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Installation of cabin air filter. (56k warning)


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This is a picture of the air cabin filter after 28,000 miles.

This is the second time I've changed it out.

 

Second time was definately faster since I knew what I was doing.

 

You really should take the three screws out and remove the upper cubby.

 

It was interesting to hear that the 2008 kit will work on 2005-2007 vehicles but for the extra money I don't know that it is worth it.

PIC_0033.thumb.jpg.484d405929a8c3cf3620e07c214da05d.jpg

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Wow, didn't realize that Subaru was installing this conversion kit free of charge on the 2005 Legacy/Outbacks.

 

http://thel7.com/Recalls/WWW-07.pdf

 

I believe that is only for the very early '05s that got the original kit. By the time I ordered mine in July '04, the kit was not available, as they were revamping it. I had the newer-style kit installed (at my expense, obviously) a few months later.

Ron
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What size filter?

I bought one last year and forgot, moved, and can't find the rest of the filter.

I'm going to look around then head to the store to buy another filter.

 

I know you cut it to size 8.5x8.5 but what thickness did I buy last time?

 

1" or .75"

 

You know, I hate to be one - because I REALLY like the idea of making

my own cabin air filter from HVAC furnace return filters like the 3M

Filtrete, especially since Advance Auto wants $30 for the Purolator

C35516 (give me a BREAK !)

 

BUT ... can't unfiltered air leak around the ends of the pleats from the

one cut from furnace filter media ?!?

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I've used both.

 

I think the 3M Home Filter worked great.

 

I moved recently and my original filter is in storage ready to be cut up again.

Instead of buying another large filter and storing a second one (couldn't find the first one) I decided to purchase one made specifically for the car.

 

it was 20 bucks so after using the 3M furance filter I felt like I was cheated out of some money.

 

I didn't spend any time cutting so that was nice.

 

I think the 3M probably traps the dust better but I wonder if the resistance was too strong with the 3M filter.

 

The auto specific filter is probably less restrictive and therefore enables the fan to run better.....

 

but who knows...

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The auto specific filter is probably less restrictive and therefore enables the fan to run better.....

 

As long as you get enough airflow, I don't think it matters; I don't think

more airflow is "better" if you don't need it - and I don't think it means

you're loading the fan motor if you restrict the flow, as least not according

to what a vacuum cleaner engineer once told me.

 

I wonder though ... Does the airflow go through the filter when you have

the thing set in re-circulate mode ? Edit: yes, I'm pretty sure it does,

there seems to be a louver that moves when you toggle between fresh-air

and recirc modes, you can see it moving when you have things apart for

filter R&R, and either position air is sucked through the filter.

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really... I had not seen a HVAC system with a re-usable filter.

 

I believe it is called a "Lifetime" filter.

 

I wonder how that would do in a test against 3M top throw away filter......

 

It is hard to find hard factual info about HVAC filter media.

 

I ended up buying a non-reusable "WEB Odor Conrol Filter",

$10 for 20x25" (enough for 4, maybe 6, car filters). Supposedly

it has an electrostatic layer, an activated carbon layer, and an

adhesive layer (to remove particles). We'll see.

 

Edit: I installed this and it seems to work nicely - the airflow still

seems good. I did have to be a little careful shoving the filter

tray back in to make sure I didn't buckle the top (green layer)

of the filter.

 

Probably silly to obsess over it - whatever media we use, we're

still WAY ahead of all the cars with NO cabin filter.

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I guess I can't let this thread be, but my curiosity is getting the better of me ...

 

When R&R'ing the cabin air-filter, there is a big metal L-bracket that has to be

removed (with 3 screws underneath the owner's manual pocket); I can't for

the life of me figure out what this bracket is for, but its purpose must be pretty

serious, because it's some fairly beefy steel by dashboard-area standards.

 

Also, the instructions show removal of 3 (other) screws that are to the right side

of where you pull the owner's manual pocket out. I can't figure out WHY you need

to remove those screws (I can pull the pocket out just fine with them in place,

thank you) nor can I figure out what those screws are really doing.

 

Just wonderin' ...

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I could not easily pull out the cubby without removing the screws.

 

The big steel L shaped bracket with three screws is in the way of the area in which I use to remove the filter casing.

 

It holds teh velcro flap of material in place.

 

It is over kill for sure but it also serves as a place to put the three threaded hoeles for the three screws that go into the L shape bracket...

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  • 2 weeks later...
Wow, didn't realize that Subaru was installing this conversion kit free of charge on the 2005 Legacy/Outbacks.

 

http://thel7.com/Recalls/WWW-07.pdf

 

i thought for sure my vin would be in there (as i have the pita rip-dash-apart empty nest version filter area in my car), but no luck :(

it would cost me the 90$ or whatever to upgrade.

considering the language of the tsb, it appeared that it was made for my car -- alas, SOA has left a whole bunch of us out in the cold again with a yet another tsb that begins well by addressing a widespread problem, only to fail by merely applying it to a limited, tiny percentage of the actual "affected models" :rolleyes: -- sound familiar, oil-pick up tube?

 

way to go, subaru. bullshit like this is why i don't feel bad when jerks talk about ripping them for warranty work on modded cars. they steal from us consistently.

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As far as I know any 05 that did not come with the retrofit kit installed was applicable for it. It was only covered by Subaru if you were still within your 3 year 30k mile period. Otherwise you had to pay for it.
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As far as I know any 05 that did not come with the retrofit kit installed was applicable for it. It was only covered by Subaru if you were still within your 3 year 30k mile period. Otherwise you had to pay for it.

 

Subaru only covered the upgrade kit for cars that were originally built with the cabin filter. That wasn't very many cars and they were all VERY early production 2005s. Look at the VINs in the recall. Mine (sedan) is *209804 and my production date is 08/04. The factory-installed filter had already been discontinued when I bought my car.

 

-- Steve

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yeh, it's a relatively minor thing, and maybe i overeact a bit 2 posts up, but I don't think so; it's a trend i see in subaru's reaction to f-ups that they should man-up and accept responsibility for.

the wording of this tsb is appropriately apologetic for the admitted and well understood fault, right up to the point where they exclude probably 90% of the cars affected by it; the result of it all is something i find particularly insulting.

with respect to the notion that original warranty coverage = applicability: really, these aren't the kinds of things 3 years or 30K will change/impact.

also these are relatively inexpensive remedies (despite the inflated retail pricetags) that just highlight soa's miserly attitude up to and including indifference to their best customers.

btw, my car does have the filter blank built in, but is outside the covered vin sequence; I'm sure there are many in the same boat.

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