How To Change A Pollen Filter

[Ex-Galaxy person]

<moan mode>

 

So, I've just done my pollen filter...and what an absolute sod of a job that was. Blood, sweat, scraped fingers. I actually broke the filter frame getting it out. The old filter was filthy - I'm wondering if it has ever been done (car is 7 years old).

 

Anyway, filter is now held in the housing with duct tape, whilst I think about buying a new frame for it, and try to summon up the energy and enthusiasm to replace it. The duct tape might just stay ;)

 

I bypassed the temperature sensor for the booster heater whilst I was there; for some reason mine never fired up unless it was actually freezing, but it kicked in nicely today.

 

I'm no car designer - but I'd love to meet the people who said "I know - let's bury a service part in a really inaccessible place, behind the wiper mechanism, with lots of knobbly bits sticking out waiting to snag it when you get it out". OK I know they probably never said this, but I just can't believe they put it there - why not on the other side of the bulkhead.

 

Anyway, thanks to SeatKid for posting the original pictures - and for everyone else who posted - at least I know it's not just me.

 

I'm wondering if there's some kind of flexible sprung trim that might clip to the edge of the pollen filter housing to hold it in - might have a browse around eBay. I'm sure there's any easier way than that frame!

 

</moan mode>

[lazyb5]

I found it easier on a nice warm summer day started at 9 and finished about 4 mind you i did liubricate all the wiper mechanism and pivots. Two weeks later the run on pump went i never did get round to changing it or fitting new brushes. Next weekend then unless it rains ;)

[Dave-G]

<moan mode>

 

... I'm no car designer - but I'd love to meet the people who said "I know - let's bury a service part in a really inaccessible place, behind the wiper mechanism, with lots of knobbly bits sticking out waiting to snag it when you get it out". OK I know they probably never said this, but I just can't believe they put it there - why not on the other side of the bulkhead.

 

</moan mode>

 

 

Arr but it needs to be on the fresh air side to source outside temperature, If 'twere in the nice warm engine compartment.... ;)

[Ex-Galaxy person]

Arr but it needs to be on the fresh air side to source outside temperature, If 'twere in the nice warm engine compartment.... ;)

 

Sorry - meant the pollen filter on the other side of the bulkhead - not the air temp sensor.

[crazybear_uk]

Sounds like everybody has been out changing the pollen filter, did mine to day according to service record it had been done every other service , like hell it had it was black as the ace of spades and totaly blocked, and the difference in the air coming through the vent is unbeleavable can feel it now on your face ;) , Had to loosen wiper mech on mine as it wouldn't come past motor but only added 10mins to job all done in about 20mins :D

 

Ghia X 1999 V reg 1.9 tdi

Edited September 30, 2007 by crazybear_uk

[tbag]

I got a genuine pollen filter from fords, it was 4mm deeper than the one i replaced.Took it back, they said you have to remove wiper motor to fit it. I know its a tight fit but this one would not go in at all. T bag

[El Dingo]

I got a genuine pollen filter from fords, it was 4mm deeper than the one i replaced.Took it back, they said you have to remove wiper motor to fit it. I know its a tight fit but this one would not go in at all. T bag

 

Yes, the odour filter is thicker than the pollen filter.

You can remove the whole wiper motor and drive assembly - three bolts and the power connector - it's easy. Anyway, you will probably have taken the wiper blades off to remove the scuttle trim...

You can also slide the frame and filter in separately as I explained in my earlier post.

It's possible to do, but IMHO easier to remove the wiper assembly.

;)

[28vr6]

My V6 was a *&$$ never did get the frame back in without breaking it up to fit, tried removing everything in the way still no joy, as an a/c engineer this was probably the most difficult I've tackled in 30 yrs, may replace the frame one day and have another go, designed the car around the pollen filter I think

[sparky Paul]

I did mine a while ago, and it was a pig of a job.

 

The problem is the later wiper assembly - you cannot change the pollen filter without unbolting the wiper assembly. The earlier wiper setup is fine - the pollen filter comes out without to much difficulty, but as far as I can make out, the later one makes it impossible. :rolleyes:

 

I'm not sure when the wiper assembly changed, but mine is a '99 mk.1 and it has the later assembly.

[playboy]

thanks alot mate great help

[Bigjeeze]

I Have a Mk1 & a MK2 and in neither case do I remove the wiper mech to change a pollen filter. You are better off buying a pttern one as it is thinner and this does help a bit but mostly it's just fiddle and scrape and it all comes out and it all goes back in. I chnage mine every 3-4 months so I've done it many times with no problems(apart from skinned knuckles)

[Soldiersoy]

?

[mumof4]

?

 

do you need help??

[sonnym]

All I cansay is that you did us all a ginormous favor by posting this socompletely! Well done!!

[Horatio]

Thanks - this thread has alot of great info. Can't open the pictures though for some reason, perhaps it's because my site access is limited as a noob or something.

 

A lot of what I say here in my first post is leak related, as my quest to make my Galaxy a pond-free environment has led me here, the realm of the pollen filters and the free.

 

Anyway, did mine today and whilst I was 'in there' checked some other stuff as well. Ford designed my Galaxy to include an interesting water feature - in the passenger side foot well. Thought I'd investigate. Presumably quite a few people will be checking this thread as a possible source of the water ingress too. If you are, read on.

 

I think there are variations on the theme going on here, because I was unable to remove the frame/filter without dropping the whole wiper motor assembly. I attempted the 'all creatures great and small approach' right up to the elbows, but there was no way I could get the filter element to clear the box in which it sits. Never in Europe. Mine is a W reg 2000 GLX, with a Bosch wiper unit.

 

In fact, mine was so fiddly and seeing as I wanted to have a good look at the drains etc I decided to remove the Wiper assembly completely. I'd already gone to the trouble of dropping it an inch or two anyway. To do so: Remove the nuts from the wipers. Carefully remove the wipers keeping in mind that they are spring loaded items and could potentially smash your windscreen. Remove the 3 bolts from the wiper motor assembly, unplug the connecting plug (remembering to squeeze the plastic clips either side) and un-clip the cables from the spade-like attachment on the passenger side of the mechanism. Carefully remove from the drivers side whilst avoiding the coolant expansion bottle.

 

Following on from the instructions here, the frame came out no problem - but I noticed that the filter wasn't correctly fitted to it. Because the filter wasn't held fully open within the frame, it was quite apparent that the filter element wasn't fully covering the seal that resides inside the box. In other words, the pollen filter was doing sweet FA and furthermore, the gaps were a likely source of water ingress.

 

At each end of the frame, it's important to slip the plastic tabs into filter - this keeps the element at it's intended length and thus flush with the seals inside the pollen filter housing once re-fitted. Also, along the top and bottom edges of the frame, note the small plastic tabs (in pairs) on the inside edges that are designed to hold the filter edges in place. Miss anyone of these, and it wont be fitted correctly.

 

Back to the leak. With 1 source eliminated, I looked at the plastic shrouds at the base of the windscreen - where the wipers are bolted on. These plastic items snap into place, so I carefully popped them off and had a look. Each shroud has three lugs. Two of the three lugs actually locate on the occupant side of the bulkhead, somewhere in-line with the front occupant's feet. Water ingress could easily occur here too, so I silicon sealed (4 out of 6) where the lugs plug in. Every time these lugs are removed, they will need to be re-sealed. Source 2.

 

Then of course, there's the inner door seal. The seal that goes around the door entrance on the front passenger side door. Due to the aforementioned water feature, which was irritatingly intermittent, the bottom edge that fits into the door seal was rusty. Being stepped on repeatedly obviously doesn't help either, so alas, here was yet another way for water to penetrate into the passenger side foot well. The whole bottom edge had to be cleaned, levelled, treated and the loose rust removed from the seal - to replace with new is a

[Hollowmnoor]

Hello,

 

Can anyone please re-post the pictures showing how to change the pollen filter? Or even submit some new pics for the Mark II?

 

Cheers!

[Galaxy23]

Fantastic illustration seatkid.Many thanks.

 

Tried it this morning on my mark 2 and was able to pull out the pollen filter.The only thing I noticed was that there was nothing holding the pollen filter in place.Obvioulsy the housing was there but nothing to stop it falling out.Appears it is only gravity holding the pollen filter in place.However it is unlikley to fall forwards as there are lots of bits in front.

 

Does anyone know if there should be a plastic bat/tag to stop the pollen filter falling forwrds ???????

[cantona1]

Excellent work Seatkid ,great pics ,think I will give this a go tomorrow before the thunder and rain.

[seatkid]

Tried it this morning on my mark 2 and was able to pull out the pollen filter.The only thing I noticed was that there was nothing holding the pollen filter in place.Obvioulsy the housing was there but nothing to stop it falling out.Appears it is only gravity holding the pollen filter in place.However it is unlikley to fall forwards as there are lots of bits in front.

 

Does anyone know if there should be a plastic bat/tag to stop the pollen filter falling forwrds ???????

????

There is a plastic frame that the pollen filter fits into. This frame (with filter fitted) slides back into the housing with the free side of the filter towards the back of the car i.e. facing the housing. The front of the frame is smaller than the filter and there is a bracing bar halfway so its impossible for the filter to fall out. From what I remember, on the top and bottom edges of the frame at the rh side are two lugs that engage in slots inside the housing top bottom. You then slide the assy to the right before the lhside swings in to engage the tang.

Edited August 30, 2008 by seatkid

[rodders]

just to say great photos very helpful just done my mk2 03 sharan its just as you have described didnt have to undo wiper motor or anything bit of a struggle but done in about 25 mins still with all my skin intact...nice one for this..

[mrmotul]

Once again Seatkid, another thank you from a new member, took all of 15 minutes from start to finish, would never have known how to do it without your advice and pics,

 

Regards,

 

Terry.

[crafty]

Just to say thanks for the thread.

Had a real misting up problem on my 1.9tdi 2001 zetec gal. Wouldnt clear without the ac on all the time.

Changed the pollen filter and now get about 500% more air flow through the vents into the cabin!!!

Fan set to position 1 is now way more than it was on position 4 before changing the filter!

Took about 40 mins in total. Removed old filter in about 5 mins (was totally black and clogged).The new filter I got was about 5mm thicker than the one I took out so made it more difficult as I had to loosen the wiper assembly (easy though, only 3 bolts).

Problem now completely solved - no more misting up even with AC switched off!!

 

Also fixed the rear washer pipe at the front passenger side in about 10 mins using advice on here.

Many thanks to all on the forum.

[sainot]

Many thanks for this post, I did it, it wasn't easy, but i did it. Great instructions. Also worth clearing out all the leaves whilst every thing is out. I found loads which were blocking the drains and stopping water draining away which was causing my front windscreen to mist up all the time. Edited August 5, 2009 by sainot

[carper]

Thanks Seatkid

nice pics really helpful carper.

Edited August 13, 2009 by carper

[acecard]

Brilliant, Seatkid! Thought of compiling an alternative to the "Haynes" manual? Good pictures are worth thousands of words.

Talking about Haynes. I was in the local library a few weeks ago and couldn't believe my eyes when I saw a Haynes workshop manual for the Apollo 11 Lunar Lander. To be sure there's a lot of those going around!

Mind you, my local frauds now deal with Kia too so an Apollo franchise might bring in a bit of extra cash for them.