Fellow RXer's,

Recently I was sitting in my car waiting for my friend and I got bored. So I decided to look re-read my manual (hopeing to find a cool feature I missed or something : ) ). Well I didnt find anything new. But when I came to the air filter part I decided to try and open the compartment and check out the air filter.

I had never checked it before and this was my first time. When I opened it up, to my surprise, it was filthy! oh my god, I wonder if the dealer changed it since my last visit? It was that filthy. I doubt it could get like that in a few months.

What was strange was that when I pulled the filter out, a HUGE yellow ball of what looked like foam fell out. I mean this thing was 5 inches in diameter. It was all covered in dust and leaves and i dunno what.

It didnt look like a natural material so I assumed it was something from the car????

Does anyone know what it is? Ive never seen a new filter before, so did a yellowish foam cover the filter and thats what came off and rolled into the ball? or was there a foam covering in side the filter compartment that came off?

This isnt a big deal and my car's air seems to be operating ok, but I'd still like to know what it was. It was filthy so I tossed it, hope I didnt need to keep it : )

Thanks,

Paul

 

"Air filter monster!" I should probably check out my HVAC filter too, so let me go out and take a look at it and post my findings I can't do it immediately, but I will by late tomorrow. With pictures of course!

-Nick

 

When I took mine out it had no monster or anything of that nature..... Hmmm..?????..... I you got me stumped......

 

Okay, okay, I made myself sound like a real busy guy when I said "...by late tomorrow", not so . I took out my air filter, cleaned it, and buttoned everything back up nicely, then remembered...pictures!! Crap! I'm a pro at removing and installing the filter now

I didn't have any mosters either. Just a filter full of small plant debris. Sure enough, it needed cleaning. Also, I don't see how the dealers can charge more than $5 for a new filter! It's not like there is that much to that filter. Okay, so here are the pics.

-Nick

 

...here's the second/last pic.

 

Arent they supposed to replace the filter at 15k service? I just took mine out and it was disgusting. There were bugs, leaves and the whole thing was black. I need a new one. Do you think i could just pick one up at kragen auto prts or something? Thanks

 

Thanks for the pictures. Yup, thats what my filter looks like, but a hell-a-va lot dirtier.

I guess you didnt find a monster. anyway I took care of him. but still it was surprising to find it in there.

goncookoo

 

I have looked in my owner's manual so many times in the past few weeks to look over the 15k service, yet I can't remember whether or not the HVAC filter was supposed to be replaced. I guess it's because it wasn't a big deal to me becuase I can easily check it myself and reinstall a new one if I need it.

As far as I know, the dealer has never changed my filter. I know they didn't at the 15k b/c all I had done was oil change and tire rot/bal. Unless it was done at 10k, which I doubt. It's not really dirty/black, just leaves and stuff stuck in it that I vacuumed out.

As for replacing the filter yourself with one from the store, I don't see why not. The white filter part easily comes out of the plastic that it sits in. If you look in my picture at the "top view" (second picture) you can see small plastic tabs that hold the filter in. The filter comes right out - that's all that holds it in. If you can find a filter to fit in there, i'd say go for it. You could probably find a better one than is in there or than the dealer would put in.

-Nick

 

First, if you tend to believe that marketing CRAP from K&N, all of that stuff dirtying up your A/C intake filter doesn't really impede the airflow. They coat their filters with oil so it even catches more of the stuff, stuff that's large enough that it wouldn't pass through an OEM filter anyway.

Have you checked the furnace filter in your home lately? They get pretty dirty in one season of use but that doesn't seem to impede the airflow substantially.

Monster BALL. I have had mice build nests in my 911 and in my Aerostar repeatedly. For some reason they seem to prefer the area around the A/C air intake blower. Don't know if thatmight be the source of your problem or not but you might want to have a looksee at the "mesh", air intake area" just at the bottom front of the windshield to see if some "critter" has chewed its way into a nice warm environemnt.

Last. Go to home depot and buy the largest "filtrete" furnace filter you can find. Remove the corrigated filter material, compress th ecrrigations even more, cut to fit, and now you have a highly efficient A/C inlet air filter for about $5 vs $50 at Lexus. The furnace filter will cost you $15 but you can make three Lexus filters.

If you happen to have musty odors coming from your A/C outlet vents have a look at:

http://www.airsept.com/eed.html

This device will help to dry out your A/C evaporator which will help to prevent the growth of mold spores and might even save your life by preventing your windshiedl from fogging over spontaneosuly and without warning.

 

Are you talking about the engine air filter or the cabin pollen filter?

 

Mines like excatly like how Nicks look like... haha i had to hit it a couple of times on the groud to clear up some of the derbis...