cab TRD Off Road

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    Pink could be either coolant or ATF. This could likely be either a coolant leak, or just an overflow from the expansion tank, drawn in through the air intake in the fender.
     
  7. Jan 2, 2025 at 5:50 AM
    #7
    ridefreak

    ridefreak Well-Known Member

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    The stuff stuck to the inside of the airbox looks like oil mist to me which isn't all that unusual considering how much oil some of these engines push into their PCV systems. The previous filter could have left behind oil (K&N AF oil is red) but I'd find that hard to believe it transferred from the old air filter to the a new one (in the middle of it's filtering surface). I'd wipe off the inside of the airbox with a clean paper towel and see if the residue inside the box is red also which would indicate its coming from the PCV system.
     

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