Cabin Air Filter, Engine Air Filter and A/C Blower Motor Kickplate

Okay folks. I just changed my air filters cabin/engine.

I noticed that the engine air filter only has to clips on the front side. Why no clips towards the rear? How do I know if the unit went back right?

With the cabin air filter why isn't there a tray that the filter goes into? Also why do you install with the arrow pointing up? Isn't flow going down?

On the passenger side where the A/C blower motor is, why isn't there some kind of kick plate?

On both my Accords/CRV they both have kick plates, cabin air filter trays, and multiple snaps for fastening engine air filter setup.

 

The Toyota engineers wanted people to have something to talk about other than diesel and v8 engines.

 

You are probably right. I also noticed the cabin air filter in the CRV almost 50% larger than the one I just pulled out of the Taco.

 

The only issue I have that you pointed out was the kick plate, I don't know how many times after the fire academy when I am riding home in my steel toe boots I end up hitting the blower. That's one thing that has always bothered me but at the same time I know by making myself a plate to attach it will only take up more room.

When it comes to the air filter in the engine bay just pull on the air filter housing and you will see right away when it isn't in.

 

You can add a kick plate to the blower motor to make it easier to smack it when it starts to go. Personally, I use a tire bat.

As for the air filter. There are tabs at the back that hook in when installed (think dovetail joints). And when you lock the two clips at the front, it is secure. If in doubt, grab the back of the filter box (inlet side) and see if it pulls off. If it does, you got it wrong. If it doesn't, you're good.

 

Thanks guys. I thought maybe if I put it on wrong I would get a check engine light or something. Seems to be on tight. Had to get flashlight to see those tabs in back.

Gonna do the LED in the hood mod to get some light. My garage lights are weak!

 

Leaks in the air filter housing (from improper installation) won't trigger a CEL, at least not right away. It just means dirty air can potentially get in through a seam and clog the 2ndary filter, which is not removable.

The blower motor housing is pretty robust against the occasional kick. However, I wish Toyota could've designed the wire routing to be better protected.

On the other hand, replacing the blower in the Taco is much easier than in the Accord, from what I tell watching the Honda/Acura repair videos on EricTheCarGuy.

 

Do you recommend vacuuming the secondary filter every oil change or so?

2008 CRV was not hard (space was cramped though). Pull off kick plate (clipped on). Unscrew three bolts. Unplug harness. Slap in new Motor.

Taco does give you more room though.

 

^If the primary filter is installed correctly, the 2ndary filter doesn't get dirty, so no.

The 2ndary filter is intended to absorb any fuel vapors that manage to snake upstream through the intake, to satisfy the greenies in Calif. In the other 49 states, you can rip out the 2ndary filter without any ill effects, like I did. In 4-cyl Tacos, deleting the 2ndary filter is said to improve throttle response.

You'll notice the Taco is missing a lot of little features common on other cars: no heated mirrors, no seat height adjustment, no tailgate lock, no keyhole on the passenger door handle... Toyota does it for cost-cutting, but also ends up with the lightest truck in its class.

 

Yup

 

I'd have to double check mine, but I'm pretty sure the airflow is down, into the blower.
The recirc door is just above the filter (switches to between the plenum intake and the foam block you can see above the filter).

Thinking again, definitely down flow... one member found a mouse on top of his.

 

^Yep, down-flow so the blower sees clean air. The owner's manual even warns of system damage if operated without a filter installed.

Some filters have the arrows indicating flow direction, some have arrows indicating "this side up".

 

Yet the '05 did not have one

 

May have taken Toyota/Delphi a year of high warranty claims to realize they need the filter.