Changed cabin filter, lots of noise, very little wind

[Khayward]

Changed the cabin air filter recently and noticed that the amount of noise doesn't match the anemic airflow from the vents. I've tried all options for different vents but no change. Any advice or pointers?

 

[J_C]

Take the filter out (or put old back in if it needs it to seal) does it improve a lot? If so, pick a less restrictive filter brand.

 

[peterk9]

Changed the cabin air filter recently and noticed that the amount of noise doesn't match the anemic airflow from the vents. I've tried all options for different vents but no change. Any advice or pointers?

Did you use an OEM filter? Was it installed correctly? As J_C suggested, I'd put the old one back in and see if you still have the same issue.

Peter

 

[ProjectSHO89]

Make sure you didn't leave the cellophane or plastic wrapper on it....

 

[TXScott]

The cabin air filter is held in by a plastic door(behind glove box), make sure the tabs of the door are in before snapping the door back into place to complete the seal. (Yes, de-attaching and especially re-attaching the glove box is a PITA, probably ending with you being upside down with a flash light screaming profanities as you swear profusely and damning the Ford engineer who designed the glove box attachment pins)
Also, most cabin air filters should have an arrow indicating the correct direction of the airflow, make sure this isn't backwards.

 

[peterk9]

Changed the cabin air filter recently and noticed that the amount of noise doesn't match the anemic airflow from the vents. I've tried all options for different vents but no change. Any advice or pointers?

Any update on this?

 

[Khayward]

Yep. Took a while as I don't have much spare time. Popped the filter out and ran the blower, filter was upside down. Seems like a slight improvement but not 100% sure. The filter is a Wix hepa one and does seem a bit restrictive, might pick up another, have to get lower control arm bushings anyway.

 

[peterk9]

Thanks for the reply. I would stick with the OEM filter.

Peter

 

[TXScott]

When the cabin air filter is installed, the arrow on the filter should point downwards.

HEPA is def going to restrict the airflow more than a stock filter, your car's AC blower sure doesn't need HEPA-level filtration and may wear it out a lot faster.

 

[Khayward]

When the cabin air filter is installed, the arrow on the filter should point downwards.

HEPA is def going to restrict the airflow more than a stock filter, your car's AC blower sure doesn't need HEPA-level filtration and may wear it out a lot faster.

I'm going to grab a less substantial looking one next time I'm at the store, will follow up with results.

 

[J_C]

The filter is a Wix hepa one and does seem a bit restrictive, might pick up another, have to get lower control arm bushings anyway.

Yes, the better/smaller micron filtering it does, the more it cuts airflow, and the more it causes your blower motor controller to heat up as well as it depends on the airflow across its heatsink, assuming automatic/digital climate control.

 

[Khayward]

Hi guys,
Thanks everyone for the feedback. I had to stop at the store and grab some ice cubes in a can for the explorer, 100 degree days are fine with me but Mrs prefers windows up and AC blowing.
Picked up the cheapest filter they had, a Microgard basic one, made enough of a difference that I can live with it - can actually feel the airflow now. Attaching a photo with the two filters, the hepa one being the fuzziest, at the bottom. Won't be installing that kind again.

 

[MrPlat]

I replaced my cabin air filter just the other day. I purchased the vehicle new and have never had it replaced before. I noticed that there was garbage on top of the filter when I pulled it out. Pine needles, a pebble, dirt, etc. I noticed that the arrow on the filter was pointing up, which seemed odd considering there was stuff resting on top of the filter. I put the new filter in the same way. Is there any way to know which way the filter is supposed to be aside from looking at how the old one was installed?

 

[peterk9]

I replaced my cabin air filter just the other day. I purchased the vehicle new and have never had it replaced before. I noticed that there was garbage on top of the filter when I pulled it out. Pine needles, a pebble, dirt, etc. I noticed that the arrow on the filter was pointing up, which seemed odd considering there was stuff resting on top of the filter. I put the new filter in the same way. Is there any way to know which way the filter is supposed to be aside from looking at how the old one was installed?

Arrow should point DOWN. See the video. Cabin air filter air flow direction?

Peter

 

[MrPlat]

Arrow should point DOWN. See the video. Cabin air filter air flow direction?

Peter

Dang it! I definitely thought it was upside down, but thought, "surely it wouldn't have been installed upside down from the factory." Go figure.

 

[J_C]

If the gaskets are the same on both sides and not a multi-stage filter medium (coarser on one side and finer on the other) then it really shouldn't matter, then the arrow is more to just keep people from wondering which side is which. I take that back, in cases where the filter medium has a metal support mesh, should have that on the exhaust side.

As far as it happening from the factory, you bought it used right? Could have just been last owner who put it in backwards, but it was working okay, right?

 

[MrPlat]

If the gaskets are the same on both sides and not a multi-stage filter medium (coarser on one side and finer on the other) then it really shouldn't matter, then the arrow is more to just keep people from wondering which side is which. I take that back, in cases where the filter medium has a metal support mesh, should have that on the exhaust side.

As far as it happening from the factory, you bought it used right? Could have just been last owner who put it in backwards, but it was working okay, right?

No. I purchased mine brand new. It has only had one filter change, and that was the one I did the other day.

 

[peterk9]

No. I purchased mine brand new. It has only had one filter change, and that was the one I did the other day.

Could very well be that whoever installed it on the assembly line just picked it up and stuck it in without bothering to check it.

Peter

 

[J_C]

If it is the same on both sides, then line worker might've been slacking off and got away with it because it didn't really matter, didn't flunk a QC test for airflow.

 

[texsn95]

Can you replace the cabin filter without having to remove the glove box and those PITA pins?