My AC in my Mazda was working, but the air was blowing ever so slowly.   I live in Arizona, so it’s always over 100 F in the Summer.  This little puff of cold air just wouldn’t do it.  Anyone who rode in my car would always comment how bad the AC was.  I bought some freon with the guage on the cylinder, connected it, and it was in the blue range, which was normal.  So it was saying I didn’t need to add any freon, that the level was good.  Which I couldn’t understand.

So after much “research” on the internet, and after a suggestion from my son, who got it right, the problem was revealed.  The cab air intake filter needed to be replaced.  So I went to my local “zone” car parts store, and ask them for this filter.  They looked it up, it was $22, so with reluctance, I said I would take it.  The guy looks it up on the computer, only to discover that they don’t have the part, nor does any of their “zone” stores.  So I said nevermind, I would find it on the internet and order it later.  After much pondering, I decided that I would save alot of money, and make my own filter. 

I had bought an air filter sheet for the house central air, which was the “cut to your required size” type style.  It looked like a green scrubby dish cleaner pad, almost exactly, but this thing was about 3 feet by 4 feet, the size of a giant door mat.  I cut a piece that was 8.25″ x 8.75″ for my Mazda 6.  Which was probably only 3 times the size of a dish scrubby pad.

Anyway, “installing” this thing took less than 30 seconds.  I started the car, turned on the AC, wow!  Full air flow, and it got cold quickly.  I saved about $12, by using my own filter material.  And come to think of it, I can probably make at least 6 more filters from the remaining material.  So much more saved!  I’ll post pictures later, to show the details of what I”m talking about.

Take care.