Reminder to 2nd Gen owners out there...Cabin Filters

[Regal_GS_1989]

There was a little bit of a funky smell when I would first turn on the AC in my regal. Almost smelled like BO. Last night, I figured i'd check the condition of the cabin air filter just for shits and giggles. It actually turned out to be pretty nasty looking. It was all covered up in old leaves, tree seeds and even dead bugs. It was definately the cause of the odor in my vents. I haven't replaced it yet, but I Vacuumed out whatever I could from it, then tapped it out a few times and reinstalled it. Before closing up the cowling, I stuck a "New car scent" air freshener on top of the filter just for a little extra fresness.

 

This really made a difference. I will need to replace it soon, but this works for now.

 

I really wish i woulda taken a picture of it. It was kinda disgusting actually

[ZoomZoomFan]

Ugh. My grandma's '04 Cadillac smells like BO when you first start it too. I've noticed it for over a year now, but she's just now startedc complaining about it.

[Euro]

GP's don't even come with them

[digitaloutsider]

I left mine out for a while because I wasn't going to pay the dealer $40 for a new one.

 

Turns out AutoZone sells them. Whodathunkit.

[Lee]

GM does seem to think their filters are special, special high price. The wife has a Pontiac Vibe, Toyota Matrix in disguise. At Advance Auto Parts, I priced the GM Vibe filter - $35. Then I had them price the Matrix - $15. Then I discovered that the Matrix was a tad wider than the GM Vibe. Same filter style, just an inch wider. So GM charges $20 more for a smaller filter. They just had to make a change to screw over the Vibe owner.

 

Same for Tranny fluid. $3.50 more for a quart. Toyota - $5.00, GM Vibe fluid - $8.50. Etc. Etc.

 

I blew out the filter last year. This year I'mbuying the toyota filter and doing some cutting and gluing. $20, I can cut and glue for $20.

[Andrew]

this reminds me that i need to put one in my new GP! i have one in the 98.

 

BTW as already stated, the GP's did not come with them from the factory, so when getting one from a parts store ask for one for a Regal.(97-03)

 

and when installing the filter, it a perfect time to check and re-glue on if necessary, the weather stripping above the cabin air box. this not being on correctly is the cause for the leak into the passenger side footwell.

[99RegalGS]

and when installing the filter, it a perfect time to check and re-glue on if necessary, the weather stripping above the cabin air box. this not being on correctly is the cause for the leak into the passenger side footwell.

VERY good tip! When I changed my cabin filter a couple months ago my weather striping was still in place, but both edges were not seated.

 

Also, the most likely cause of the BO smell is bacteria growing on the a/c evaporator. This happens if you shut off the car and water is still on the evaporator (you had the a/c on), and bacteria happens to contact this.

 

There are ways to reduce or nearly prevent this. It's something I do whenever I'm about to shut the car off after having the a/c on. All I do is I turn off the a/c off about a minute before I shut the car off making sure the fan speed is medium or greater. This allows the water to evaporate off the evaporator. Reducing the chance of bacteria growth.

 

There is actually a GM DTB about this. And part of the correction is installing a module that cycles the blower motor for a second or two every 10-15 minutes when the car is off. Again, this removes the water drops on the evaporator..

[Regal_GS_1989]

and when installing the filter, it a perfect time to check and re-glue on if necessary, the weather stripping above the cabin air box. this not being on correctly is the cause for the leak into the passenger side footwell.

 

Well, I thought I had put mine on correctly when I had reinstalled everything. This was not the case though, as I woke up sunday morning to a flooded passenger footwell I vacuumed up all the water from the carpet, then pulled up the carpet on that side and vacuumed out whatever I could from the underpading then let it sit all day in the sun with the door open to dry out. It is pretty dry now, so i'm not really gonna worry. I put the weatherstriping back on correctly, but i think I may take it out again and glue it on, so there is no way it can move.

[Euro]

and when installing the filter, it a perfect time to check and re-glue on if necessary, the weather stripping above the cabin air box. this not being on correctly is the cause for the leak into the passenger side footwell.

 

haha...yeah, good info!!!!

[Chancho]

There was a little bit of a funky smell when I would first turn on the AC in my regal. Almost smelled like BO. Last night, I figured i'd check the condition of the cabin air filter just for shits and giggles. It actually turned out to be pretty nasty looking. It was all covered up in old leaves, tree seeds and even dead bugs. It was definately the cause of the odor in my vents. I haven't replaced it yet, but I Vacuumed out whatever I could from it, then tapped it out a few times and reinstalled it. Before closing up the cowling, I stuck a "New car scent" air freshener on top of the filter just for a little extra fresness.

 

This really made a difference. I will need to replace it soon, but this works for now.

 

I had to bring this back from the dead just because I got a good laugh out of it, WOW