1st gen manufactured cabin air filter interest

These are good close ups, I believe that the general overall structure of the air system is the same between all models, which makes sense because it's large molded plastic parts. Regarding the screen thing, the only thing I can think of is there's that crummy PC fan filter material that is directly above the blower motor. Like, if you take the motor put, stick your head under there, and look straight up, you see two filters in a V shape pointing down at you with its peak recessed maybe 2 inches past the sheet metal that separates the upper/lower compartment. There was a post made a while back about someone making a little circle filter that fit up in there, I can't remember who it was but they had a framed picture of Kramer somewhere in it lol. If anyone finds it let me know, that shows pretty well what we're working with here.

Yeah, if you guys wanna be beta testers, it'll give me a chance to try out a couple of different filter media probably. There's MERV 1 stuff on Amazon I'm going to try first, but I'd also like to try MERV 4 and MERV 6 media as well. Again, not sure I can work with someone off the shelf simply due to space, unless anyone knows of a cabin air filter that's like 4 inches square. Maybe some 90s or early 2000s American economy car? If anyone knows of any let me know.

 

I’m interested!

 

Have you considered washable filter media? If it's that small it'll need cleaning/changing more often.

 

Yup! On page one of this thread I linked a McMaster-Carr product I wanted to try. Check it out, let me know what you think.

 

Looks like a good start.

I wonder if one could be made that clips into the top opening inside the cowl, instead of inside by removing the blower motor. I haven't been inside the cowl (yet) to know if this is feasible.

It may let you create a larger filter surface area (more rectangular) depending on design. Plus it may allow less restriction.

 

Honestly, it may be easier to drop the blower motor than to get under the cowl. Getting in the cowl is sort of a PITA and you're destined to snap fasteners off. I'm not the only guy on here that had to replace multiple fasteners when fixing the cowl leak.

 

That's something I was considering, but after taking a look inside the cowl there's the wiper motor arm to worry about. I suppose I could make a two-piece thing to go around it, or just have a small slot, but I think it would get wet and subsequently musty as shifty pointed out. Best option appears to be inside the blower motor area, probably, but again there's only less-worst options and lots of problems with each.

Edit: image credit to a now-deleted account, "professional hand model"

 

Yeah, the cowl would be last place I'd pick due to location of input air trough and access.

 

Well that answers that.

 

interested

 

It was a good thought though! It's gonna take the collective effort of a bunch of us to dial this in. That's what engineering is all about baby!

 

I'd be interested in something like that if it was available for use with one of the common OEM cabin air filter options.
87139-YZZ93 (Also fits 87139-83), 87139-YZZ92 (Also fits 87139-YZZ82).

 

Definitely interested as well!

 

Hmmm....

 

Wuuuuuuttt?

 

On one hand I'm really impressed. I know that took a lot of work. On the other hand I question how effective something like that really is. I guess it would trap some fine dust?

 

I give this 3-6 months tops before it's being mass-produced in China and sold en masse on Alibaba and scAmazon. One of his customers will either be the entity creating it, or buying it with intent to send back to PRC to be manufactured.

 

What MERV rating is good enough to filter out ragweed pollen?

If it could do that I’d probably be interested.

 

Been down the rabbit hole this am and did not know there were so many acronyms associated with filtering air....ACH, HEPA, Merv, charcoal coated....etc

 

Ah, so a min of a MERV 8 sounds sufficient. Guess that's not being offered by the OP.

 

I'm interested for my 2003 access cab.

Got a couple of notes and questions:

As for 3D printing: You probably know this, and I did see you mention ABS as the final product, but just to be sure: PLA does not hold up well in places like Phoenix any time other than maybe December-February. I've 3D printed various prototypes in PLA for in the cab that deform dramatically and quickly in the summer heat.

I use PETG for the final object and haven't had a problem. Haven't tried using ABS yet. Haven't felt a huge need, plus concerned about fumes in my apartment office, but I assume ABS would be ideal.

I'd be happy to beta test here in the desert dust, but may be a while before I get a chance to. Sounds like there are several others who would be better testers for you.

I definitely vote for ease of replacing (or cleaning) the filter with readily available off-the-shelf options.

I haven't been up under there for a long time and can't remember, but what about a filter further out towards the intake? Wheel well, or something. That could be super dumb, I don't know.

Last question: I assume the engineers designed the existing system to work something approaching optimally. Would constricting the air flow after the fact cause a problem for blower motor? Increased load, burn it out, something like that?

 

Well, hell, looks like someone beat me to the punch. Looks like they used a non-reusable MERV 8 filter (I found one on grainger that looks similar) but they've done it for cheaper. Can't compete with that!

The only thing I can think of is that I intentionally didn't add a lip on the bottom because my first prototype had one and it rubbed against the blower wheel. Maybe they've made it thin enough or the fit tight enough that it doesn't matter. Also, I was going to use about ~1" of filter material versus just one thin layer to compensate for the fact that the washable media has a lower MERV rating, but again, disposable stuff can simply filter better. But hey, if that works in a Tundra, it's the best there is right now.

 

Thats a pretty slick looking kit. I've been trying to join that FB group, but haven't been accepted yet.

 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cuz6Y3AP0OC/?igshid=MmU2YjMzNjRlOQ==

This seller rocks. Product for sale for $35 shipped I cannot compete with that. I think this thread is officially over lol. Just buy some washable media and you're set.

 

Hard to beat that!

 

I grabbed one for the 03 Sequoia we just got for our son. He shipped fast and the filter looks. Going to clean 20yrs of dust of the evap coil and install later today. I'll update if any issues come up

 

I ordered one too, and I don't even have a Tundra yet haha. Supposed to get delivered today.

 

I got mine on Monday, I haven't used it long enough to determine if it works but it installed very easily. Listing said MERV 8 but I kind of doubt that; I bought some MERV 1 material on Amazon and it looks very similar, I can see through the filter I got sent. Air flow in the car seems to have suffered too. I think I want to swap the material for something more like a house air filter, we will see.

 

In one of the 2 pull-out cupholders on the dash for roadtrips . . .