DIY 3M cabin air filter

[Titus]

After 5k kms, the 2 layers of 3M air filters (from Japan City) has turned black.... the carbon element lasted about 10 days before the smells started coming through; the first 10 days the air smelled crisp even going through tunnels

Just cut 2 pieces to size and wrap over the OEM cabin air filter

 

[Mille Pun]

Where is the filter of the car located?

 

[CHG-ON]

Great hack. Thank you. Any issues slipping it back into the filter slot? Are you thinking that it needs to be replaced every ten days? That's a bummer.

 

[Titus]

Where is the filter of the car located?

Here you go!

It helps if you remove all 3 trim pieces, but the second time I did it, I only took out the right and middle trims.

I suppose you can DIY some sound deadening in there too, seems to be lots of empty spaces and exposed sheet metal to transmit noises

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Great hack. Thank you. Any issues slipping it back into the filter slot? Are you thinking that it needs to be replaced every ten days? That's a bummer.

From the even "blackness" of the filter, it didn't seem it was making any hot spots; I feared it might create uneven air flow but ended up ok. The concerning thing is that I wrapped the filter on top of the OEM filter which means the air going through should've been filtered by the OEM element already and it was still blackening up the filter. Then again this is Hong Kong....

Ideally yes 10 days would be where the activated carbon portion is saturated with pollutants but yea that would be a hassle unless someone did it for me for free LOL. But just for dust/fine particle filtration the filter would still be good for about 2 months I think. I can't imagine how the Model X's HEPA and bio defense filters would work out...

 

[samleemc]

Here you go!

It helps if you remove all 3 trim pieces, but the second time I did it, I only took out the right and middle trims.

I suppose you can DIY some sound deadening in there too, seems to be lots of empty spaces and exposed sheet metal to transmit noises

View attachment 108935View attachment 108936

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From the even "blackness" of the filter, it didn't seem it was making any hot spots; I feared it might create uneven air flow but ended up ok. The concerning thing is that I wrapped the filter on top of the OEM filter which means the air going through should've been filtered by the OEM element already and it was still blackening up the filter. Then again this is Hong Kong....

Ideally yes 10 days would be where the activated carbon portion is saturated with pollutants but yea that would be a hassle unless someone did it for me for free LOL. But just for dust/fine particle filtration the filter would still be good for about 2 months I think. I can't imagine how the Model X's HEPA and bio defense filters would work out...

I don't think that's design for HK...or China...

 

[ediot]

Thanks for sharing. I'll probably have a look at this when i have some free time.

I got a vacuum cleaner at home that uses water as its filtering system (it's just a simple mechanic, like a bong... or hookah pipe). i wonder if something similar is at all feasible for cars - obviously you'd have to deal with water sloshing around and using a more powerful suction pump which drains more power.

 

[gmontem]

After 5k kms, the 2 layers of 3M air filters (from Japan City) has turned black.... the carbon element lasted about 10 days before the smells started coming through; the first 10 days the air smelled crisp even going through tunnels

Just cut 2 pieces to size and wrap over the OEM cabin air filter

Do you have a part number for this 3M Filtrete? I am having trouble trying to find it online. Thanks.