| Morph |
How-To Change Your A/C Pollen Filter
More How-To Guides
I know there have been threads related to this already, and that info helped walk me through the process initially. I chose to do things a little differently though.
I decided to take pictures while doing mine and ended up throwing my own guide together. As always, constructive feedback is appreciated to help make the guide as comprehensive and accurate as possible.
Thanks!:D |
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| EXCALIBUR |
Morph,
An excellent play-by-play as always. When I changed my cabin air filter at 21,214 miles. It was plenty dirty. I also cut out the plastic guide completely and discarded it. This will make it easier on the next change.:4: |
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| quiXilver |
Morph,
Thanks for taking the time and effort documenting this.
Great job!
quiXilver |
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| mdxforever |
Morph, you should definitely do a spark plug replacement how-to. Many people ask for it.
I have got those six buggers in and out a few times, including once for doing a compression test, but I am very poor at documentation ;) |
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| jamesng |
Morph,
Gread Job!!! Spark plug replacement how-to will be great if you can. |
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| Morph |
quote:
you should definitely do a spark plug replacement how-to
When should the spark plugs be replaced? My MDX is only at 32,000 right now. I'm sure when the time comes to do it I will take lots of pics and notes and put a guide together for that too, especially if a lot of people need it. Thanks for the suggestion. |
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| mdxforever |
| standard service quotes 105k miles. But IMPHO I'd replace it about half (50k-60k) that. |
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| gleeb22 |
Changing the Pollen filter is easy thanks to your totally aswesome site Morph! You Rock!
Only two things you might add that could be useful:
1. You can vacuum out the inside of the filter cavity. Lots of crap in mine.
2. You could remind me not to bash my finger when slicing the plastic!
Thanks again and keep the "How-To's" coming!
PS With your instructions it took me only 30 minutes and that's with being careful on my own car. I am sure a dealership could do it in 20 minutes since they are not working on their "own" car. And at an average $100 price tag, that's about $300/hour labor fee! ;) |
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| Mr. Mom |
| Just wondering if there is a better after market pollen filter than the OE. I thought I saw one some time back made by the Germans, but can’t find their site now. Anyone? |
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| mdxforever |
I used Napa Gold (or WIX, same thing).
Not sure if purolator or fram makes in this size or not. |
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| gleeb22 |
To all:
BTW, after only 22,000 miles my filter looks as dirty as the one in Morphs How-To so I would definitely change it sooner than recommended. I'll probably do mine again at the 40,000 mark. |
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| devil421 |
| I picked up the Purolator version from AutoZone today for $25. Will be installing tomorrow. There is also a Fram version and a Bosch version available. No need to pay the dealer's inflated price. |
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| devil421 |
| Nice write-up. I used yours to get familiar in visual and layman's terms then used my service manual in the car. Worked great! Id also add a small section about cleaning out the box itself. That turned out to be the longest part of my process. Lots of crud in there to fish out. After only 34K miles my filter was clogged so much with stuff I can't believe it actually passed air! |
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| pianoman41 |
| I picked up the Bosch one for $29.99 at AutoZone. Supposedly it's one of the few that is impregnated with activated charcoal. |
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| gleeb22 |
| I know my filter was pretty gross looking but how much of a difference could there be between OEM and a "better" filter? I know we love our MDX's but do you guys spend your whole day inside of it? Or, maybe I should've gotten the best one and just not breath when I get outside of my X! :D |
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| fraser |
| Morph u r d Man ----- excelent --- excelent ---- maybe, better than excelent :1: |
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| pianoman41 |
| Thanks morph--just did mine tonight at 35K for the first time. It was unbelievably dirty. Cutting that plastic piece was a pain, so next time should be a lot easier. |
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| Rmo |
| I recently changed my pollen filter out, it is really easy to do and the pics on the step by step help a lot. I couldn't quite justify cutting the trim piece out though, so I figured how to change it without breaking any plaastic. The filter does have some flexibilty to it. I was able to get my old one out and the new in by flexing it through that tight area.;) |
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| nightguy |
quote:
Originally posted by Rmo
I recently changed my pollen filter out, it is really easy to do and the pics on the step by step help a lot. I couldn't quite justify cutting the trim piece out though, so I figured how to change it without breaking any plaastic. The filter does have some flexibilty to it. I was able to get my old one out and the new in by flexing it through that tight area.;)
I thought about trying that but it was way too cold. I would have snapped something. Not a bad idea otherwise....that crossbar is a pain to cut if you're being careful. If you're using a boxcutter, it's not that hard to follow gravity and slash some wires. |
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| erictiger |
| Can Acura simplify the procedure or they just want their dealer to make lots of money? |
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| pianoman41 |
quote:
Originally posted by erictiger
Can Acura simplify the procedure or they just want their dealer to make lots of money?
They probably could make the filter removable from the bottom of the heater core 'box'. Then you wouldn't have to pull the glovebox out to get to it. The plastic piece that needs to be cut is definitely there because of the manufacturing process (needed so the dash will keep its shape before it is installed as one piece in the car). I suppose they could remove it on the assembly line but they probably figure it's not worth the time since many owners never replace the filter (although after seeing what mine looked like at 35K miles I can only imagine what my other one looks like in my '02 TL-S with 59K miles that has never been changed). |
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| Morph |
quote:
Originally posted by Rmo
I recently changed my pollen filter out, it is really easy to do and the pics on the step by step help a lot. I couldn't quite justify cutting the trim piece out though, so I figured how to change it without breaking any plaastic. The filter does have some flexibilty to it. I was able to get my old one out and the new in by flexing it through that tight area.;)
Excellent news! Besides bending the filter, were there any other steps you did to accomplish this? I assume you still removed the metal brace, correct? And then there was enough room to remove the old one and put in a new one?
This is an exciting option for people to have on this project, I will definitely add it to the guide. Thank you for sharing your technique. |
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| II Kings 9:20 |
Great write up and additional info which I will put to use as soon as mine arrives. Autohaus Arizona online also has Acura parts with free shipping for orders over $50.
The Saab filter is plain idiotic, I imagine the Acura will be similar to my Ody. To answer the post of a simpler design: Chrysler of all companies nailed it. The cabin filter is accessed from underhood via a plastic flip panel under the passenger wiper blade base. Flip the panel, pop out the filter, pop in the new filter. About 20 seconds of work. |
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| II Kings 9:20 |
| Did mine today, the tutorial was very helpful. I discarded the plastic trim piece. This was the first CF change in 73, 866 miles, clearly neglected. I hope other items were not overlooked like this. The filter was the most filthy I have ever seen. The car now has a nice smell. Air filter was not nearly as bad. Off to do the well worn brakes tomorrow. |
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| ArtW |
Changed out my pollen filter yesterday. Would recommend a change to step #3.
Disconnect the damper by removing the phillips screw that attaches it to the glovebox. Its easier and quicker.
Also, after finding much debris in the filter chamber, I am planning to install some plastic screening over the inlet keep out the larger stuff.
ArtW |
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| pianoman41 |
quote:
Originally posted by ArtW
Changed out my pollen filter yesterday. Would recommend a change to step #3.
Disconnect the damper by removing the phillips screw that attaches it to the glovebox. Its easier and quicker.
I did the same thing. I struggled with the tab for a few minutes and couldn't pop it loose, so I just undid the screw instead. |
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| ArtW |
Another shortcut I found is forget trying to loosen the 8mm screw near the passenger door. I removed the 8mm screw nearest the console and lowered the glovebox. There is enough play on that side so you can remove the filter. Just be careful to support the glovebox so it won't damage the rightside hinge.
ArtW |
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| Thirsty |
| Why do you have to replace the filter at all. Can't I just remove it and leave the filter out? Filtered cabin air is nice but not mandatory. What major benefit is there other than not having bits of leaves blow in your face once in a while through the vents? |
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| Thirsty |
| Why do you have to replace the filter at all. Can't I just remove it and leave the filter out? Filtered cabin air is nice but not mandatory. What major benefit is there other than not having bits of leaves blow in your face once in a while through the vents? |
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| II Kings 9:20 |
quote:
Originally posted by Thirsty
Why do you have to replace the filter at all. Can't I just remove it and leave the filter out? Filtered cabin air is nice but not mandatory. What major benefit is there other than not having bits of leaves blow in your face once in a while through the vents?
If you look at how filthy the filter gets, I would say that it is mandatory. In addition to that, there is some kind of exchanger on the clean side of the filter that is part of the AC system that would get fouled significantly without a filter. It seems that the design is intended for a filter, perhaps there is a different design for cars without filters.
One would never remove the engine air filter and send all that debris into the combustion chamber, why do it for the cabin. Of course we got along fine for many years without these filters, but that is like saying "we got along fine without big screen TVs, cell phones, and computers, who needs them" |
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| Thirsty |
| I guess it might keep that A/C drain tube from getting clogged or the vent doors from sticking also. It just seems like such a pain to replace that thing. I'm at 45K miles and starting to get that "smell" that is so familiar with an old filter. I replaced the same type of filter in my GM vehicle twice due to odor after about 25K miles each time then decided to leave it out for the next 100K miles. No odor, no clogs, no problem. What a bad design to access that filter! I printed the instructions and will replace it this weekend. |
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| ROTORRAY |
| at the filth that the filter collects in a short period of time. They designed it to have a filter for a reason. Cleaner air for occupants is the biggest plus. It also keeps the vent system clean of debris. Just a good idea to change it. Laziness is the only reason I would not change it. The engineers put it there for several legitimate reasons. |
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| II Kings 9:20 |
| Honda engineers are supposed to be so smart (they are, they create profits for dealer service) but kudos to Daimler Chrysler. The 300C filter is located beneath a flip panel under hood at the base of the passenger wiper blade. About a 20 second procedure start to finish. |
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| ROTORRAY |
| ..that the Acura/Honda engineer who designed how to get to the filter probably wasn't first in his/her class. The design is a joke, but that does no eliminate the necessity to change the thing. I know that dealers must like it because of what you have to pay them, if you don't do it yourself (which you should). |
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| thefngs |
| I haven't owned my '03 MDX very long and didn't realize the pollen filter existed. Definitely looks like a manageable project I can handle on my own thanks to your guide. Thanks!! |
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| OmmieF |
I just finished my DIY pollen air filter change. Ordered the part from Tim and received the filter in a couple of days. The old filter ( 2004 MDX, 30.5K miles ) was very dirty, as black as the one pictured. Everything went according to the pictorial.
The only thing I would add is that once the metal bar is removed and is being positioned out of the way - mind the left edge of the bar. It's easy for it to swing left and scratch the plastic tranny cover.
Possibly place a towel over that panel to protect. Saved myself at least $100. Tom. |
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