k&n washable engine filter?

Lots of internet wisdom on this, filters better, flows better, save $$ by cleaning and oiling and not replacing.....then the other story.... filters much less, lets fine dust get in, extra flow does not matter if you are not providing extra fuel. I remember seeing tests that show a lot of dust downstream of the filter. Even if it is OK, why risk using it when OEM and Toyota filters are so inexpensive?

 

Don't.

These filters will do nothing but add more oil to your intake system and possibly contaminate your Mass Air Flow Sensor if you over-oil the filter - or - allow too much dirt to enter your air intake if you do not over oil the filter.
These filters do not save any real money over the normal life of the car if you clean and re-oil them like you're supposed to, and all of the claims of better MPG and more raw horsepower are either made up or grossly exaggerated.

AT BEST, you're perhaps not placing 10 air filters into landfills and maybe saving less than $50 over the life of the car.....and perhaps not that if the filter damages the car's intake or actually WORKS and allows more air into the engine, which will force the ECU to widen the fuel pulse to keep from leaning out the engine.

Bad idea for most cars.
Worse idea for Priuses.

 

Well, i had something similarly written, but less eloquent to the above. So +1 for ETC's post!!!

 

+2

And even if they were somehow a little better......they are a GIANT pain in the butt for most people.

 

I noticed that you were in Isreal, and considered that before I posted.

I'm thinking that Amazon might deliver in whatever part of Israel you call home and so it might be possible to get the OEM filter from an on-line distributor rather than from the dealer. Also, there are several knock-off paper air filters that will provide adequate filtration without having to clean and re-oil them.

Temperature is no factor here, since the normal operating temperature for your engine is near 100c.
The last time I was in your part of the world (regrettably, not in Israel!) it was HOT (60-ish) but not 100c.
In addition to being hot, your part of Israel might be quite DUSTY, and this will require you to replace your air filter more often than the warranty and maintenance guide advises for "normal" service.
If you live in a relatively large city like Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, etc, then you probably have decent roads.
Generically, engine air filters should be replaced between 15,000 and 30,000 miles, depending on driving.

I replace mine every 12,000 or so.

If gas and OEM parts are expensive in Israel, then so are car repairs.

Good Luck!
בְּהַצְלָחָה

 

www.amazon.com/Genuine-Toyota-17801-37021-Filter-Element/dp/B007OW62V8

Looks like they are $28 to Israel.

 

Smaller Al Gore footprint?

 

I'm at ~82K kms on the original filter, and it looks virtually new. Just a hint of soot on the edges of the pleats, if you look on a shallow angle. Virtually always on paved road, west coast, appreciate that's a factor.

 

You must have access to legitimate brands at lower prices, I would hope. K&N=trouble.

 

K&N filters are bad news. I was a former K&N filter user so that comes from experience. You're only changing out the filter in your Prius every 30,000 miles / 48,000 Km it can't be that big of an expense?

In my case a K&N filter installed for forty thousand miles resulted in a seized Turbo with the front impeller covered with a dirty oily grime. The next one hundred and thirty thousand miles on the new turbo with a factory Volvo paper filter, the front impeller looked brand new.

K&N fan boy says you over oiled the filter that is why you have all that oil down stream of the air box. Then where did all that dirt come from? Hummmm?

 

I use the k&n cabin filter, it runs 8 hours a day at work. It gunks up once every 3 month due to pollen & other tree stuff, I uploaded photos of it before for naysayers. If I was to buy the cabin filter every 3 months my paper footprint would end the world in 12 years. It doesn’t harm anything if you over spray the cabin filter but i don’t recommend the k&n engine filter.