Crazy Air Filter Discovery!

[Mikie]

I was really hoping you would be located in Louisiana or somewhere else far away and not in CO...

No, I'm sorry to say that this is a big problem if you camp in CO... Although this is the first occurrence of visitors with my new LC, I had quite a few instances of rodents of various sorts getting into my Jeep Cherokee (which I had previously). Fortunately, the worst they did (other than make a mess) was chew up some of the fiber insulation in the engine compartment, but it was a constant battle. When camping, every day/night I have to be sure to check for evidence of visitors (the Cherokee had a wonderfully comfortable fuzzy cover over the warm battery, and they just LOVED making nests there...) I typically keep my engine hood open at night to discourage visitors. When I get really pissed off at them, I whip out the 'ol bear spray!!!

 

[EOD Guy]

It would be next to impossible for the normal running of the engine to pick up that amount of debris. If that was the case you would not be able to drive your vehicle on a gravel/dirt road. You have had something trying to set up a household in your airbox. You may be able to install some stainless steel mesh to keep anything out.

 

[TheMightyGoose]

It would be next to impossible for the normal running of the engine to pick up that amount of debris. If that was the case you would not be able to drive your vehicle on a gravel/dirt road. You have had something trying to set up a household in your airbox. You may be able to install some stainless steel mesh to keep anything out.

I plan to do that ASAP. Still though, the air filters are both really dirty for 15k miles. I need to keep a closer eye on them. We do a fair bit of dispersed camping so I think it got picked up then. We keep a really clean garage and have an assassin cat who lives in the garage. But seriously, do turbos go through air filters faster than naturally aspirated engines?

 

[EOD Guy]

I plan to do that ASAP. Still though, the air filters are both really dirty for 15k miles. I need to keep a closer eye on them. We do a fair bit of dispersed camping so I think it got picked up then. We keep a really clean garage and have an assassin cat who lives in the garage. But seriously, do turbos go through air filters faster than naturally aspirated engines?

For sure turbos increase volume through the airbox, but I check my air cleaner every 5K while doing my oil change and mine look almost new, a little discolored but when held up to the sun, it is still translucent. I mentioned the stainless steel mesh above as I had to install that on one of my vehicles due to something decided it was a good place to start a family......... An added benefit of the mesh in the SLK was keeping leaves out of the fresh air vent (the intake for the AC and the air filter share the same housing vented through the cowl vent)

 

[TheMightyGoose]

For sure turbos increase volume through the airbox, but I check my air cleaner every 5K while doing my oil change and mine look almost new, a little discolored but when held up to the sun, it is still translucent. I mentioned the stainless steel mesh above as I had to install that on one of my vehicles due to something decided it was a good place to start a family......... An added benefit of the mesh in the SLK was keeping leaves out of the fresh air vent (the intake for the AC and the air filter share the same housing vented through the cowl vent)

I had to put steel mesh in our 2019 4Runner after a rodent did the same thing. Will do it to the LC this week. I’m still surprised at just how filthy both the cabin and engine filters are after 15k miles. I definitely need to keep a closer eye on them. I showed the service manager the pictures. He apologized and agreed the tech definitely skipped them on inspection. Apparently even they assumed they would look new. They offered to give me new filters for free.

 

[NB Rob]

I'm not saying that this is the same problem that you have -- but I actually DID have rats in my intake filter box! I could hear them in there, and when I opened the box and pulled the filter -- I kind of jumped back as I was grossed out -- because there were TWO rats in the box. They had started to gather nesting materials, including chewing into that pad in the bottom of the box. They apparently didn't like the taste, as they didn't chomp on it too much (I've no idea that that pad is for).

So obviously Toyota didn't include any mechanism to keep critters out of your engine air intake. I ended up putting in a screen to keep the veeeermits out!!

View attachment 51224

I'm adding a screen this weekend. I started my vehicle today and saw a red squirrel run out. I checked the filter the moment I got home, and there were seeds all through the bottom of my airbox under that pad. They hadn't started to mess up the filter just yet, so I was lucky to catch it when I did.

Nice job -- I'm going to copy you 100%

 

[AlexGates]

You can make a nice "Daniel Boone" cap with that

I found a dead lizard in my 2003 4R one time when I changed it. Good size lizard too.

 

[TheMightyGoose]

I found a dead lizard in my 2003 4R one time when I changed it. Good size lizard too.

I park in a garage every night so I think we picked it up when camping in the mountains

 

[b407driver]

If this was ‘naturally occurring’ as the OP is asserting, I struggle to imagine how everything would be on one side of the airbox, rather than evenly-distributed from flowing air. Also, my turbo never kicks on in the garage, of course, your mileage may vary.

 

[Sugarloafer80]

Tis the season and 99% sure you have rodents, rats or mice depending on your location. I have caught at LEAST 1/2 DOZEN SO FAR THIS FALL.

 

[PDundon]

After changing my oil, I checked the air filter and discovered what you see in the photo. I don't see the usual evidence of rodents, so I don't think it was caused by rodents. It appears to be all the hair from my dog getting sucked through the air intake. Our dog spends a lot of time in the garage and her hair is everywhere. This air filter is beyond filthy. It was in the dealership just a few days ago for the 15k Toyota Care. I really don't see how they missed this one!!! They gave me the Mulit-Point Inspection sheet which shows they inspected the engine air filter and it looked good. Um.... Really? I'm going to have a word with their service manager. But in the meantime, is all this because the turbos suck in air so much more forcefully? I've never seen such a dirty filter at 15k miles.

Also, what tool do I need to remove those little black clips holding that lower filter in place inside the box? I want to remove them to inspect better.

If you're wondering, the guys over at Poway Toyota (San Diego) are horrible. It's not the first issue I've had with their service department. I'm going to let Toyota HQ know about this one. Dealerships need to rework the way they do billing. They actually encourage rush jobs and sloppy work. Someone actually signed off on this air filter. View attachment 51222View attachment 51223

You can remove the black plugs by prying them up with a screwdriver and then pulling out with needle nose pliers.
Mice chewed on mine and I also fashioned a screen like yours.

 

[BossEvelope]

Does anyone have the part number for the pillow at the bottom of the air box? Mine had been chewed up pretty bad.

 

[EOD Guy]

Does anyone have the part number for the pillow at the bottom of the air box? Mine had been chewed up pretty bad.

Someone posted that they had attempted to obtain one, but ended up buying the entire lower half of the air box. I think they said parts counter said it was unobtainiam........

IMO, it's for sound deadening perhaps as their are just channels/ribs under it. A few of us have installed "critter screens" to prevent it from being damaged.

I believe a solution could be fashioned out of a vacuum cleaner bag and being it completely hidden inside the airbox, it wouldn't matter what it looked like........... ie.. lay the remnants over the vacuum bag cut out the shape, superglue the vac bag shape edges to the old pad edges and snap back in place.

 

[BossEvelope]

Someone posted that they had attempted to obtain one, but ended up buying the entire lower half of the air box. I think they said parts counter said it was unobtainiam........

IMO, it's for sound deadening perhaps as their are just channels/ribs under it. A few of us have installed "critter screens" to prevent it from being damaged.

I believe a solution could be fashioned out of a vacuum cleaner bag and being it completely hidden inside the airbox, it wouldn't matter what it looked like........... ie.. lay the remnants over the vacuum bag cut out the shape, superglue the vac bag shape edges to the old pad edges and snap back in place.

Thanks for the reply, sounds like I’ll need to MacGyver a fix.

 

[CatCrow]

So. Service manager at my Toyota shop called and said I needed a new engine air filter. What?!? At 4,700 miles and no (yet) off-roading? He said, yes then quoted me a ridiculously high price for them to do it. Uh, no thank you.

I got LC home, popped the hood to get the part number off the air filter and this is what I saw.

Two things:
1. it's obvious the mechanic read some computer code and didn't look at the actual filter to see what was happening.
2. where the heck do I find a new black pad things? Reading the string above, it appears that it's not available anywhere?

 

[BossEvelope]

So. Service manager at my Toyota shop called and said I needed a new engine air filter. What?!? At 4,700 miles and no (yet) off-roading? He said, yes then quoted me a ridiculously high price for them to do it. Uh, no thank you.

I got LC home, popped the hood to get the part number off the air filter and this is what I saw.

Two things:
1. it's obvious the mechanic read some computer code and didn't look at the actual filter to see what was happening.
2. where the heck do I find a new black pad things? Reading the string above, it appears that it's not available anywhere?

Mine had similar damage from rodents. I could not find the black pad anywhere, so I ended up removing it. I have not noticed any additional noise without it. You could try to make another similar pad if you really wanted. Looks like it’s made from same material as vacuum bags.

 

[EOD Guy]

So. Service manager at my Toyota shop called and said I needed a new engine air filter. What?!? At 4,700 miles and no (yet) off-roading? He said, yes then quoted me a ridiculously high price for them to do it. Uh, no thank you.

I got LC home, popped the hood to get the part number off the air filter and this is what I saw.

Two things:
1. it's obvious the mechanic read some computer code and didn't look at the actual filter to see what was happening.
2. where the heck do I find a new black pad things? Reading the string above, it appears that it's not available anywhere?

Yepper, pad by it's self is unobtainium. I'm convinced one could be easily fabricated.

I actually have since saved the porous protective cover material that my new suitcase came with (very, very similar to the pad material) in case I ever need it. My thought is....... cut two pieces of material and use some RTV to glue just the outer 1/8" edges together. I believe the pad is just a sound deadening layer as there is no air being brawn though it.

 

[Bad1975]

Resonix fiber mat, Quite liner or EcoVerb are about as close to OEM you can find for a ready to cut solution. None of them are cheap. All are mold and mildew resistant if exposed to moisture and not as likely that a rodent would chew one these I don't think, especially the resonix.

Or get some spunbond polypropylene fabric and make your own with your rodent resistant insulation of choice and install the wire mesh pre-filter box while your in there replacing the pad.

Spunbond

 

[RoundRock_Cruiser]

So. Service manager at my Toyota shop called and said I needed a new engine air filter. What?!? At 4,700 miles and no (yet) off-roading? He said, yes then quoted me a ridiculously high price for them to do it. Uh, no thank you.

I got LC home, popped the hood to get the part number off the air filter and this is what I saw.

Two things:
1. it's obvious the mechanic read some computer code and didn't look at the actual filter to see what was happening.
2. where the heck do I find a new black pad things? Reading the string above, it appears that it's not available anywhere?

I found the same issue when i lifted my air filter. Anyone know the part#?

 

[EOD Guy]

I found the same issue when i lifted my air filter. Anyone know the part#?

From other members the pad it's self in unobtainium. They had to purchase the entire lower half of the air box to get one. It appears to be just a sound dampener and doesn't look like it would be hard to make one.