How to Change Cabin Air Filter &c clear A/C drain?
04-22-2010, 01:37 PM
#1
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Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: eastern, MA
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How to Change Cabin Air Filter &c clear A/C drain?
Can I get some pointers to a page or short instrucitons on changing the cabin air filter? I also need to know how to clean the A/C drain... I am getting a musty smell and I want to make sure it's draining before I use a cleaner in the ducts & evaporator.
Thanks,
Thanks,
04-22-2010, 01:52 PM
#2
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Posts: 16,033
There is no in cabin filter in a 4th gen.
The A/C drain tube can be accessed down in the passenger leg area, twards the center. Not much room down there, might be better off blowing up through it from under the car. Compressed air is your friend.
If the plenum is really dirty you may have to open it up and clean it out manually.
The A/C drain tube can be accessed down in the passenger leg area, twards the center. Not much room down there, might be better off blowing up through it from under the car. Compressed air is your friend.
If the plenum is really dirty you may have to open it up and clean it out manually.
04-24-2010, 10:17 PM
#3
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: eastern, MA
Posts: 517
There is no in cabin filter in a 4th gen.
The A/C drain tube can be accessed down in the passenger leg area, twards the center. Not much room down there, might be better off blowing up through it from under the car. Compressed air is your friend.
If the plenum is really dirty you may have to open it up and clean it out manually.
The A/C drain tube can be accessed down in the passenger leg area, twards the center. Not much room down there, might be better off blowing up through it from under the car. Compressed air is your friend.
If the plenum is really dirty you may have to open it up and clean it out manually.
04-25-2010, 10:52 AM
#4
Yes, I am also having an A/C problem with my car. It seems that it blows out hot air for a while before it begins to blow out cold air and when it does, it is barely cold. Anyone know what I should replace? Air filter???
04-25-2010, 04:54 PM
#5
07-19-2011, 09:26 AM
#6
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07-19-2011, 12:13 PM
#7
Member who somehow became The President of The SE-L Club
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Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 16,033
Passenger side. From inside the car, passenger foot area, look up at the plenum, you can see the drain tube from the evaporator area that goes through the fire wall.
From under the car you can see the tube hanging down from the fire wall, passenger side right above the sub frame. Easily accessed when the car is up on a lift.
From under the car you can see the tube hanging down from the fire wall, passenger side right above the sub frame. Easily accessed when the car is up on a lift.
06-15-2014, 07:11 AM
#8
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Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 3
Firstly, there is no cabin filter for this Gen.
Having just removed and split open my plenum, I can assure you that the chances of the AC drain being blocked is rather remote. Sticking anything up (from the firewall side) is useless.
The AC drain is on the "clean" side of the cooling element.
Where blockage can occur is on the blower side (where outside air enters).
At the base of the cooling element are just a couple of slots to permit water to pass through underneath the cooling element to the clean side. That's going to clog up well before anything gets through to the AC drain.
You will need to degas, unbolt the high and low lines, remove glove box, remove the metal cross beam where bottom of glovebox attaches, BREAK/remove the redundant plastic beam behind the metal cross beam. Then remove the plenum.
Split the case after removing all the screws...easy..you will see how filthy the element gets, plus all the stuff at the bottom that's blocking water getting to the clean side (and teh AC drain hole). My clean side was spotless...sticking a wire up from outside would have been utterly useless.
Having just removed and split open my plenum, I can assure you that the chances of the AC drain being blocked is rather remote. Sticking anything up (from the firewall side) is useless.
The AC drain is on the "clean" side of the cooling element.
Where blockage can occur is on the blower side (where outside air enters).
At the base of the cooling element are just a couple of slots to permit water to pass through underneath the cooling element to the clean side. That's going to clog up well before anything gets through to the AC drain.
You will need to degas, unbolt the high and low lines, remove glove box, remove the metal cross beam where bottom of glovebox attaches, BREAK/remove the redundant plastic beam behind the metal cross beam. Then remove the plenum.
Split the case after removing all the screws...easy..you will see how filthy the element gets, plus all the stuff at the bottom that's blocking water getting to the clean side (and teh AC drain hole). My clean side was spotless...sticking a wire up from outside would have been utterly useless.
06-15-2014, 08:47 AM
#9
Just some extra info. When you're done using your a/c you're supposed to turn off the a/c but let outside air flow through with the fan on for a bit so that all the cool air gets out and heated up so that mold won't form. So before you get to your destination turn the a/c off and let the vents warm up. It's not fun but I didn't make this up. Also, try "ozium" spray. It's very strong and kills bacteria. I sprayed it into my air vent ducting to clean out any mold. It's cheapest at walmart but you can get it at a parts store.
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