Air Filters

I got all the parts I need to do the regular maintenance on my van.  Clockwise: Air filter, fuel injection clamps for the fuel filter hoses, fuel filter, cabin filter, oil filter, Fumoto valve to replace the drain plug, 10 qts synthetic oil.  I got all but the clamps and oil from Amazon.com.  The clamps were from Advanced Auto and the oil from Walmart.  All this set me back $162.57.  The Fumoto is a one time expense so that won't need to be spent again ($26.40).

After dinner, I started on the air filters since they don't have any chance of messing up my driveway.  I started with the cabin filter.  The TYC filter had instructions included.  A rare thing.

Red arrows show the clips.  Slide to right.

Cabin filter - needed replacing

New filter is much cleaner

Put new filter in

Fit the 3 clips front and back, then slide to left

put the foam shroud back on

Shroud back on

It is located in the middle back right under the hood.  Peel back the foam covering and unhook it from the clips.  There's a velcro flange that came loose from the foam that seals the cabin filter housing from the fan on the left.  Un-do two clips on the left, one in front and one in the back that you can't see.  Then slide the housing to the right until it is free.  My filter fell out.  It was nasty.  Definitely needed to be done.
I cleaned the bottom housing out.  The new filter goes in the top housing, making sure the air flow arrow so helpfully marked on the side is pointing up.  It doesn't stay there by itself.  Putting the cover back on was a PITA.  It was hard to get the back slots engaged at the same time as the front ones, especially since I couldn't see them and had to go by feel.  Finally got them in and slid all the way to he left, clipped the front and back lower clips, put the foam cover back on and on their hooks, and don't forget, the velcro flap.

Before I put the new cabin filter in, I inspected the injectors for signs of the "black death."  Doktor A recommends we all take the cover off the injectors and check to see if there is any leakage around the injectors at every oil change.  Since there was a little more room with the cabin filter off, I did it then. There are 7 bolts with hex heads - 4 on the right and 3 on the left.  A small ratchet wrench was needed to get to the two bolts at the back because there wasn't room above it for a screwdriver.  I should have used a metric hex head but didn't have one.  The one I used kept getting stuck in the bolt heads, greatly slowing me down as I used a pliers to get it back out.  Grrrr.  Yay!  The injectors all looked clean.  Put the cover back on and screwed all 7 bolts back in.

Red arrows show 7 bolts to remove cover

Injectors look clean!

Next was the engine air filter.  Not easy to access that puppy!  In the end, I removed the heat shield (3 bolts), unplugged the thing at the top of the filter housing top after clipping the cable tie on it, unfastened the hose on the right, and then pulled the top housing out of its hinge things in the front and pulled it out.  A real PITA.  But not before trying a lot of other things.  It hits the van metal in the front and the wiper fluid tank to keep it from opening very much.

Air filter - under the wiper fluid reservoir

There was quite a bit of dirt, leaves and a small wasp nest below the old filter.  The old filter was none to clean so it was time, too.  I wiped out most of the debris, then sucked out the rest with my wet/dry vac.  Set the new filter in the housing with the weather seal on top (it has a foam piece on the bottom, unlike the old filter).  Wrestle the cover back into it's "hinges" in the lower front and seat to the top so the rear clips engage.  Had to be careful to keep the wires free.  Put the hose back on and tighten the worm clip.  Get the wire free and put the heat shield back in place, put the wire clip back on the middle screw and screw it back in.  Plug the wire gizmo back in (front top) and put a cable tie around it and the wire.  Whew!

New filter

Air filter housing top removed. Heat shield pushed to side. Debris in funnel.

New air filter seated in housing

And then it was dark.  So I quit.