Is there a way to Filter the incoming air for the A/C?

[X~FACTOR]

I just changed the A/C filter on my wifes '01 Rav4 and it was worst than what you'd normally find in the air filter. Is there a way to somehow filter the air coming in?

 

[X~FACTOR]

bump

 

[SiLenZe]

wear a doctors mask while driving?

 

[Alec]

My VW has a cabin air filter. I've heard of a few people with not filtered vehicles figuring out how to stick a flat filter in the inlet, but it's usually very difficult. The only way to see is to try on the vehicle.

 

[X~FACTOR]

Thanks for the response, SiLenZe. Not exactly the look I was going for but it will sure turn some heads my way.

Yea, Alec, thanks. I'm sure there's a way to this. Do you
know where is the outside air duct located? Maybe that's the place I could put a flat filter in. I was thinking also to use house a/c filter so that it won't restrict so much air coming in.

 

[newbi]

It would be a bear to retrofit an air filter. What you can do is pull a switch that goes to the heater but is located in the evap. box. This will give you a 1" square access to the inlet side of the evap. coil. Use a evap. cleaner solution followed by high pressure water rinse. I was amazed at how much cooler and sweeter smelling my a/c is after I got the crud off it. Good time to flush the evap. drain too!

 

[X~FACTOR]

Is this located inside the cabin, underneath the glove box? I see a big black plastic there. I'm thinking that's what it is.

 

[Majisto]

The Taurus has a cabin air filter located under the windshield cowl. There are Ford vehicles that do this, and I thought the 3rd Gen. Explorers had cabin air filters as well...

 

[Alec]

Yes, your A/C intake is under the wiper cowl.

 

[daniel cauchon]

Alec where would that be exactly ? in the cabin ou in the engine compartment...

 

[BeachTech]

Here is my story:

I tried something like this on my 1986 Ford Bronco. I found a product at the local auto parts store. It was esentially a flat carbon filter that was waterproof (about 12 inch by 6 inch). It was sold as just that..a filter for the incoming air in your car.

It was meant to go under those vents in between the wiper blade arm shafts (below the windshield). I removed this metal piece (which was a pain in the a$$ to remove), layed the filters on there, and put the piece back.

I used the A/C all during the summer. The filters worked OK. However, a big problem developed in the winter. When it would rain, the rain would get trapped in these filters. Especially if it was during the winter and often cold, the water would never dry out of the filters. This caused them to develop a nasty mold odor. I quickly removed them and never did that again.

 

[F14CRAZY]

newbi-please explain just a little better on the cleaning of the air con. That sounds like a good idea. Thanks.