Cabin Air Filter Question ???
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 100
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From: Lakeland, FL
Cabin Air Filter Question ???
I'm thinking about buying a K&N cabin air filter for my 17 C7 GS A8. I've been smelling a stale smell coming out of my AC vents. But I'm wondering if I should use the K&N charging oil for the cabin filter, or if I should just use the filter without the charging oil?
What does everyone think about this? Thanks
What does everyone think about this? Thanks
Popular Reply
May 3, 2023, 07:35 PM
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 105
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From: Odessa, TX
You'll smell the oil, especially on hot days. Personally, I'd stick with the OE spec paper units and just change them out more often. BTW, the stale smell isn't likely from the filter... usually its a growth like mold on the A/C evaporator coil under the dash. Shops usually treat this with a foam sprayed up the condensate drain hose to kill off the growth and smell.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 105
Likes: 95
From: Odessa, TX
You'll smell the oil, especially on hot days. Personally, I'd stick with the OE spec paper units and just change them out more often. BTW, the stale smell isn't likely from the filter... usually its a growth like mold on the A/C evaporator coil under the dash. Shops usually treat this with a foam sprayed up the condensate drain hose to kill off the growth and smell.
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From: Jacksonville Florida BWO Dayton, Cincinnati, Bloomsbury NJ, Cincinnati
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You'll smell the oil, especially on hot days. Personally, I'd stick with the OE spec paper units and just change them out more often. BTW, the stale smell isn't likely from the filter... usually its a growth like mold on the A/C evaporator coil under the dash. Shops usually treat this with a foam sprayed up the condensate drain hose to kill off the growth and smell.
This is the answer.
Elmer
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I agree - doubt the smell is from the filter.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Melbourne FL
You'll smell the oil, especially on hot days. Personally, I'd stick with the OE spec paper units and just change them out more often. BTW, the stale smell isn't likely from the filter... usually its a growth like mold on the A/C evaporator coil under the dash. Shops usually treat this with a foam sprayed up the condensate drain hose to kill off the growth and smell.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-for-hvac.html
Pro
Joined: Apr 2015
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From: Houston Texas
I just cleaned out my K&N cabin filter. You're not supposed to use any oil on that one. That's just for the engine air filter. You need to get the cabin filter cleaning kit. This does not smell like oil at all. I live in a very hot climate and I never smell oil from my vents.
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K&N oil is for the car air filter, not the cabin air filter, use the OEM paper filter for the cabin filter.
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Drifting
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From: Melbourne FL
Pro
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From: McKinney Texas
A stale smell coming out of the AC vents is probably not something the filter will fix as mentioned above.
I was catching whiffs of crankcase oil or something in the cabin after installing a catch can/oil air separator under hood when I had the OEM filter in place.
After switching to this filter, the smell went away as an fyi in case you are picking up odors form the engine bay or outside of the car.
FRAM Fresh Breeze Cabin Air Filter with Active Carbon and Arm & Hammer Baking Soda, PART# CF11181 for GM Vehicles
The prices vary wildly on the same part# online and in stores. But if you look around you can find these for $10-$11.
I was catching whiffs of crankcase oil or something in the cabin after installing a catch can/oil air separator under hood when I had the OEM filter in place.
After switching to this filter, the smell went away as an fyi in case you are picking up odors form the engine bay or outside of the car.
FRAM Fresh Breeze Cabin Air Filter with Active Carbon and Arm & Hammer Baking Soda, PART# CF11181 for GM Vehicles
The prices vary wildly on the same part# online and in stores. But if you look around you can find these for $10-$11.