I changed the filers on my wifes Accord last year at around 30k and they were FILTHY. They were also a severe pain in the ass to get to - it required removing the glove box and a whole bunch of trim pieces. I think it took me almost two hours to change them.

Nice write up.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by airgate
[B]I believe Honda recommends that the A/C micron filter be changed every 30k miles and with GOOD reason.

 

If replacing the filter does not get rid of it, it is likely mold in the exchanger and/or the ducting - there are specialty products that you spray into the air intake to deal with that - BG Products makes one, and any auto A/C service parts supplier can hook you up.

 

Thanks AirGate:
I didn't even know that I had a micron filter!
Rick

 

"Fog" from the vents is not normal. It often indicates a lack of coolant in the A/C system.

Once you get mold in the ducts it is very difficult to kill. The best thing is to prevent it from starting by changing filters and making sure the condensate line is clear.

 

Can you squeeze the plastic rivet-clips from below to make them release without risking breaking them or having them fly away?

 

I used a rubber handled pair of pliers to push from the underside with one hand while I was pulling up on the entire cover with the other. I was pushing with the rubber handle. This worked very well. Be careful with the hood seal (rubber gasket). I had to replace one already, it had torn at the very end. The rivets are inside of the seal and it tears easily.

 

I GOT IT!!!

I tried finding a convenient way to release the clips. A 5mm socket did the trick, all you do is push from the bottom and the clips gently pop up without any drama, no chance of ripping the weather seal this way

 

Here is detail about the "cleaning" service I did..

Here is the 5mm socket I am talking about.



Notice where you need to put it, under each plastic rivet. There is no need to remove the weatherstripping.



Undo the first 3 plastic rivets by putting the hex end of the socket under the tip of the clip and pushing upward. I did this 3-4 times on each clip without any sign of damage to the rivets.

Here is a close-up of why the socket works. As you push upward, the width of the arrow tip temporarily compresses until it is the same size as the hole in the metal. Continued pushing on the clip with the socket makes it slide the rest of the way through the hole.



I decided to vacuum my filter and reinstall it (now at 12K miles) until the 30K replacement interval.



I took special note to the weave of the fabric. Before vacuuming, I held it up to the light and could see speckles of light, meaning the filter is probably not working on the "micron" level the name suggests. It's definitely not as effective as the engine air filter at stopping small particles in my estimation.

After vacuuming, I checked for damage or distortion to the weave. Things looked about the same with the exeption of the removal of the large debris. Therefore, I plan to continue to clean the filter halfway through it's useful life.

 

I've already ripped a few sections of the hood seal, but luckily it still works good enough.

I take my micro filter out every couple of months and give it a good vacuum... probably needs to be replaced soon though.