general cabin filter question and installation tip

[pppt03turbo]

hi all -

i purchased a cabin filter package #82206886 for my '03 gt. i removed the right side cowl cover and washer bottle. to my surprise, there was a cabin filter housing and webbed cover already present. all i had to do was install the paper filter.

i'm curious why the filter housing assembly was already there - minus the filter. i see no mention of a cabin filter in the user or service manuals. was this an error on chrysler's part?

anyway, i recommend installing a cabin filter. it's pretty easy to do and it does make a big difference. to save some money, you may want to remove the cowl cover and take a peak to see if you need the filter housing or just a filter. tip: the cowl cover screws are not really screws. they are more like push pins. they need to be gently pried/"walked" out with a thin flat blade screwdriver.

[Hooligan]

If I remember correctly from other postings, the housing & filter comes as a unit.

[dolemite]

Mine had no filter like pppt03's. Had the mesh cover.. I guess different years are set up different..? What ever. Went to Home Depot & bought an anti-Microbial home a/c filter. Took some tinsnips & scissors & cut it into about 8 that fit perfect.

$1.63 per filter = cheapskate mod of the week

[CREWZIN]

My 2001 had everything but the filter material also so it means they were fitted from the very beginning, just no filter element installed at the factory.

[pppt03turbo]

was a cabin filter part of an "extra convenience" group?

i just find it weird that chrysler would go to the trouble of installing a complete cabin filter housing - minus a filter. then not advertise a cabin filter system was available/in place.

[pppt03turbo]

Originally Posted by dolemite

Went to Home Depot & bought an anti-Microbial home a/c filter. Took some tinsnips & scissors & cut it into about 8 that fit perfect.

$1.63 per filter = cheapskate mod of the week

NICE!

i WILL DO THIS when my current filter gets bad. an anti-microbial filter is sure to block more crappy air from outside - than the paper towel material filter i just installed. thanks for the tip. i wish i would have read this tip and known i had a filter housing already - before buying the #82206886 cabin filter package.

[SRG]

Up to 02 there is a plastic piece that surrounds the square opening of the duct. It has an "overhang" on the top. The filter kit replaces this plastic part completely, and has the plastic extended out to the square rectangle to hold the filter element. I know this because I put the filter kit on my 02.

On 03's and up, they equip PT's at the factory with the plastic housing with the square outlet, with a plastic screen cover. Without the filter, the cover seems to be there to keep leaves and other debris out. All it takes on these cars to install a filter is to unsnap the cover, pluck the filter element out of the housing it was shipped in, and place it in the houseing, making sure the air flow arrown on the filter edge is facing into the car and re-snap the cover in place. Both my wife's 03 and my 04 GT are like this.

Just a few months ago I replaced both filters again, and they are still shipping the "filter kit" with the plastic housing attached.

srg

[customer20]

I had to replace the air conditioning evaporator, which is behind the dashboard of my '03 GT, and they said it went bad due to being covered in dog hair from our retriever.


I asked if installing a cabin air filter would remove the dog hair from the air brfore it passed through the evaporator and the local Chrysler dealer said that it only filters air coming in from the outside, and not air being recirculated from within the car. So it would not filter the dog hair, and would not prevent the evaporator from needing service again later.

[dolemite]

That brings up a great point/question; is there an INTERNAL cabin air filter to catch smoke, dog hair, etc. from recirculated air?

Anybody?

Bueller??

[tomcruz]

My 03 GT was built very early (the first batch that was produced) and it did not have the screen or housing.

My wife's 06 GT had the screen and housing.

Of course neither had the filter until I installed them.