How To Change A Pollen Filter

[ridway]

Mine is a Mk11 2.3 petrol and changing the pollen filter was as exactly as you've illustrated, I saw nothing different (with exception of the engine). This is presuming the MK11 is the 2000ish to 2004ish model and not the very latest chromed facelifted one?

 

Rich

[seatkid]

Can anyone spot the deliberate mistake? :blink:

 

2 Clues....

The dirty side is uppermost

It was fitted by an ex Ford now Seat dealer

[Dally]

Seatkid

 

It's obvious to us - the damn things been fitted t he wrong way round!!

(note air flow indicators - dirty side should be the opposite one if installed correctly)

[gazza007]

Tricky one, could be mis-understood. Arrows could be pointing to the side where the air flow comes in for fitting purposes, rather than air direction :o

[Guest Turbo]

Just fitted mine. My `99 mk1 had to have the wiper mechanism pulled back as there was no room for it to slide through. Odd thing is though, it didn`t seem to fit very well in the middle and when I fitted the new one it still won`t sit in tight. Both ends are in properly but the middle will not push in tightly. The middle "clip" seems to do very little top and bottom.

[seatkid]

Odd thing is though, it didn`t seem to fit very well in the middle and when I fitted the new one it still won`t sit in tight. Both ends are in properly but the middle will not push in tightly. The middle "clip" seems to do very little top and bottom.

?? Those bits in the middle are not clips, they are just guides. The filter sits in the frame, the housing on the car that the filter/frame fits into has a channel on the top and bottom edge into which the frame guides slide. The bulk of the frame sits completely inside the housing, the guides in the channels. You haven't located the frame into the housing correctly. It sounds as if you located the guides completely outside the housing (which is flexible).

 

Get a good light into there and examine the housing before you refit the filter.

 

The trick is once you get the filter/frame about halfway, push the (passenger end) of the assembly as far into the housing as it will go. The frame/filter then slides all the way to the right, engaging into a couple of locating holes at the right hand end of the housing and then push the left end in and click! If its fitted correctly, very little force is required.

 

I can see me having to take more photos... :o

 

Gazza007, I don't have any problem understanding the airflow markings, only the dealers :o

[gazza007]

I think they have trouble understanding themselves

[Guest Turbo]

Er thanks Seatkid- it appears that I missed the guides going into place, er due to bad light in the garage and em......well it took ten minutes to do this morning outside on the drive with no problems. Cheers mate.

[graemer]

:lol: Managed at last to find a cover from ford (

[Guest nimrod]

Also found some plastic covered sponges stuffed into each side of the bulkhead - one of these was soaked. Any ideas what they are there for? Reminds me of the Leyland design for damping inside car doors where they filled them with a material that soaked up water and promoted lots of rust!

 

These sponge pads are part of the retro fit kit involved in stopping the scuttle drains from blocking they allow the water to pass through but stop all the large debri that can block the drains!

[graemer]

Thanks Nimrod - now I know what the sponges are for: I'll put the soaked (now dry!) sponge back but I will keep a close eye on this area as it is all very damp.

 

I suggest anyone that is thinking of keeping their car for a long time does the same because I can see this becoming a problem later on with rot if left unchecked - mine was so damp.

 

Great site - I have already got a huge amount of information over the last couple of months. Thanks to all who contribute.

[GaryM]

Just found this post after batteling to change my filter. The TIS CD made it sound sooo easy. And like a fool I belived it.

 

The filter came out pretty much as seatkid descrided by the thing would just not go back. Not sure exactly where it was fouling but it did not seem to be the wiper motor more the support bracketry. In the end three bolts (you'll see them) and the wiper mech is loose and then it is a doddle. Also noticed the replacement carbon filter was slightly thicker so glad I released the wiper mech.

[delboyt]

on the last picture tht's put up

is the drain hole there as it looks like a hole there ?

 

anyone know plzz as i got water cumming in

[Guest fredt]

The drain holes are where the inner wing panel meets up with the A post in the general direction of the arrow on this picture, there is a drain at either side, as in the description given you need to remove the sound deadner from the bulkhead, it makes access to the area under the windscreen easier, the drivers side is the easiest side to get to, once you have found that drain you will a better idea of where the other one is :D shine a torch into the corner and you will most likely see a collection of rotting leaves and other such crap! this needs removing, I find a well directed blast from the hose usually cleans the crap of the drain holes once the bigger debri is manually removed

where abouts exactly are you base Del ? maybe a more experienced owner who has suffered this problem could show you where to look?

 

http://www.fordgalaxy.org.uk/Forum/uploads/post-62-1076075586.jpg

[Another?Maybe!]

SeatKid

 

Used your wonderful instructions & photos to remove the bulkhead cover as I had an irritating rattle from under there... thought it might be something to do with the wiper mechanism.

 

Anyway, as I removed the cover a long thin piece of plastic fell out, I had a good feel around under the wipers, etc & couldn't find anything loose & I couldn't see where the plastic bit fitted! It's about 3 foot long, thin with grooves and curved. As I coudn't see where it fitted & it didn't seem vital I left it out when I put the cover back... and, guess what, the rattle is no more.

 

I reckon this plastic strip must have been hanging loose inside the cover.... car was serviced b4 I collected it so pollen filter might have been replaced and strip dislodged... and was cause of rattle.

 

But do you or anyone have a guess at what it is and where it should fit? It was hard enough getting the cover back in place, I'm not surprised it was loose. And will any damage be caused because it is resting in my garage & not under the bonnet!

 

PeteR

[gerryfr]

Thanks Seakid. I do owe you a pint.

 

I had a bit of difficulty replacing the frame as I failed to realise the dowels on the Right side (nearside) top and botttom were to slide along guides which are grooves in the frame. Once I got this it was easy.

[corskey]

Thanks Seatkid,

 

it looks easy enough for even me to have a try ;) ;) B)

 

Corskey

[italiastar]

Hi, do these instructions apply to the MK 2 - looking at the photos it looks diffrent - as though the plastic cover is only held in place by the wiper blades. Has anyone replaced the filter on a MK 2 who can help, please.

[italiastar]

Hi, do these instructions apply to the MK 2 - looking at the photos it looks diffrent - as though the plastic cover is only held in place by the wiper blades. Has anyone replaced the filter on a MK 2 who can help, please.

 

Can anyone please help - I'm hoping to change it this weekend.

[Thicko]

I've got a Mk2 and I changed the pollen filter following the instructions. I found it a real pain of a job, though and it took me a good while. There's a thin piece of fibreglass shaped to fit around various components that's a job to get in and out and easy to break and then you have to feed the filter across from one side of the car to the other negotiating an obstacle course of wires and tubes. At least my filter was nice and black as though the dealers hadn't changed it during their service and after the trouble I had I could see why they just wouldn't bother. Good luck.

[Guest italiastar33]

I've got a Mk2 and I changed the pollen filter following the instructions. I found it a real pain of a job, though and it took me a good while. There's a thin piece of fibreglass shaped to fit around various components that's a job to get in and out and easy to break and then you have to feed the filter across from one side of the car to the other negotiating an obstacle course of wires and tubes. At least my filter was nice and black as though the dealers hadn't changed it during their service and after the trouble I had I could see why they just wouldn't bother. Good luck.

 

Thanks for your help and to SEATKID. I did mine this afternoon - WHAT A PAIN ! I had to remove the Wiper Blades and covers - guess what the covers never went back firmly and I broke two clips in the process. After I'd removed the two widscreen wiper assembly bolts and lossened the third I managed remove the old filter, but could I get the new one in. Eventually I removed the third wiper assembly bolt and pulled the whole assembly out of the way - at this point somrthing dropped inside the engine bay - I dont know what as it wasn't a bolt or washer - hopefully it's not important - I doubt a main dealer mechanic would have worried about it. On the third attempt I managed to refit the pollen filter. This has got to be the most pain in the **** job I have ever done on a car. I cant believe any main dealer doing this for 20 minutes labour. At least having done it, I know how to check it, should I get a dealer to do it.

 

PS Had my front tyres replaced today - they threw in a bent sill for nothing !!! :lol: :blink: - ufortunately I was "supervising" them at the time as otherwise they'd have done the other three corners.

[El Dingo]

Hey Seat Kid!

Just a thought... Did you fit a 'carbon odour filter'?

 

When I replaced a standard white coloured cabin filter with the grey coloured 'odour ' filter, I found that the odour filter is thicker. I couldn't get the odour filter and frame assembly into position at all. The only way I could get it fitted was to feed both parts in separately and assemble them directly over the air inlet manifold.

 

Did you fit the grey one or the white one?

 

Cheers.

[Guest italiastar33]

Hey Seat Kid!

Just a thought... Did you fit a 'carbon odour filter'?

 

When I replaced a standard white coloured cabin filter with the grey coloured 'odour ' filter, I found that the odour filter is thicker. I couldn't get the odour filter and frame assembly into position at all. The only way I could get it fitted was to feed both parts in separately and assemble them directly over the air inlet manifold.

 

Did you fit the grey one or the white one?

 

Cheers.

 

 

I first went to GSF, but the only one they had was covered in greasy finger marks and had no instructions, so I decided to get one from the SEAT dealer - it was at this point that I realised that the GSF one was a thin pure white one, the SEAT supplied one had a carbon insert - oddly it was a fraction thinner that the original factory fitted one on the car - it was german made - I forgot the make and only

[dixie]

Hey folks just a heads up for some, might save a bit of dismantling work clearing the scuttle drains..

 

My 8yr old son says use a hoover to suck out the debris from under and behind the pollen filter to keep the area clean. A narrow tube hoover extension can be purchased and manouvered under and behind the filter.

 

Is he clever or what, I just done mine and it sucked out a few leaves and an acorn shell :angry2:

[buford_t_justice]

Thanks for the photo guide on this.

 

Just done mine now although it took a little longer than I was hoping for!

 

:lol: