Should the charcoal filter, on the bottom of the lid of the airfilter box, be changed after 11 years

Should not be any need unless it's somehow been damaged.

Its job is to absorb gasoline vapors that have made it up the intake manifold from the injectors after you shut down. It temporarily holds those vapors, and then they get pulled back into the engine on the next startup cycle.

It can repeat that absorption/flush cycle forever, as long as it doesn't get damaged in a crash or eaten by a rodent or something.

 

They could in theory become over saturated from gas vapors, just like fuel tank canisters sometimes do. The way to counter that would be to bake the VOC’s out of it. That would work but your oven would stink like gasoline.

 

What, you don't think it gets baked enough in a plastic box next to a hot engine whilst dry air is drawn over it?

 

Not sure. When the engine is running it gets outside air drawn through the air filter. I’m talking about 200 degrees for an hour

 

You are embarking on this journey again? Hmm. Good luck. Watch out for rattlers and cougars.

 

Guess he’s moved on from transmission fluid.

 

no

 

Hate to poke a slumbering troll, but if anyone seriously thought this was an issue, would not the dealers be pushing it everytime a Prius was brought in for service?

EVERY time I take mine in, they try to sell me a cabin filter and engine air filter. Everytime I tell them I just checked them and they are fine...if it was at all an issue I am sure the dealers would be touting replacements -- sort of surprised they do not tout new windshields every five years.

 

Wonder if the service guys even know about it? (Possible reason they aren’t pushing replacement). Probably only California, and possibly the other CARB adopting states, cares about whether it’s functioning/or even there. It’s due to that darn carbon thing no aftermarket air intakes receive CARB EO #s. (Sucks)!

(Trying to avoid reading ATF threads now)....

 

Er, I would be very reluctant to bake VOCs out in an electric oven, and in a gas-fired oven I think the explosion danger would be quite high.
(Worked in the safety domain and can’t shake that mind set.)

 

I’ve read very unhealthy to breathe gas fumes. Gulp, in a food producing appliance...

No, no need to change, unless physically damaged as mentioned, my opinion....

 

If I ever did it I would use my friends lab oven in his garage. Way better temperature control.