VQT

Thanks Keith

What you say is that if I don't want to buy the cleaner, then use hotwater with dishwasher soap or does it has to be palmolive? All I need is the oil eventually
Damn, you haven't buy an air filter since 1988.

I need to go to the autoparts store to look for the cleaner and oil kit soon.

Viet

Keith13b

iTrader: (3)

Viet,


I'm not saying don't buy the cleaner, I'm saying that I just use dish soap. Do what ever you're comfortable with. The cleaner worked fine, but I needed my filter clean one time and was out of cleaner, so I used dish soap. Ended up working just as good and was cheaper- so I stuck with it. It doesn't have to be palmolive, just any soap that "cuts grease right outta its way"!

CDALTON

Hey keith13b, are you going to use your stock air box? I might go back to moding the factory box. I have my car in storage for now but was planning on doing some G-tech times with the new intake setup(FILTER,ADAPTER,HEATSHIELD) I like the sound of the setup, but im not convinced...yet..with the results. I belive I felf more bogging at lower rpms compared to the factory setup. As if there is more of a delay when you mash the pedal down. GOD I cant wait for spring!!!! I will G-tech both setups with and without the ECU upgrade and will post the results. I did like the intake when I was allready driving around 40 to 50 and then would floor it, but off the line..Hum??

Keith13b

iTrader: (3)

I plan on trying both. I'll make the BFI intake and use a K&N panel filter and stock airbox, then try a cone filter (already have a heatshield) and factory snorkle. I want to compare the two, but would love to hear your results.

lex400sc

I tried both BFI with heat shield & ram air, and then K&N RU3580 with ram air and no heatshield. The BFI gives a much louder, deeper tone and the K&N makes the throttle feel much much lighter. In hte end I stuck with the K&N.

UZZ32

Amongst other things, Fluid Mechanics lecturer at University.
Yes, lots of data using u-tube manometer to measure pressure drop, stopwatch roll-ons, dynometer, Society of Automotive Engineers Journal papers.
K&N also says their filter is nearly as good as paper but not quite.
Startrade have updated their FAQ - link to them on my web page.
"103. Is there an easy way of increasing power of early model V8 Soarers?
There is no easy way of extracting extra hp from the V8 engine besides a "free-flow" exhaust system that may yield about 10 kW extra at the wheels at the possible cost of increased noise, vibrations etc. Extensive testing showed that replacing the OEM air-filter element does not bring any power increase. Later model Lexus SC400 V8 engine has VVTi (variable valve timing) and 280 hp. "



I don't have a K&N, nor have I done any filtration tests - but I have read many of them. The best filtration result for the K&N filter I have seen is on the K&N site - still not quite as good as paper. Every other test I have seen was not quite as good as the K&N test.
The K&N does not filter as well as paper (but it is very good).
You can save a few dollars over the long run with a K&N if you ignore the maintenance costs and effort.

K&N list a longer time between cleaning (40 000 km?). Cleaning the filter overnight regularly and re-oiling is a disadvantage to me. I would rather pop in a brand new OEM filter and be done with it.
Over 5 years I may pay an extra couple of dollars but I want the best of the best and only OEM will do.

The K&N filter is my second choice - very high quality, good filtration.

The stock filter flows very well when new. Removing the stock filter on the dyno made no difference. There is no performance gain from changing a new OEM filter.

You can see some dyno results on my web page. Testing of filters, intakes, oil, fuel, V8's and Twin turbos.

Intakes and exhaust make only small changes to the V8.

A K&N may well protect your engine sufficiently - depends on where you live and the environment. Next oil change save a sample and get it analysed (very cheap - ask the autopart store where you buy the oil from - they have reps who will take the oil for analysis - they want to know all your car and oil details).
You want to look out for the silicate levels (dirt) - if these are satisfactory then you have no worries.
I have seen instances where oil analysis revealed higher silicates in the oil with a K&N than a paper type filter - but really you should do your own oil analysis.

The term MAF (mass air flow) is for hot wire type air mass meters - early SC400's have a Karmen Vortex Air Flow Meter (AFM) - measure flow.
It would be difficult to find a better AFM connection than the stock airbox with it's large size and built in bellmouth. The front of the airbox is easily bettered though (unlike the back of the airbox which is top stuff).

Here is me hamming it up in Andrew's MotorMate shop (my brother) - I can have anything I want, got the Mechanix gloves but the rest - not for me. I still go down to Toyota to buy the genuine air filter.

lex400sc

Hey Pete, you're saying that paper filters have better filtration properties than cotton filters? I thought it was the other way around. The OE Lexus filter is made out of cotton gauze as well as all K&N, Swift, and AEM filters. All the quality performance filters use cotton, whereas the cheapo $20 filters like API use paper tissues.

I'm curious on your position of heat shields. I use them on and off. Sometimes it feels like the heat shield is obstructing air flow and I get better 30-60 acceleration without it. I take the shield off completely when the air outside is very cool. Have you ever played wih heat shields?

For ram-air, I noticed you bend the lip of the cover down to channel air around the radiator into the intake. Seems like a bunch of confused turbulent air would result under the hood. Ever try making a scoop under the right headlight using one of the inlets from the brake vent? That's what I'm doing right now.

UZZ32

Not all paper filters are equal. There is cheap paper and top quality paper. All the filtration tests I have seen rank 1. paper 2. cotton gauze 3. foam.
For flow the story is different
1. cotton gauze 2. paper 3. foam.
I also have measured flow and the K&N does flow better than a new standard filter- it seems to flow better for longer as the filter gets dirty. A new filter flows well enough for a stock V8 and a high power VVTi turbo SC (160 kW at rear wheels).

However how is paper defined? - there are so many different grades and types. The OEM Toyota filter in Australia looks like a white geotextile fabric rather than a traditional paper type.
Looks like the TRD air filter option is a cotton gauze type too. Haven't seen a geuine Lexus filter - I thought they were the same as the Toyota type.

I haven't seen a direct comparison between the SC standard filter and anything else for filtration. It is important to determine what filters are being compared against in any test - otherwise it may not be relevant at all.

A heat shield is a good thing - some are better than others. A heat shield that is not sealed completley around the intake is acting as a radiant heat interceptor only. During wide open throttle a low pressure area is created around the air filter - air will move towards this from everywhere. Hot air will be sucked in from behind, below, to the side, everywhere. You may well get better performance without one on a cool day if the intake to the heat sheild area is insufficient. The engine needs cool air and lots of it.

Sounds like it is time to make yourself a U-tube manometer - some instructions on "Siting Cold Air Intakes on the Soarer" on my webpage. You can make one for a couple of bucks and determine exactly how well your intake is working.

Connect one end of manometer to inside your heatshield.
Test 1. Drive at approx 70 mph and take your foot off the throttle - roll down to 62 mph (100 kph). The absolute best you can manage is 2 inches of water pressure. If the reading is zero pressure (atmospheric pressure) then its not much good - you have a leaky intake or the air is just not getting in.

TEST 2. If you do get zero then you will probably get zero for this test too. Put the car in second gear, ECT switch to POWER (this locks it in gear), floor it and accelerate to 60 mph. Record the maximum vacuum. A zero reading reading probably means a leaky heatshield - depends on test 1 results. A vacuum means not enough air is getting in. The BFI is the only intake I have measured that scores a big positive for test 1 and a positive for test 2.

I recorded slower times just be taking airbox lid off and letting in hot air.

For an air intake that is continually flowing air - a continuous cool supply is more important than insulating the box and intake duct from heatsoak - but it doesn't hurt.

I have made several scoops to go under the right headlight - you can see pictures of some of them on the webpage. There were some disadvantages though:
1. They blocked air to my suspension oil cooler that lives there and they block air to the intercooler on the TT (which also lives down there) - none of these problems apply to you.
2. There was no room for a sand/grit/water/bug separator - everything that entered the intake here ended up in the filter.
3. Making a intake here was fidly and complicated and I couldn't get it to flow enough air.

If you open the bonnet on the SC and look down between the two highbeam lights in front of the radiator support bar - this is the area I now use for my intake. If you look around the top of this opening you will see a rubber seal along the front above the lights and another on the bonnet that seals on the radiator support bar. It is a sealed chamber except for the sides where it exits under the headlights to the battery and intake.
The later model SC's have a slot cut into the front bar - this may make a useful intake.
The photos on the BFI page on me website are a bit out of date now but the principle is the same.
The side exit of the first chamber that goes to the battery can be sealed off with an old rag - take out the left headlight to do a better job.
Once you remove all the black scrivets that hold the curved black plastic panel to the under side of the aluminium bumper bar (look under the license plate) the panel can be pushed down to create an inlet.
I am currently holding the inlet at a fixed opeing with two metric 8mm bolts that are 50 mm long. The will self tap into the holes left by the scrivets in the aluminium bumper - then you just use a nut and washer to clamp the lip of the new intake in place. Really needs another photo - see what I can do for next week.

The shape of the chamber means you can make the inlet as big as you want, and the interal shape of it naturally separates the water bugs and dirt.

Getting the air from there under the headlight and into the headlight is the next important thing - you can see a prototype on the BFI page - things have moved along a bit now and I have a template you can fold out of plastic corflute to pop straight in under the headlight to do this - works a treat.

So no turbulent air escapes the intake and goes under the hood - it all goes into the intake.

lex400sc

So I see, any thoughts on companies that make high quality paper filters? I may give the BFI another shot. The OEM look of the BFI is appealing to me. How did you cut open the front of your air box? I used heavy pliers to clamp and break chunks of plastic off. It was a very difficult task as the plastic walls are reinforced with rigid crossbeams. Right now my BFI box looks like a grenade went off inside, the opening is riddled with jagged edges. If I'm going to use it, I want it to look smooth and clean like yours. Thanks.,

808state

part of it i used my rotozip w/ attachment..basically just melted it but cut pretty straight. the rest of i used a hack saw blade and some rags (so i don't cut my hand). it made the cleanest cut/smoothest for me...i probably should have used the hacksaw blade.

used a grease pencil to outline where i wanted to cut. used the ridges as a guide making sure i cut just inside of it. you could use a drill to make a hole so that you could get the hacksaw blade in.

i think on the aussie site, someone suggested using a hot knife...tried that but didn't work. guess aussies must have some knife!!