changed the micro a/c filter in the E36

[BM WORLD 1283]

bugger of a thing to get out .

been there since 92 i think .

black and full of leaves and %$&^(.

$86 from bmw , well worth the effort now i can drive in coolness.

[Braeden320 0]

Where is it located Brent?

[BM WORLD 1283]

Where is it located Brent?

remove under dash panel drivers side , remove one lower vent pipe ( held by 2 pins)

right up under close to fire wall , turn a plastic handle , remove old filter (breaks into 3 bits) clean out hole with a bottle bush or like.

to fit new filter you have to break into 3 bits (pre broken marks) and slide it in on a fuuny angle with it bent around till you get it all in .

now i have ,more air at lower fan speeds and runs cooler .

had my cousin top up the gas a while ago but still wasn't proforming at its best i thought.

and every e36 /e34 etc that has had a A/C filter always looked like %$#&^%*& when i have pulled them out .

some links , but they are talking about LHD cars .

http://www.bmpdesign.com/technical/install...ter_install.php

http://www.unofficialbmw.com/repair_faqs/microfilter.html

[Yuen 16]

Good stuff Brent. When I pulled my old one from my E36 (built 1991) it was pretty dirty and had lots of crap in it, looked like the one in the third pic you posted. Not sure when was the last time it was changed. It's pretty easy to change in our RHD cars compared to what they have to do in LHD. I also used my vacuum cleaner with the narrow tip attachment to get out anything that might be left inside the hole.

Braeden if you don't know when it was last changed you should try it - the air feels fresher after (psychological maybe ).

[cainchapman 0]

Don't the dealers do it with your servicing? I would assume that mine gets changed as per the service schedule.

I'll check when I drop it into McMillans tomorrow morning for a warrant.

[Yuen 16]

Cain, it might be done as part of Inspection I or II, can't remember. But now that you mention it I think I've seen it on the checklist.

Speaking of which, when I called Team McMillan for the microfilter, they told me I didn't have a microfilter on my car after I gave them the VIN and insisted it did.

[Braeden320 0]

Good stuff Brent. When I pulled my old one from my E36 (built 1991) it was pretty dirty and had lots of crap in it, looked like the one in the third pic you posted. Not sure when was the last time it was changed. It's pretty easy to change in our RHD cars compared to what they have to do in LHD. I also used my vacuum cleaner with the narrow tip attachment to get out anything that might be left inside the hole.

Braeden if you don't know when it was last changed you should try it - the air feels fresher after (psychological maybe ).

Might do it when I get time on both the e36's.

Got a few things I need to tidy up on mine - Glovebox sag,Obc, a decent cut and polish

[isis 16]

should be in inspection 2

the e34 also has them.

but who hell sents their e36 cars in to proper dealers or bmw workshops to get insp 2 properly done anyway. they will cringe at how much the inspections cost - they just want the glamour of driving one..

[Braeden320 0]

but who hell sents their e36 cars in to proper dealers or bmw workshops to get insp 2 properly done anyway. they will cringe at how much the inspections cost - they just want the glamour of driving one..

Care to explain??

[greenday-rulz21 6]

Speaking of which, when I called Team McMillan for the microfilter, they told me I didn't have a microfilter on my car after I gave them the VIN and insisted it did.

[cainchapman 0]

I send mine in for whatever it needs.

They are the experts. That's why they deserve my money.

[threeta 0]

i still wince every time i think of the time tmc stuffed up a routine a/c service on my e36. they broke some very expensive switch which happens to be right next to the inlet port on the drier, and happily charged nearly $400 to fix their stuff up. the irony is that they outsource their a/c work anyway. I'm about to change the filters on mine too, as it sounds like there's very little air flow on low speed fan settings. I can bet they weren't changed during my "a/c service" . I've now decided my hard earned cash can go to nice people like hellbm, who found me a bonnet and door trim in double quick time.

Duncan

[Wom 0]

sorry for the thread dig

just wanted to say a big thanks to Brent for the instructions and pictures

once I knew where to look for it (and what to look for), the rest was easy from there ... took maybe 15 minutes all up

what a world of difference it makes

I could definitely tell that the previous owner was a smoker, every time I cranked the heater up I could smell stale smoke

before the filter change, I always had all the vents open fully ... changed over the filter and took the car for a "test drive" ... had to close the vents to half-way because of the gale force winds blowing through the car LOL

old filter ...

[cliffdunedin 8]

Another bump, but cheers heaps for the pics and instructions Brent, Like Chris i was amazed by the difference and how much cr@p was on the filter!

[Docile 64]

just changed mine last year. blower blows stronger now

[jom 98]

Change it annually. It's still full of crap after a year. I thought it was on Inspection 1?

Jo

[Neal 545]

Managed to check the filter by accident when replacing the hedgehog looking resistor which was causing eratic blower function on the e36 328. By the condition of the filter BMW servicing had replaced it recently which is good considering the 1 to 1.5 hours per day spent in rush hour traffic.

If you want to try being a contortionist try swaping the E36 hedgehog resistor thats on the passenger side up behind the console . Something best replaced by someone in there teens or early 20's.

I'll never complain about doing up driveshaft CV' bolts on a old school mini again