DIY Cabin Air Filter

[YarisSedan]

I think this mod would hinder the air flow slightly. If you ever look at a oem cabin air filter it has arrows that has to be installed a certain way. The way its designed to allow maximum air flow. If you take a filter thats not designed to be a cabin air filter it wont have the same type of flow rate.

[BailOut]

Originally Posted by YarisSedan

I think this mod would hinder the air flow slightly. If you ever look at a oem cabin air filter it has arrows that has to be installed a certain way. The way its designed to allow maximum air flow. If you take a filter thats not designed to be a cabin air filter it wont have the same type of flow rate.

Any filtration hinders flow to a certain degree, but your assumptions rely wholly on the assumption that a home blower filter restricts more than a car blower filter designed by some 3rd party to absolutely no one's specifications but their own. Your assumptions also assume that the direction of flow really matters, which it often does not (arrows are often put on there just to keep folks from asking questions, and the one that I used in the photographs is identical top and bottom).

The experience of myself and others that have done this DIY shows that it works just fine. I've been using my own filters for a year and a half now.

[1stToyota]

Originally Posted by BailOut

Any filtration hinders flow to a certain degree, but your assumptions rely wholly on the assumption that a home blower filter restricts more than a car blower filter designed by some 3rd party to absolutely no one's specifications but their own. Your assumptions also assume that the direction of flow really matters, which it often does not (arrows are often put on there just to keep folks from asking questions, and the one that I used in the photographs is identical top and bottom).

The experience of myself and others that have done this DIY shows that it works just fine. I've been using my own filters for a year and a half now.

Maybe the assumption is based upon store bought cabin filters being 100% filter (surface area) and DIY filters are bordered with cardboard and tape that migrates upon the filter surface area? Air won't flow through cardboard and tape.

[talnlnky]

Originally Posted by YarisSedan

I think this mod would hinder the air flow slightly. If you ever look at a oem cabin air filter it has arrows that has to be installed a certain way. The way its designed to allow maximum air flow. If you take a filter thats not designed to be a cabin air filter it wont have the same type of flow rate.

yeah.... who cares.... humans can't tell the difference... i've got one year of experience with this type of DIY filter.

Also... this would ONLY be a problem if you drive around with your air on MAX all the time and still felt you needed a stronger fan in your car.


All who drive around town with the fan on max all the time please raise your hand.
...


thought so.

[RomGrr]

Originally Posted by talnlnky

yeah.... who cares.... humans can't tell the difference... i've got one year of experience with this type of DIY filter.

Also... this would ONLY be a problem if you drive around with your air on MAX all the time and still felt you needed a stronger fan in your car.


All who drive around town with the fan on max all the time please raise your hand.
...


thought so.

:::raises hand:::

We've had 105-110 heat index here the past few weeks. If the car had a moonroof I'd probably attempt to ring a home window unit up to it

I'm a little confused...this filters the air being sucked into the air conditioner, or the air being blown into the cabin? And how would changing the A/C settings affect this (i.e. setting to recirculating)? The filter seems vital to a long lasting and efficient A/C system. How can this not be included with the car?

[Astroman]

I had mine out for a while (made new ones), and had a musty smell when using the AC. Now that I have a new filter in, the smell is gone.

[PatrickJohnson]

the filter is post-ac, it only filters the air coming out of the blower of the ac unit. as such, the unit's operation is unaffected by leaving it out, it just means that whatever allergens/dust your external ac air intake suck in will end up in some amount inside your cabin. with the filter in place, the dust that makes it to your cabin is greatly reduced, and with an allergen rated filter you can cut down on pollen and the like. helps allergies while driving.

[b_hickman11]

Originally Posted by PatrickJohnson

the filter is post-ac, it only filters the air coming out of the blower of the ac unit. as such, the unit's operation is unaffected by leaving it out, it just means that whatever allergens/dust your external ac air intake suck in will end up in some amount inside your cabin. with the filter in place, the dust that makes it to your cabin is greatly reduced, and with an allergen rated filter you can cut down on pollen and the like. helps allergies while driving.

Actually the filter is between the air inlet and the blower. The air comes in, goes through the filter, through the blower fan, and then through the rest of the AC and finally the vents.

[PatrickJohnson]

that is not accurate. The air is blowing upward from the blower, into the filter, and out the vents. I promise. I tested. Open your filter housing and turn on your AC. a quick hand over the blower motor while running (CAREFUL!) will confirm that the air hits the filter after the blower, and mere visual inspection will easily show the path of the air once it passes the filter.