Installing 850 Cabin Air Filter

Post by **1997volvo850** » 08 Apr 2010, 22:51

I've read in several threads that a cabin air filter helps prevent the evaporator from
self destructing due to debris getting stuck in it and causing it to rust out. I've also
read that some 850 don't have it, and some do.

Did Volvo start adding the cabin air filter during a particular year? I'll be able to check
for sure when I replace my blower motor. It's down there on my TODO list so I thought
I'd query the group.

I have a 1997 Volvo 850 GLT.

Post by **BEJinFbk** » 08 Apr 2010, 23:14

Actually, the filter loads from under the hood and is pretty easy to access.
Pull a couple of torx screws from the plastic shroud under the wipers and have a look.
Passenger side. You don't have to pull the whole panel, just lift it up.

: Cabin Air Filter.jpg (34.79 KiB) Viewed 15847 times

Post by **1997volvo850** » 09 Apr 2010, 08:24

For all those that mention their 850 did not have a cabin air filter: did you install one?
Is it too late at this point, 13 years, to prevent damage to the evaporator? Sounds like
the carbon filter does a good job of cleaning pollutants out of the air coming in.

Seems like an oversight not to have installed this $30 part when the cars were sold given
that the resulting evaporator damages costs $1200 to repair. I understand lack of a filter
may also result in damage to the blower (another $400 to repair).

Or is the cabin air filter an after market invention?

Is there any way to clean out the evaporator area without ripping the dash apart? Stick my
shop vac down the air ducts...

What might be useful is a long probe with a camera and lights on it to probe the air ducts...
sounds like a cool science project for my son to work on.

May add this to my growing todo list.

Thanks

Post by **matthew1** » 09 Apr 2010, 11:22

I put one in, yes. I don't know that -- back in the '90s -- there was a correlation at the engineering department between not installing one and needing the evap repair, exactly.

Why some Volvos came without them... I think we'll never know. Just one of those factory mysteries.

Post by **jblackburn** » 09 Apr 2010, 11:44

SUPPOSEDLY all the S/V70's have them as it was made STANDARD in the 98 model year, but mine does not. I don't know if it was taken out or what by the P.O. (I wouldn't think so), but there just wasn't one there.

I put in the charcoal one after I was getting annoyed at the smells coming through the vents (which I later discovered was a clogged PCV) and it helped with outside smells a lot.

I'm not sure what the deciding factor was for the 850's or if it was just an extra option when the car was bought, or don't know if anyone really knows that information.

About 10 people have reported that their 850's did/did not have one - I have removed those posts to clean up this discussion a little bit. Apparently there is no correlation between the year and/or the model and having a cabin air filter pre-installed or not.

Post by **1997volvo850** » 11 Apr 2010, 18:57

Finally got around to checking if I won the lottery with regard to a cabin air filter. No luck.

I see the insert at FCP Groton. There are several air filter inserts of different quality and cost.
Any other sources recommended by the group?

There are three cabin air filters available at FCP Groton. The carbon is $14, Then there's a $11 and $23.
I don't see much of a difference in the non-carbon filters. Is the $23 OEM?

Someone also mentioned in another thread that some filters don't fit in the insert properly.
Any experience with filters that don't fit is welcome.

Easy to get to.

: I remove two of the three bolts to take a look.

Volvo just forgot to install my retainer and cabin air filter.

: No filter on my 1997 Volvo 850 GLT

The retainer is just one screw to install? Hopefully the hole exists and the install is as
trivial as it sounds.

Post by **BEJinFbk** » 11 Apr 2010, 23:01

Here's the skinny from the accessory catalog:

: 850 Cabin Air Filter Kit.jpg (133.47 KiB) Viewed 15705 times

Post by **1997volvo850** » 25 Apr 2010, 18:31

I received my cabin air filter retainer and carbon filter so I thought I'd finish out the
thread. This follows the other photos I uploaded earlier.

: Ready...retainer and filter.

Just lift the rain diverter...

: Remove the air flow piece that's there.

Insert retainer

: Insert retainer...

Insert filter...snaps into place...

: All done...

Replace two screws...I felt guilty and did some cleaning...

: Done. Takes only a few minutes.

PerthX · Post by **PerthX** » 25 Apr 2010, 20:52

My first 850t was a '96 and had the filter. Then sometime a year or two later they changed the filter so you had to buy an adapter (as seen in the previous photos) which you can probably get at a junk yard easy enough for next to nothing.

I just got a '95 850T and it didn't have a filter or adapter when I got it. It has both now.

It will have a newer blower motor and resistor both off a later model 850. The resistor was shot but not the motor (as far as I can tell). But, as someone posted to me, the resistor probably went bad due to the motor...there was so much stuff under the cowl I am guessing some of that schmutz fell in and caused some type of damage or excessive wear. Can't hurt to upgrade the blower motor as long as the glove box etc are all taken apart.

Post by **BEJinFbk** » 25 Apr 2010, 21:06

1997volvo850 wrote:I received my cabin air filter retainer and carbon filter so I thought I'd finish out the thread.
Insert filter...snaps into place...
I felt guilty and did some cleaning...

Thanks for posting back with the great pics.
( I think this thread may now deserve Sticky Status!

)

And very clean, too. Nothing to feel guitly about,
Just blame it on Spring Cleaning Fever.

Looking Good!