DIY Cabin Air Filter

[1stToyota]

Originally Posted by edisonfire

which way should the air flow circulation go?

Actually, flow is downwards. Just changed out my OEM filter and it was dirty on the top. Blower motor sits underneath filter and draws the airflow downwards to distribute air thru the system. Only thing above the filter is the fresh air intake.

So, if you get the OEM filter the arrow goes up because it says "UP", not flow. On my Beck/Arnley filter, arrow points down because it's talking about actual air "flow".

[Lafiro]

I own the 2007 sedan, and I don't think the cabon air filter comes with the car.

If I follow this DIY will the location of the air filter be in the same place?
Thanks.

[BLH]

My 2007 users manual said if it was installed. A sticker would be attached to the inside of the Glove Compartment Door.

Mine had no sticker.

I believe the compartment is there to accept it. It was just not installed at the factory. Will know tomorrow when I try to install the one I have on order.
Local parts store was out of it.

[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.

[BailOut]

^ ^ Good point. However, as has been said, there have been no complaints in 18 months. It just works.

[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.

[ozmdd]

Home air filters are also labeled for direction of flow. The AF rate should not be hindered to any meaningful degree. Probably less resistance than an OEM filter.

[1stToyota]

I don't know this system, but flow problems with cabin air filters can sure ruin a blower motor resistor that isn't able to cool itself properly.

[YarisSedan]

The filter that you are using are designed for a very high powered fan that cools your entire house. Not a ity bitty fan that sucks just a little air. If you look at the blow motor it is really a tiny fan. I am all about DIY but i belive there is a noticible difference. I think no one really has noticed because the people doing this DIY dont have a filter to begin with so there is nothing really to compare to. Plus as stated before there is less surface area for the air to go through. You are putting a restriction against the blower motor when you are doing this. I dont honestly think there is a world of a difference and it wont cause catastofic failure of your blower motor circuit. But just stating there is a difference.

The cabin air filter is designed for maximum filtration without sacrificing air flow. If you get a really good quality cabin air filter they can last about 25k miles. I mean really is it worth all the time and hassle to go to the store buy the filters cut them up and then duct tape them together and have to replace them more frequently to save over the course of a 100k miles and if you dont drive that much its maybe 10 years the most a hundred dollars.

Because of the different type of filter they are going to become more restrictive when they are dirty than the cabin air filter will get when they are dirty.

[talnlnky]

i'd rather have cleaner air than more air.... the DIY way means you have the chance for better quality filter media. 3M Filtrete right here.

[jpadua]

Hey guys, I also made a DIY filter from simple materials, might be cheaper. You can also replace the filter element. The one I made is a bit crude but it works hehehe , but I'm planning to build another one but this time instead of cardboard I'll use plexiglass, but this will do for now.

Materials:
Aircon filter and nylon screen which you can purchase at any home/hardware store

Small cardboard giftbox which is roughly about 7" x 9" x 1"

How I built the aircon filter holder:

1. Cut out 1" from the long side of the box.
2. Re-enforce the box flaps with elmers glue
3. Cut out a hole about 1" from the sides in the middle of the box and the lid
4. Cut enough nylon screen to cover the hole on both the box and the lid
5. Staple the nylon screen to the box and lid, then reinforce with some Masking tape
6. Reinforce the box with more masking tape
7. Cut a piece from the aircon filter just enough so that it can fit inside the box

You will have something like this:



8. Place the aircon filter on the box


9. Place the lid upside down so that you will have a screen-filter-screen sandwich.



Installation:

10. Remove the glove box.



11. Remove the aircon filter cover.



12. Insert the DIY filter lengthwise.



You will have enough filter material, for several replacements.

[1stToyota]

Originally Posted by talnlnky

i'd rather have cleaner air than more air.... the DIY way means you have the chance for better quality filter media. 3M Filtrete right here.

You won't get much better than OEM or WIX for quality filtering, and if you do then you can almost assure yourself that airflow, blower motor and resistor will suffer as the result.

[BailOut]

Originally Posted by 1stToyota

You won't get much better than OEM or WIX for quality filtering, and if you do then you can almost assure yourself that airflow, blower motor and resistor will suffer as the result.

Those are fairly broad statements without anything to support them. I do not recall ever seeing an OEM or Wix filter that was allergen rated but the 3M home filter I used in this DIY is. 18 months of usage without an issue shows that it doesn't hurt any part of the ventilation system.

Before the hack there were over 30 posts in this thread from folks that had done this DIY and were happy with it. I understand that some people prefer a custom made filter but that is no reason to malign a proven DIY version of it with fabrications and alarmism.

[1stToyota]

Originally Posted by BailOut

Those are fairly broad statements without anything to support them. I do not recall ever seeing an OEM or Wix filter that was allergen rated but the 3M home filter I used in this DIY is. 18 months of usage without an issue shows that it doesn't hurt any part of the ventilation system.

Before the hack there were over 30 posts in this thread from folks that had done this DIY and were happy with it. I understand that some people prefer a custom made filter but that is no reason to malign a proven DIY version of it with fabrications and alarmism.

They call them pollen filters, and the WIX, Fram, OEM, and maybe another one or two have some sort of charcoal...mildew fighter...along those lines...and you know what you're getting. You don't know what you're getting if someone overdoes it with an expensive, dense home filter. I wouldn't want to be around if a vehicle was taken into the dealership with a ventilation issue and the tech finds a DIY project. I've seen enough resistors burned out to know that proper airflow is critical to their operation. They had cabin air filters that had never been replaced. Like I said before I don't know about the Yaris, but the Fords and Nissans that come to mind needed maximum flow, using a more restrictive approach wouldn't be better once the filter started getting dirty. Maybe that's why a lot replace them every 3 to 5K instead of the normal 15K reccomendation. It's not alarmism, it's just concern about people thinking they have the better than OEM answer for cabin air filters, but wouldn't dream of ever trying to show OEM how it's done when it comes to their other filters, like oil filter and engine air filter. You've just got two kinds of owners: ones that follow the rules and go by Toyota's standards for OEM parts, proper oil viscosity, tire pressure, etc...and those that will do it their way and not follow those rules whenever able.

NAPA Cabin Air Filters Are Treated w/ Enviro-Shield ! A Patented Chemical Treatment That Inhibits The Growth Of Mold, Mildew, Algae + Bacteria. The Media Traps These Harmful Microbes To Keep Your Vehicle 100% Odor + Allergan Free - EPA Approved

[eTiMaGo]

as with any DIY project, it should be done at your own risk. Use a filter too dense that it fries your blower motor, too bad.. Though I'd think you might notice that the vents are barely blowing any air...

[Lafiro]

Does anyone know if the major service include a cabin air filter, or for that matter any of the major services that are done at the dealership?

I just did this DIY and found that there was NO cabin air filter.
And this made me really mad, and now I see the reason why when I slapped the seats the other day driving, the biggest clouds of dust kept coming off them like I have never seen.

I have since then installed an cabin air filter, and vacuumed my seats clean.

If the services were to include the cabin air filter, then I will be going there soon and demanding refunds or free cabin air filters.... because that was not right.