Hi Folks,

I'm new to the board and was hoping someone could help me out.
I just went to the local quick lube place for an oil change today and they said they replaced cabin filters there. I had been planning on replacing mine for some time now, basically, because when I turn on the A/C, I'm getting a pretty nasty odor out of the vents.
Unfortunately, they didn't have one for my '01 expedition in stock. So I went to Pep Boys and picked one up (the last one on the shelf). So when I got home, I removed (what I thought) was the cover to the filter. Apparently, there's another cover under the first cover (or at least thats what it looks like). Has anyone changed their filter? Some closeup pics would really help. I searched the board and found someone posted pics a while back...but those links are dead now.
I know some vehicles don't even have a cabin filter, but mine definetley does. Just wish I could figure out how to change it.
Thanks!

Todd

 

Not sure if I can help, but unless it was a dealer installed item the Expy's did not come with a factory filter. I am not 100% on this however our '00 didn't have one and when the new service guy tried to talk me into getting our cabin filter changed, I asked him to show me where it was. He then stumbled and said maybe he would look at it next time.

As for the smell with the A\C well that has nothing to do with the filters even if you do have one. You need to do a search under ac smell and you will find a variety of ways to get rid of the odor. Good luck.

 

MHMCGILL is right. The kit has actually been discontinued as well. Even when they offered the kit, you'd be hard pressed to find a tech that wanted anything to do with the install. Once it was in, changing the filter was supsedly easy, it's just installing the thing itself.

Very few Ford products actually had the filter except Lincoln Continental for one, and possibly 1-2 others.

 

If you use "MAX AC" all the time, you will get more of that moldy smell.

Try using any of the other settings as much as possible, to allow fresh outside air to dry the system out.

You can also let your system run on "VENT" for a few minutes before you shut your truck off, to evaporate moisture without running the AC compressor.

If it's really bad, get your system checked-out. You could have a faulty componentr or a kinked drain line - the AC system dries-out the air, and this moisture has to go somewhere. That's why you get a puddle of water under your truck when you run the AC.

But the smell is mold/mildew that is growing in your system, and it has to get cleaned/dried out or it won't go away.

Newer cars have an anti-mold/mildew coating on their HVAC plumbing to address this problem.

 

Sorry to hijack the post but does anyone else have the same problem I have with my 98? The evaporator drain drips right on to the transmission tubing connector on the side of the trans and now it's so rusty, I'd have to cut it off and replace everything if I ever had to disconnect it.

 

You should start a new thread since this is a different topic.

However, yes, I'm not sure for how many years, but with my 2000, it drained right onto the heat sheild and cat. When it was very humid out, I'd come to a stop and it sounded like someone poured a cup of water into hot grease! Others had the same issue and some even had to replace the shield once it rusted bad enough.