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Smoker's in-cabin air filter, WARNING: these images are disturbing

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by jesseyarnell, Nov 9, 2010.

  1. Nov 9, 2010 at 3:56 AM
    #1
    jesseyarnell

    jesseyarnell [OP] Active Member

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    OK maybe I'm being dramatic, but I finally got around to changing out my in cabin air filter, and WOW. I bought the truck used with 65K, and loved everything about it, except that the guy smoked in it. Well I did eventually get the smoke smell out, but this is amazing. I could be wrong, maybe this is what everyone's filter would look like eventually. Opinions?

    IMG_0701_84c1df173eb2a80f36103dbb027cdfc1e172c302.jpg
     
  2. Nov 9, 2010 at 4:09 AM
    #2
    T@co_Pr3runn3r

    T@co_Pr3runn3r XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

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    Dayum, how much better does your fan go now?
     
  3. Nov 9, 2010 at 4:10 AM
    #3
    fredfarmer

    fredfarmer Well-Known Member

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    Where can I buy one of these? Is there a walk through online on how to replace it?

    TYIA
     
  4. Nov 9, 2010 at 4:25 AM
    #4
    jesseyarnell

    jesseyarnell [OP] Active Member

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    i haven't even driven yet, but i imagine the fan will run better and the whole truck will smell like friggin roses after this.

    there is a vid somewhere on the forums on how to change the filter, but believe me, not necessary. it's right behind your passenger seat glove compartment. drop the glove compartment out completely, and you'll see where the filter pulls out, takes about 30 seconds.

    dealership charged me about $20 for the filter. you can get them online for much less, but sometimes i just want to do things right away you know.
     
  5. Nov 9, 2010 at 4:26 AM
    #5
    buddywh1

    buddywh1 Well-Known Member

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    Need something to compare to... like new filter maybe?? This one looks like it is has charcoal impregnated media for neutralizing odors.

    Assuming it started life nice and white, a smoker's filter would look sh*t brown....far more disgusting...the black charcoal is probably masking it in the picture.

    But I know what you went through...you should have seen the walls and windows of the house we moved into a few years back. It took a lot of of window cleaning, wall washing and painting to get the brown stain gone. Almost 7 years later and I still get the faint odor of stale smoke when I open closet doors on cool days.

    Oh and by the way...the filter is washable....I took mine out, vacuumed, washed, let it dry. The amount of rubbish in the accordion folds was amazing! dried bits of leaves and flowers, pine needles and twigs. Even a few dead bugs and hair. Lots of hair. My wife's long hair gets everywhere. The filter really does it's job well!
     
  6. Nov 9, 2010 at 4:29 AM
    #6
    2TRunner

    2TRunner Snoop Dad

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    The color of the filter has NOTHING to do with smoking.

    It's a charcol impregnated cabin filter (and the completely wrong filter for the truck BTW), thats why its so dark.

    That filter there is ment to go in a Dodge Caravan.

    Normal wear on a cabin filter will typically turn the filter material brown.
     
  7. Nov 9, 2010 at 4:30 AM
    #7
    iSTIZO99

    iSTIZO99 Well-Known Member

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    Was the original filter white?
     
  8. Nov 9, 2010 at 4:33 AM
    #8
    2TRunner

    2TRunner Snoop Dad

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    No. Those types of filters come out of the box with a very charcol color.

    A brand new one. I'm showing the one for a Dodge Caravan, since thats what the OP had in his cabin location.

    [​IMG]
     
  9. Nov 9, 2010 at 4:36 AM
    #9
    jesseyarnell

    jesseyarnell [OP] Active Member

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    you guys may be right about the charcoal. the replacement filter from the toyota dealership was white as snow, that's why this one scared me.
     
  10. Nov 9, 2010 at 4:36 AM
    #10
    DEEVON911

    DEEVON911 Semi-Pro

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    Thats probably pretty typical of how anyones filter would look like after a while. Since that is pulling in outside air they normaly get pretty nasty. Mine is not even that old and it does'nt look so pretty. I have a little over 12,000 Miles on my truck now and I take mine out atleast to blow it out every once in a while, and I'm always surprised how dirty it looks and the stuff that is stuck in there.
    Also a buddy of mine at work just changed his on his Acura TL, didn't even know he had one till he was telling me how his air wasn't as strong and I said maybe you should check that. His was about that black and it was not charcoal. Just 2 years of dirt build up! It was nasty!
     
  11. Nov 9, 2010 at 4:43 AM
    #11
    jesseyarnell

    jesseyarnell [OP] Active Member

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    thanks for posting that pic, Quaker. you are absolutely correct. well i'm glad i got the right filter in there this time at least. sorry for freaking everyone out. BUT, you still shouldn't smoke in your tacoma, because i might buy it someday and it stinks, plus there's the whole terrible slow painful death by lung cancer thing. ok.
     
  12. Nov 9, 2010 at 4:55 AM
    #12
    2TRunner

    2TRunner Snoop Dad

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    The filter you pulled out (old one) was cut wasn't it?
     
  13. Nov 9, 2010 at 5:20 AM
    #13
    buddywh1

    buddywh1 Well-Known Member

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    Well that suggest new filters don't have the charcolal impregnation...THAT kinda sucks.

    Maybe not so much: The charcoal loses efficacy pretty quickly anyway. But it may have helped suck the last of the cigarette smoke odors from the upholstery! Oh...one thing we found that helped with that in our house is to dust baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) all over upholstery and carpets, lightly brush it in and then vacuum it all out. That takes a lot of the odors with it!
     
  14. Nov 9, 2010 at 5:51 AM
    #14
    airsoft_warrior

    airsoft_warrior Batman

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    I have 50,000 on mine and havent replaced mine yet... need to though.
     
  15. Nov 9, 2010 at 6:18 AM
    #15
    matt86

    matt86 Well-Known Member

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    I should take a look at mine too
     
  16. Nov 9, 2010 at 8:38 AM
    #16
    dsc522758

    dsc522758 Active Member

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    Go to Home Depot and buy one of those cheap furnance filters...cut to fit...and your done. You can get about 4 or 5 filters out of 1. I have been doing this for years on my Toyota Sienna van. Found out about this on the Sienna forum. I change it every 3-6 months.
     
  17. Nov 9, 2010 at 8:48 AM
    #17
    OH-MAN

    OH-MAN Well-Known Member

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    No need to panic about the filter!!!
    Your lungs absorb most of the smoke anyway :D:D
     
  18. Nov 9, 2010 at 9:12 AM
    #18
    ZanexGt

    ZanexGt Well-Known Member

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    I do this as well, it's cheap and effective.
     
  19. Nov 9, 2010 at 9:16 AM
    #19
    jrdbrn

    jrdbrn Well-Known Member

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    How long should one wait to change it out?
     
  20. Nov 9, 2010 at 9:39 AM
    #20
    kessler89

    kessler89 Well-Known Member

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    this is distrubing, wonder what his lungs look like?:eek:
     

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