Change those cabin filters!

For those not following my thread for the HVAC blower resistor this is a reminder to change those cabin air filters. I am extremely diligent about oil changes and such but neglected my cabin air filter for too long. Someone in that thread reminded me to check it whilst I was in there and I am thankful he did. So, I am returning the favor here.

And another reason to change them regularly... if you let it go as long as I did when you do go to replace it you are almost guaranteed to have debris fall into your blower. Then you also get to R&R the blower to clean that out. Ask me how I know.

 

K&N cabin filters are the way to go. Just pull em out, knock off the big stuff or vacuum, rinse under the faucet and repeat. Only one you'll need to buy. Putting the sticker on the outside of the box also seems to keep the dealership service writer from tell you a new $90 cabin filter is needed every freakin time you take it in.

 

Yeah, I just saw that K&N makes those when I searched Amazon. I may pick one of those up next time I need one. I still had one Denso paper one around and put that in yesterday. Luckily I never take my truck to the dealer or really any shop so don't have to deal with that nonsense. But I wonder how many people they do get to buy into that?? Should be a crime.

 

Leaves............just think, a little plastic screen over the air intake would have kept about 75% of that stuff out of the filter. And people wonder how 30-40-50 year old vehicles didn't need filters for their fresh air intakes and they still work to this day. What does a piece of plastic screen cost, a nickel? Just keeping rodents and their poo and filth out of the HVAC system has got to be worth that.

When I store mine, I put a rag misted with capsicum into the opening. Unless the meeces have spicy genes, they aren't going to nibble thru that. What I really want to do is find some copper mesh and using thin self stick weather stripping, place some over the opening.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/cabin-filters-can-they-be-washed-answer-inside.47285/

 

A pre filter is a great idea. I need to have a look at the intake to see if it is accessible and to see if I can get some sort of screen to fit in there. I have a tree problem.

 

Simple DIY fix

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/rust-varmit-and-ac-clogging-prevention-project.557970/

 

Would probably work better, I'm pretty sure I have some extra lying around. [I HATE cleaning out gutters, all of mine have guards on them.]

 

I am on it. Thanks for the reminder about cleaning out the fender drain areas. Been awhile since I have done that and last time it was a mess.