Cabin Air Filter
5 Year Member
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 797
Likes: 245
From: Southern Ontario
I just did mine in less than 10 min lol. I just pulled the rubber trim off(xlt),undid the 2 7mm bolts n pulled the top try of the glove box out. Way easier than I thought it would be. Didn't even unhook the glove box door. The filter was pretty nasty after 36000km. I had ordered the filter after someone posted a link to Amazon and had it sitting around for a week and figured since I washed,waxed and detailed today ide wash my air filter and tackle the cabin filter swap. Admittedly I probably woulda never found it without this site and got raped by the stealership to change it.
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 31,719
Likes: 12,550
From: Nowhereville, Barton City Michigan
Originally Posted by johnday 
My EX-wife had her Fockus in for oil and stuff about a month ago. The dealer suggested her filter was needing to be changed, $75. Some guy overheard the conversation, and said "Have your husband do it for less than half that". She thought that sounded good. I gave her $75.
Fixed it for ya
Well, she was that once as well.
My EX-wife had her Fockus in for oil and stuff about a month ago. The dealer suggested her filter was needing to be changed, $75. Some guy overheard the conversation, and said "Have your husband do it for less than half that". She thought that sounded good. I gave her $75.
Fixed it for ya
Well, she was that once as well.
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 707
Likes: 247
From: Indiana
I won't criticize anybody for changing the filter early, but it's probably worth noting that a dirty filter (up to a point) is a more effective filter. The higher air flow with a new filter is because the new filter is not filtering as well as the older, 'dirty' filter. More stuff goes through the new filter rather than being trapped within it, so more air (and everything else) passes through it. Eventually, of course, the filter becomes so dirty that very little air can pass through it; but the 'filthy' appearance is not a good indicator of that at all.
The old adage, "The best filter is a dirty filter" can be argued at length, but at least to an extent, it is definitely true. Changing the filter unnecessarily early not only wastes money, but decreases filtering effectiveness, which lowers the interior air quality (for a while). But either way, if the filter is emitting nasty odors, it's probably best to change it ASAP.
Just food for thought.
The old adage, "The best filter is a dirty filter" can be argued at length, but at least to an extent, it is definitely true. Changing the filter unnecessarily early not only wastes money, but decreases filtering effectiveness, which lowers the interior air quality (for a while). But either way, if the filter is emitting nasty odors, it's probably best to change it ASAP.
Just food for thought.
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,343
Likes: 395
From: Great Lake State
Thanks for the reminder! Ordered Motorcraft FP79 Cabin filter from Ebay ($17.74 - Couple bucks cheaper than Amazon same shipping time) and Motorcraft FA1883 Air Filter engine filter from Amazon.
I racked up 32,000 miles in 15 months...time for a breath of fresh air for me and the engine!
I racked up 32,000 miles in 15 months...time for a breath of fresh air for me and the engine!
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 714
Likes: 218
From: West Central Fl
I won't criticize anybody for changing the filter early, but it's probably worth noting that a dirty filter (up to a point) is a more effective filter. The higher air flow with a new filter is because the new filter is not filtering as well as the older, 'dirty' filter. More stuff goes through the new filter rather than being trapped within it, so more air (and everything else) passes through it. Eventually, of course, the filter becomes so dirty that very little air can pass through it; but the 'filthy' appearance is not a good indicator of that at all.
The old adage, "The best filter is a dirty filter" can be argued at length, but at least to an extent, it is definitely true. Changing the filter unnecessarily early not only wastes money, but decreases filtering effectiveness, which lowers the interior air quality (for a while). But either way, if the filter is emitting nasty odors, it's probably best to change it ASAP.
Just food for thought.
The old adage, "The best filter is a dirty filter" can be argued at length, but at least to an extent, it is definitely true. Changing the filter unnecessarily early not only wastes money, but decreases filtering effectiveness, which lowers the interior air quality (for a while). But either way, if the filter is emitting nasty odors, it's probably best to change it ASAP.
Just food for thought.
Gonna have to call BS on that one charlie
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 714
Likes: 218
From: West Central Fl
Just changed mine for the first time today. Truck has been dealer serviced since brand new and never mentioned until this service about it. I never had one in my previous gen truck so I plead ignorance also. Dealer price was crazy for it also. I am in Ontario and dealership wanted 55 bucks for filter and then 27 bucks to install it. I said pass. Bought filter on rock auto and converted to Canadian including shipping and duty worked out to like 30 bucks. Took 10 minutes to change it out thanks to the YouTube video. Could not believe how dirty it was. Truck has 37000 kms on it and less than 2 years old. This will be changed more frequently by me in the future.
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 3,337
Likes: 1,001
From: Lost Wages
Then why dont they install dirty filters @ the factory??
Gonna have to call BS on that one charlie
Gonna have to call BS on that one charlie
But if you start off with a clean filter, the same next same progression (mileage/conditions) gives you a partially clogged, but more efficient, filter.
The auto industry is now shooting for an initial efficiency of around 98 percent, meaning the filter stops 98 percent of the dirt it ingests. Jon Wake, air filtration product manager at Parker Filtration (home of Racor), said “a filter might start at an initial 98 percent but within just a few thousand miles, it’s gone up a full percentage point and by the time it reaches 20 to 25 inches of water vacuum, the usual maximum restriction range, efficiency has reached 99.9 percent.”
Two percent doesn’t seem like much on paper, but to your engine it’s a big deal. Going from 98 to 99 percent is a 50 percent decrease in the amount of dirt that makes it into your engine. This is why early or overly frequent filter changes are not advised because, according to Wake, 90 percent of the lifetime amount of dirt that passes through a filter does so in the first 10 percent of use.
Two percent doesn’t seem like much on paper, but to your engine it’s a big deal. Going from 98 to 99 percent is a 50 percent decrease in the amount of dirt that makes it into your engine. This is why early or overly frequent filter changes are not advised because, according to Wake, 90 percent of the lifetime amount of dirt that passes through a filter does so in the first 10 percent of use.
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 714
Likes: 218
From: West Central Fl
LOL. Because if you started off with a dirty filter, the next progression (mileage/conditions) is a clogged filter.
But if you start off with a clean filter, the same next same progression (mileage/conditions) gives you a partially clogged, but more efficient, filter.
But if you start off with a clean filter, the same next same progression (mileage/conditions) gives you a partially clogged, but more efficient, filter.
How often should I change my oil filter according to that theory??
Maybe every third or fourth oil change??
Cause I don't want to change it to often-- right??
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,726
Likes: 377
From: Arizona
Re-tired, you're making this out to be more than it is. JP2012 and All Cattle are right. To make you shake your head even more, brand new oil ALL THE TIME isn't good either. Oil works best when it is somewhat used. But when you change your oil, you don't replace it with used oil do you?