Bear Lake Cruiser
SILVER Star
Has anyone come up with a mod to run a cabin air filter when climate system is in 'fresh' mode as modern vehicles do?
Cabin air filter
- Thread starter Bear Lake Cruiser
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Bear Lake Cruiser
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #3
I'd love to hear his thoughts
red66toy
Supporting Vendor
I was thinking about this a lot not too long ago. Having clean air, especially on the highway or offroad is a good thing.
The way the HVAC in the 60 series is designed makes it really hard to come up with a solution.
Two ideas that made the most (crazy still) sense:
1. You could fashion a sponge sock to fit over the chicken wire inlet (only accessible by taking the wiper motor out). This might be the only real and best option even though a sponge filter leaves something to be desired.
2. Try and make a more effective HEPA paper air filter that you can place between the blower motor housing and the AC evap housing. This filter would be rectangular in shape and be replaced by taking the blower motor out and getting your hand up in the right area.
Area i am thinking:
The best spot for a filter would be above the blower motor housing where it presses up against the top of the cowl. This would allow you to run a larger filter. The only issue with this is that you can't just unbolt only the blower motor housing. I believe you have to first take out the AC EVAP housing first which would be ridiculous to replace a filter. Someone correct me if I am wrong in this thinking.
Here is the area I am talking about:
The way the HVAC in the 60 series is designed makes it really hard to come up with a solution.
Two ideas that made the most (crazy still) sense:
1. You could fashion a sponge sock to fit over the chicken wire inlet (only accessible by taking the wiper motor out). This might be the only real and best option even though a sponge filter leaves something to be desired.
2. Try and make a more effective HEPA paper air filter that you can place between the blower motor housing and the AC evap housing. This filter would be rectangular in shape and be replaced by taking the blower motor out and getting your hand up in the right area.
Area i am thinking:
The best spot for a filter would be above the blower motor housing where it presses up against the top of the cowl. This would allow you to run a larger filter. The only issue with this is that you can't just unbolt only the blower motor housing. I believe you have to first take out the AC EVAP housing first which would be ridiculous to replace a filter. Someone correct me if I am wrong in this thinking.
Here is the area I am talking about:
$4 at Home Depot. Cut and stack to fit? I haven't tried it yet but it should work. It works great as a replacement for the EGR and HAC filters.
Bear Lake Cruiser
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #6
Thanks for the post and ideas. I just thoight of this tonight while running to town on dusty dirt roads for a pizza. Hence my post. I haven't even looked at it yet but your option 2 looks best. 1 and 3 are to labor intensive to swap a dirty filter out.
QUOTE="red66toy, post: 11717846, member: 1250"]I was thinking about this a lot not too long ago. Having clean air, especially on the highway or offroad is a good thing.
The way the HVAC in the 60 series is designed makes it really hard to come up with a solution.
Two ideas that made the most (crazy still) sense:
1. You could fashion a sponge sock to fit over the chicken wire inlet (only accessible by taking the wiper motor out). This might be the only real and best option even though a sponge filter leaves something to be desired.
2. Try and make a more effective HEPA paper air filter that you can place between the blower motor housing and the AC evap housing. This filter would be rectangular in shape and be replaced by taking the blower motor out and getting your hand up in the right area.
Area i am thinking:
The best spot for a filter would be above the blower motor housing where it presses up against the top of the cowl. This would allow you to run a larger filter. The only issue with this is that you can't just unbolt only the blower motor housing. I believe you have to first take out the AC EVAP housing first which would be ridiculous to replace a filter. Someone correct me if I am wrong in this thinking.
Here is the area I am talking about:
[/QUOTE]
QUOTE="red66toy, post: 11717846, member: 1250"]I was thinking about this a lot not too long ago. Having clean air, especially on the highway or offroad is a good thing.
The way the HVAC in the 60 series is designed makes it really hard to come up with a solution.
Two ideas that made the most (crazy still) sense:
1. You could fashion a sponge sock to fit over the chicken wire inlet (only accessible by taking the wiper motor out). This might be the only real and best option even though a sponge filter leaves something to be desired.
2. Try and make a more effective HEPA paper air filter that you can place between the blower motor housing and the AC evap housing. This filter would be rectangular in shape and be replaced by taking the blower motor out and getting your hand up in the right area.
Area i am thinking:
The best spot for a filter would be above the blower motor housing where it presses up against the top of the cowl. This would allow you to run a larger filter. The only issue with this is that you can't just unbolt only the blower motor housing. I believe you have to first take out the AC EVAP housing first which would be ridiculous to replace a filter. Someone correct me if I am wrong in this thinking.
Here is the area I am talking about:
I've never pulled all of that apart. I never thought about labor, but that certainly is a consideration. Hmm... if it's easy it ain't worth it. Perhaps it's what you have to do to have the luxury of clean air? I'm still trying to work out why my idle up doesn't shut off after I turn off the AC.
Pulling the blower motor out is 3 bolts and (I think) you can access the space above the circular fan into the vent inlet above.
If someone could/would design or utilize an existing product that you could insert from the bottom and open it up inside to cover that air inlet.
Now I’m wondering if that vent filter product could work in that space.
If someone could/would design or utilize an existing product that you could insert from the bottom and open it up inside to cover that air inlet.
Now I’m wondering if that vent filter product could work in that space.
That was my initial thought when I was running through all the uses for that stuff in my head. I'll try it out tomorrow afternoon and report.
So, you can easily access this area in the posted pics above. However, I'm not sure how to get the filter to stay in place. It would be incredibly "cool" if you were able to modify the housing with a slot and slide filters in and out like on your home ac system. It may be a big job once and then you make filters with this material. I'll keep working on this! We're on to something here!
I'm thinking cut a slot with a dremel here.
Then make a frame to hold the filter in place that slides inside with a foam seal and some small set screws for easy removal. I think the easiest way to do it is to remove it from the dash and modify it on the bench. Then you forever have easy access to filters for clean cabin air!
Also, these vent filters I'm using are almost perfect when folded in half.
Also, these vent filters I'm using are almost perfect when folded in half.
Correction, the slot should probably go here to avoid problems mating the two housings together.
I don't have time to pull it all out this moment, but if someone else has one in pieces maybe they can help confirm from a different perspective if this seems feasible.
After short reconsideration and thinking less. I took two of those vent filters and shoved them up there. The chicken wire has a coarseness to it that grabs the filter and holds it in place. Takes two minutes. Maybe I'll hot glue two or three together in a conical shape and make a better seal, but that's way better than what toyota thought up!
red66toy
Supporting Vendor
Nice work! Yeah if you can make a continuous piece that looks like a good option!
Have you run the fan on night to see how it handles staying in place?
Concerned that high power could suck that into the fan basket.
Concerned that high power could suck that into the fan basket.
red66toy
Supporting Vendor
Yeah you would need a little more structure to it. Maybe a wire frame? Or Velcro?
I ran the fan last night. Nothing catastrophic happened, but I didn't open it back up to check it out. The chicken wire seems to really hold it in place. I have some plans to make a better filter this evening and I'll give it a try. Just got sleepy last night and called it.
Yep, that concern is valid. There is enough suction to pull it down from the chicken wire cage. That cross member keeps it from falling into the motor though. I made a ghetto HEPA filter type thing in a hurry to see if a little bit of structure would help hold it in place. Not so much. I'm thinking that a piece of coat hanger bent into a u shape could act as a clip to hold it up. I'll try that later and see how it works. I don't see why it wouldn't. That being said, in the two minutes I ran the air I collected leaves, pollen, cotton wood crap (Coloradans know what I'm talking about) and a few specks of black "stuff" in the filter. This will improve air quality significantly! Air still flows and blows strong with no noticeable restriction. Have at it fellas and let's see if any better designs come up! It's worth it!
I remember that a long while ago. I have one I think is the correct one saved in my Amazon Wishlist. Could double up between the two.
FILTERWEARS Pre-Filter K117K For K&N Air Filter RA-077V, 22-2020 Filter Wrap https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KC5SOU6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Y-DiBbJVZS9GE
