AC or other filter for second gen?

[WILL E]

I will poke around on the web a little but thought I would post up here.



Is there any kind of filter for the AC or fresh air or ??. Not for the engine but for the passenger area.



The previous owner smoked. He smoked a lot. I think he must have has stock in Marlboro or something.



So I took it to a detail place who did an awesome job at getting out the smell. They cleaned the entire interior and did some kind of ozone treatment.



They suggested that there might still be a some type of replaceable filter.

 

[Tom Schindler]

Check your owners manual. If you don't have one, download it.





Tom

 

[Robert Caffyn]

No cabin filter. Try to spray some of your favorite scent into the air ducts. It may take a while, but it should work. Vanilla extract works well with smoke smells. Bob

 

[Bill Koonce]

No filter in my '07 per Ford.



My advice re cigarette smoke is to have your ride detailed by an interior cleaning wizard who has a reputation for removing smoke residue. The tar in cigarette smoke is like glue!



I know that there are A/C cleaning kits that come with a special foam that's sprayed into the air intake. The ones I've seen are for home units, but I don't see any reason why there can't be a car version. Cleaning out your in-cab A/C and heater cores can only help. Let a specialist do this if possible, just in case.

 

[Steve McKellop]

The Ford manual has a procedure for eliminating A/C odors. How well it works, IDK. I posted it in my library.

 

[WILL E]

THanks guys, great advice.



I took it to a professional detailer who specializes in this type of work. They said I was 'lucky' to have vinyl floors and leather seats. THey described it as 'one of the worst cases we have ever seen' but perhaps that tell that to everyone.



Seems to me they got the smell out pretty good. My wife says she can detect a faint smell and the shop suggested there might be a filter for the AC.



I will let it air out some more and we will see how it goes.



I really like this board.

 

[EddieS'04]

I havent seen it but. Most major auto parts have a foam. You drill a small hole in the housing, insert nozzle and flood it. Probably cheaper than motorcraft.



Seen this on Goss's garage on motorweek. You might be able to find that segment online @ motorweek.

 

[Gavin Allan]

Rent an ozone generator (professional machine used by detailers) to clean the interior.

 

[Bill Koonce]

Whoa there on the ozone! Ozone is a strong oxidizer. It attacks rubber, plastics and other automotive parts. It can do far more harm than good!



I still think that a good, thorough cleaning job is the best option.

 

[Chad Merry]

Whoa there on the ozone! Ozone is a strong oxidizer. It attacks rubber, plastics and other automotive parts. It can do far more harm than good!

How/Why!!!

I still think that a good, thorough cleaning job is the best option

Why?

 

[Gavin Allan]

You aren't supposed to leave the ozone in there for a week or two. It has a half-life of less than 30 minutes- just ozone the hell out of it for a bit and then you are done.



Detailers use ozone all the time with no trouble.

 

[Bill Koonce]

How/Why!!!

Well...if you have taken a college chemistry class, you should know the answer. I'm guessing that's not the case since you're asking. How can I explain it for you without bombarding you with math and formulas? Sorry, but it's tough to say in plain English...



Ozone is a gas that is like oxygen, but with three atoms instead of two. That third atom wants to escape, so it looks for things to bond to. Unfortunately, things like rubber and plastic (especially urea-based plastics) are like magnets for the third atom. The gas can get everywhere, including inside foam padding and other porous materials that are common in cars. Even relatively smooth surfaces will absorb the gas and degrade somewhat.



Ozone is nasty stuff. If your car dealership says that they'll honor the warranty if your interior melts, go for it. Otherwise there are far more safe and less expensive things that you can do.

Why?

First of all, tobacco smoke contains lots of sticky stuff and solids. No gas will carry those away. They must be scrubbed off, or else the smell will return. If you use a mild soap solution and a sponge, and scrub every place that you can reach, you will dislodge a LOT of tobacco smoke. Once it's gone, so is the smell.



Those porous materials (seat padding, A/C seals, headliner, carpet etc.) need to be purged too. The A/C cleaning kit will help with the foam that's hard to reach. You may want to remove your seats and carpet (if you have any), and have them cleaned separately. Don't forget to wipe down any newly exposed surfaces! If you have cloth seats, you might think about reupholstering them.



If there's still a lingering smell, consider baking soda. A couple of 5 pound bags under the seats might be the crowning glory for this project.

 

[Chad Merry]

I figured you would give that sort of response again you are diving into a subject you are completely uneducated about. Please bombard me with your math and formulas. And try to avoid using Wikipedia for your answers and come up with your own original response.



And just for your reference I have plenty of experience with "ozone" as it is used to clean the water we use in our products.



So again feel free to bombard me with your math and formulas, I eagerly anticipate your response you find online. :bwahaha: :smack: