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 Post subject: HOW TO: Retrofit Cabin Air Filtration System
PostPosted: Sun Apr 05, 2009 2:03 pm 
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Location: Kansas City Area
HOW TO: Retrofit Cabin Air Filtration System (into Jeep Liberty KK without it)

This thread is intended as a "how to" for retrofitting the Cabin Air Filtration System into a KK (who did not get Premium Equipment Group II). Jeep does not officially have a retrofit kit or instructions to perform this work.

Before getting into the steps required, the following are covered;
1. Background
2. Duration
3. Tools Required
4. Parts Required
5. Step Summary

Background
If you ask your dealer to install a Cabin Air Filtration System in your KK that did not come with it, it will be very expensive. In order to do so, the A/C Housing must be removed which requires removing the entire dash and console! I have verified this within Jeep's service manual for the KK Liberty.

After reviewing the physical constraints, I believed it still possible to retrofit in the Cabin Air Filtration System. Thus, this "how-to" thread shows an alternate approach, as long as you're not concerned with cutting on your Jeep (and who should be?) and can work on a vehicle in tight spaces via only touch (since there are some aspects of this retrofit that cannot be seen, only felt).

BEWARE, due to the nature and quantity of information contained herein, this thread is gonna be LONG! Since this retrofit is moderately involved, please insure you read and understand the entire process outlined here before deciding if you want to take this on yourself.

Duration
It took me, with my father assisting, 2.5 hours to remove the old Air Inlet Housing. This includes that I had no idea how to disassemble some items and one trip to the automotive supply store to purchase a tool. To install the new Air Inlet Housing, complete with Cabin Air Filtration System, took a little under 2.0 hours, which included a trip to the dealer to look at something on other KKs that I forgot to document when disassembling mine.

Thus, if I were doing this retrofit with the knowledge of what is required, all necessary tools and materials, didn't have to run elsewhere for information and wasn't spending time documenting my steps and taking photos, I would guess you could get the old Air Inlet Housing out in probably around 1.5 hours and the new Air Inlet Housing with Cabin Air Filtration System installed in probably 1.0 hour. Thus, I'd guess around a 2.5-3.0 hours for the total project - more if you're inexperienced working with tools or on vehicles.

I strongly recommend this as a 2-person project. Although most of the work can only be done by 1 person, there are some steps that are really helpful to have one person accessing the work from inside the passenger compartment and one person accessing the work from inside the engine compartment. Plus, if you get tired or frustrated fighting the tight space constraints, perhaps your partner can step in.

Tools Required (kind of listed in the order first utilized)
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a. optional fender cover(s). If you're not going to use fender covers but aren't ready to scratch up your Liberty's fenders, then at least untuck your shirt (if it isn't already) and let it hang over your belt buckle.
b. blanket or sheet to fully cover the front passenger seat when fully reclined.
c. (2) flashlights (1 to leave in the passenger compartment and 1 to leave in the engine compartment)
d. 1x2 or 1x3 lumber, or similar item, cut to 48" long. It must be stout, it will be holding the hood open past its normal open position.
e. small container(s) to hold and keep track of fasteners being removed and that will be reused
f. small prying tool(s) such as forked pry driver, putty knife, flat bladed large screwdriver or trim stick tool, etc.
g. 15mm socket, socket wrench and short (2" or so) extension
h. windshield wiper arm removal tool (cost me $13 at local auto parts store). Alternately, if you have a battery terminal puller tool, you could probably use it instead.
i. 10mm socket, socket wrench and short (2" or so) extension
j. Torx T-20 bit for socket wrench
k. safety glasses
l. cutting blade tool. You need a hand-held manual cutting tool that has a blade that extends beyond the handle without any other part of it in the way. I used a tool I've had forever that holds a saber-saw blade sticking out of it.
m. flat pry bar (aka wonder bar, super bar, etc.). I'd recommend one no larger than 12" or so.
n. optional wooden shim
o. ice pick (or similarly pointed tool)
p. foam weather-stripping, 3/4"W x 1/2"H (or 7/16"H) x at least 36"Long
q. optional some non-residue blue masking tape
r. optional digital camera to document assembly of parts before and as they are disassembled
s. some patience...

Parts Required
P/N 68033192AA = Inlet Air Housing, includes recirculation door and (2) filters
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I got this part as part of the package of dealer-installed options and loose parts I negotiated with the purchase of my custom-ordered KK. I wound up paying about $22 for this part. If you're going in to order just this part by itself, I would expect to pay more, maybe $30 or so.

Here is what this part, or assembly, looks like out of the box:
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If you tend to break those little plastic push-pin rivets when removing them, then you'd better get some of those too.

Step Summary
Step 1: Expose Existing Air Inlet Housing Behind Glove Box
Step 2: Remove Both Front Wiper Blade Arms
Step 3: Remove the Cowl Grille
Step 4: Remove the Air Inlet Screen
Step 5: Remove Screw Securing Front of Air Inlet Housing
Step 6: Cut Off Low-Hanging Plastic Tab
Step 7: Cut Air Inlet Housing Foam "Gasket"
Step 8: Open Air Inlet Housing Front Tab
Step 9: Remove Air Inlet Housing from Front Retainers
Step 10: Remove Recirculation Door Actuator
Step 11: (Finally) Remove Air Inlet Housing (in parts)
CONGRATULATIONS! - THE HARDEST AND WORST STEPS ARE DONE!
Step 12: Prepare new Air Inlet Housing
Step 13: Install Larger Housing Half
Step 14: Install Recirculation Door
Step 15: Install Smaller Housing Half
Step 16: Assemble the new Air Inlet Housing
Step 17: Reattach Recirculation Door Actuator
Step 18: Test Recirculation Door
Step 19: Set New Air Inlet Housing Assembly
Step 20: Reinstall Screw Securing Front of Air Inlet Housing
Step 21: Install Weather-stripping as New Gasket
Step 22: Reinstall Air Inlet Screen
Step 23: Reinstall Cowl Grille
Step 24: Reinstall Both Front Wiper Blade Arms
Step 25: Install Cabin Air Filtration Media (Filters)
Step 26: Close Glove Box
Step 27: Enjoy Cabin Air Filtration


Ok, so here's the steps in detail:

Step 1: Expose Existing Air Inlet Housing Behind Glove Box
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From within the passenger compartment, open and empty the glove box of contents. When the glove box is fully open, there is a tab on the top of each side that has a little finger that sticks out the side to keep the glove box from coming any further open as shown below:
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Press each tab inward toward the center of the glove box as shown below:
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With both tabs pulled inward, rotate the glove box further open until the little finger tabs clear as shown below:
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Allow the glove box to swing and hang all the way down as shown:
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Now you can see the existing Air Inlet Housing that looks pretty similar to the new part you've got but the one installed doesn't have any room to hold the pleated air filters. You can see by this view looking in through the glove box opening, there are pretty tight confines.
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Take a good look, if you're intimidated by working within this tight cavity, then this is your best chance to punt and turn back.

If you're going to proceed, then move the front passenger seat all the way back, recline it and fully cover it with a sheet, blanket or similar item to protect it during the project.

Step 2: Remove Both Front Wiper Blade Arms
Now, from the engine compartment, take note of where the wiper blades sit on the windshield relative to the dark area at the bottom. You may want to even put some (blue non-residue) masking tape on the windshield where the wiper sits when off. I don't have a photo of this because I totally spaced out marking the original location of the wiper blades before I removed them. Thus, I wound up driving back to the dealer to look at how the wiper blades sit on KKs before I could reinstall my wiper blades.

Open the hood. If you're going to use fender cover(s), then put them on now. If you aren't going to use fender cover(s), then you better at least put your shirt or a sweatshirt over your belt buckle. You will be leaning over into the engine compartment a lot so you don't want to risk any metal objects scratching up your fenders (unless your KK already has all types of trail rash on it in which case why the heck would you be installing Cabin Air Filtration?).

Now, take the 48" long piece of lumber, or whatever, and prop the hood open way higher (e.g. more open) than normal. Wedge your 48" prop between the hood latch ring on the bottom of the hood and into the center of the fluid reservoir like below:
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WARNING: Be sure the hood is securely held open. The KK hood is heavy and if you knocked this prop accidentally out of place and/or the hood fell, it could cause serious injury!
Leave the hood propped so far open as it will facilitate getting to and looking at the work from the engine compartment side.

Carefully pry the plastic nut cap off the pivot end of each wiper blade arm as shown with your small prying tool (e.g. trim stick tool, forked pry driver, putty knife or flat bladed large screwdriver):
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this exposes the nut which secures each wiper blade arm to the wiper pivot shaft:
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Now lift each wiper blade arm to its over-center position to hold the wiper blade as far off the glass as it will go. Note, the wiper blade arms will be lifting on the inside of the hood. Moving the wiper blade arms to their over-center position relieves the spring tension at the connection between the wiper blade arm and the pivot shaft.
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Remove the nut that secures the wiper blade arm to its pivot shaft with a 15mm socket and wrench.

Here is another opportunity to match-mark the wiper blade arm and its pivot shaft. You could use a marker or a small dab of paint lined up on both parts and spanning across where they meet. Sorry, again I don't have a photo of doing this because I didn't and it cost me time and a trip to look at other KKs.

Now, break out the windshield wiper arm removal tool (about $13 at local auto parts store):
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and use the windshield wiper arm removal tool, or equivalent, to remove each of the wiper blade arms from their pivot shafts.
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I'm not sure if it makes any difference, but I kept my wiper blade arms staged so I could reinstall the appropriate one back on its original pivot shaft.

Step 3: Remove the Cowl Grille
The cowl grille is that formed plastic piece that butts up against the base of the windshield from inside the engine compartment as shown below:
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Remove the U-shaped protective edging at the leading, or front, edge of the cowl grille. I think this piece is called, and acts as, the hood seal. It just pulls off by pulling toward the front of the vehicle:
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Remove (4) plastic push-pin rivets along the front edge of the cowl grille. To remove them, insert your small prying tool under the smaller and innermost head as shown, pry upward some (maybe 1/4" or so), then lift the entire plastic push-pin rivets upward and out of the hole as shown below:
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Remove (2) larger plastic push-pin rivets at the back corners of the cowl grille (near the windshield and hood hinges). As before, to remove them, insert your small prying tool in the small recessed area of the head, pry upward (maybe 3/8" or so), then lift the entire plastic push-pin rivet upward and out of the hole as shown:
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Remove the cowl grille piece. You have to lift it over the wiper blade arm pivot shafts as well as tilt it upward a little since underneath the back of it there are little formed fingers that hook under the bottom of the windshield glass. Below shows the cowl grille just removed:
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Keep all these pieces (e.g. push-pin rivets, cowl grille, etc.) as they will be reused.

Now you've got the engine compartment side of this project exposed. On the passenger side of the engine compartment below where the cowl grille was, you see this area:
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Step 4: Remove the Air Inlet Screen
Looking down at the Air Inlet Screen looks as below:
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Remove the (2) nuts securing the Air Inlet Screen on the side toward the center of the vehicle by using a 10mm socket and socket wrench with short extension. These nuts come up off studs that extend upward from the cowl panel.

Once the (2) nuts are removed, slide the Air Inlet Screen upward and toward the center of the vehicle to disengage it from the two retaining studs that are outboard (toward the outside body fender). Then pull the Air Inlet Screen upward and out of the hole in the cowl plate as shown below:
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Here's what the Air Inlet Screen part looks like when removed:
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Step 5: Remove Screw Securing Front of Air Inlet Housing
Now, back inside the vehicle's passenger compartment and into the opening behind the glove box. Remove the (1) screw securing the front of the Air Inlet Housing down to the A/C Housing below it. To remove this screw, you'll need a Torx T-20 bit on a socket wrench as shown:
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As with every fastener removed, keep it since it will be reused.

Step 6: Cut Off Low-Hanging Plastic Tab
Remember this plastic boxy tab hanging down and serving no current purpose?
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Well, it's got to go. I speculate it is a hold-over from the manufacturing of the plastic element under the dash and/or used during some part of vehicle assembly, maybe even as a lift point used to set the entire dash sub-assembly into the vehicle - I dunno but I do know it isn't being used now and is in the way of this retrofit.

While wearing safety glasses, cut this low-hanging boxy plastic tab off with the cutting blade tool as shown:
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Don't get in a hurry. Cut the tab off as close to flush with the bottom of the surrounding plastic as you can.

Step 7: Cut Air Inlet Housing Foam "Gasket"
The Air Inlet Housing, just like the new one to be installed, is made up of two halves plus a recirculation air damper/door. The Air Inlet Housing must be split into its two halves to be removed (unless you want to remove the entire dash assembly). Before you can split the Air Inlet Housing, cut the foam "gasket" on the upper surface, as visible from the engine compartment side. Cut the foam "gasket" in-line with the seam between the two halves of the Air Inlet Housing.
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Step 8: Open Air Inlet Housing Front Tab
Back inside the vehicle and the cavity behind the glove box, lift the Air Inlet Housing up off the circular lip it is seated on. Open the tab shown and split the Air Inlet Housing into its two halves.
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Step 9: Remove Air Inlet Housing from Front Retainers
Caution - high PITA factor: The Air Inlet Housing has two tab that stick out toward the front of the vehicle into retaining tabs that extend up from the A/C Housing. These retaining tabs keep you from rotating the Air Inlet Housing or lifting the front (e.g. the side closest to the vehicle front) up very much. You cannot see any of this until you remove the Air Inlet Housing. I struggled with this for a long time trying to figure out what was there and what my constraints were. Once I understood what I was dealing with, I was able to get these retaining tabs released off the two tabs on the front of the Air Inlet Housing. This part is probably one of the biggest hassles of this whole undertaking. Once you complete this step, you're essentially committed to completing the project.

Below is a photo of the two tabs that stick out horizontally on the front of the Air Inlet Housing (photo taken after I removed it):
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Below is a photo of the two retaining tabs that extend vertically upward from the A/C Housing (again, photo taken after I removed the Air Inlet Housing):
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Ok, now with that understanding, you have to reach blindly down through the engine compartment opening above the Air Inlet Housing:
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Feel down in front of the Air Inlet Housing to feel the two tabs that stick out of it and are constrained by the two retaining tabs coming up from below. Insert the slightly tapered end of the flat pry bar down into the (engine compartment) opening above the Air Inlet Housing so the flat blade is on the outside of the Air Inlet Housing, actually between the Air Inlet Housing and the vertical retaining tab. I started with the outboard retaining tab (e.g. the one closest to the outside of the vehicle). Pry the retaining tab toward the front of the vehicle until you can get the tab that sticks out the front of the Air Inlet Housing loose (e.g. upward a little).

Once you get the outboard Air Inlet Housing tab free from its retaining tab, wedge something from the passenger compartment side, on the outboard side you just freed, in between the bottom of the Air Inlet Housing and the circular lip it was sitting on (that is part of the A/C Housing). This is one of those steps where having a second person involved really helps.

Now, repeat this process and pry the innermost Air Inlet Housing tab (e.g. the one closest to the center of the vehicle) free from its retaining clip. Once it is free, then with both Air Inlet Housing front tabs free, rotate the entire Air Inlet Housing counterclockwise (about a vertical axis). At this point, you're now pretty much committed. You're past the most knuckle-busting portion of the work and to punt and return back to where you started is nearly as much work as finishing. Hang in there!

Sorry there aren't any good photos of this, but my X-Ray camera was broken! It was hard enough to get fingers blindly into the areas involved in this step and thus essentially impossible to get any photos.

Step 10: Remove Recirculation Door Actuator
With Air Inlet Housing rotated as noted in the previous step, this should rotate the Recirculation Door Actuator (e.g. little motor) closer to the glove box opening. The wires should come into the Recirculation Door Housing from the side closest to the engine compartment. Note, even with that boxy plastic tab cut off the bottom of the dash structure, it is still tricky rotating the Air Inlet Housing within the cavity where it resides. There are two (self-tapping) screws that secure the Recirculation Door Actuator to the Air Inlet Housing. You should be able to see one and the other it can probably only be felt. It is at the top of Actuator and closest to the firewall (or engine compartment). You may want to look at the screw holes on the new Air Inlet Housing yet to be installed to understand where these screws are that secure the Recirculation Door Actuator are.

Again using the Torx T-20 bit in a short extension in a socket wrench, loosen and remove both screws. You'll have to feel to get the Torx bit into the screw that is out-of-sight. Due to space constraints, I could only loosen the Torx screws with the socket wrench. I then wound up using just the short socket wrench extension and the bit to unscrew the screws the rest of the way. Be careful not to let either screw drop.

Once both screws are removed from the actuator, you can pull it off the Air Inlet Housing. It looks like this when removed:
(side that faced away from Air Inlet Housing):
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(side that faced the Air Inlet Housing, not shaft has flat spot for alignment):
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Step 11: (Finally) Remove Air Inlet Housing (in parts)
Orient the Air Inlet Housing so you can (best) best get to the retaining clip on the front of it (toward the engine compartment between, but above, the two horizontal tabs) as shown below (after removed):
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There is a small metal C-type clip on top toward the passenger compartment side. Below is a photo of it. While wearing safety glasses, reach in the glove box opening, put a finger from one hand on the C-type clip to keep it from springing off into never-never land, and with the other hand, push the point of the ice pick tool into one side of the C-type clip and move it away from the center of the "C" to spring it open and out lift one end out of its pocket. This was another one of those maneuvers done purely by feel. Once you have one side of the C-type clip released, then remove the ice pick tool and grab the C-type clip and remove it from the top of the Air Inlet Housing. Below is a photo of the C-type clip partially engaged on the top of the Air Inlet Housing (again, photo taken after the housing was removed from the vehicle):
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Now the Air Inlet Housing can be broken into two halves. Again, you may want to inspect the new Air Inlet Housing to understand how it is assembled to help you disassemble the existing Air Inlet Housing. Disassemble the existing Air Inlet Housing into 3 pieces - the larger housing half (which the Recirculation Door Actuator attached to), the smaller housing half and the Recirculation Door (or damper). Wiggle the smaller housing half out through the glove box opening. The Recirculation Door can be removed either through the glove box opening or up and out through the opening in the engine compartment cowl plate (where the Air Inlet Screen was). Last, but not least, wiggle the larger Air Inlet Housing half out through the glove box opening.

With the Air Inlet Housing removed, here is what the cavity where it was should look like empty (from the passenger compartment side):
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and then looking downward into the A/C Housing blower wheel (from the engine compartment side):
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Clean out any debris down in the A/C Housing area or blower wheel.

CONGRATULATIONS! - THE HARDEST AND WORST STEPS ARE DONE!

Step 12: Prepare new Air Inlet Housing
Open the compartment on the new Air Inlet Housing and remove both air filter elements. Insure you understand how this Housing is assembled and how the 3 remaining parts related to each other. Then disassemble the new Air Inlet Housing into the 3 pieces of the larger housing half, the Recirculation Door and the smaller housing half. You break the two halves apart via clips at the front and back (in when-installed orientation) just like on the housing just removed.
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The larger housing half:
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Take this larger housing half and run the screws that hold the Recirculation Door Actuator into their respective holes so they can go ahead and self-tap, or cut, "threads" into the plastic housing. Run them all the way down. When you have to actually install these screws on the housing once within the glove box cavity, you'll be glad you did.

The smaller housing half:
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and the Recirculation Door (or damper):
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Before proceeding, insure you understand very well how these 3 pieces assemble. I recommend assembling and disassembling them enough times to insure you understand how to do so. The last time you assemble these 3 pieces will be done like building a proverbial ship in a bottle as you'll be assembling them inside the cavity behind the glove box and not able to see everything you're doing.

Step 13: Install Larger Housing Half
Take one last look down in through the engine compartment cowl plate opening to insure there is no debris or loose items within the blower wheel of the A/C Housing before you start assembling pieces of the new Air Inlet Housing above it.

Take the larger half of the new Air Inlet Housing and wiggle it into the cavity behind the glove box opening. Insert it through the glove box opening from the passenger compartment side. Be sure you start with the top side facing up.
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Then rotate it around so it is roughly properly oriented. The larger half of the new Air Inlet Housing goes on the inboard side (e.g. closest to the center of the vehicle). Recall the larger housing half is the half that will later get the Recirculation Door Actuator mounted to it.
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The rectangular access door for the air filter elements should be facing the glove box. Pay close attention to insuring you are installing each housing half correctly oriented within the cavity behind the glove box opening.

Step 14: Install Recirculation Door
Insert the Recirculation Door (or damper) into the cavity. I recommend inserting this from above from the engine compartment side. Insure you orient it so the end of its shaft that has the socket with the flat spot as shown below, will be on the side of the larger housing half:
(for clarity, photo taken while all parts out of the vehicle)
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Step 15: Install Smaller Housing Half
Take the remaining smaller half of the new Air Inlet Housing and wiggle it through and into the cavity behind the glove box opening. Again, insure you start your insertion with the top side facing up. Recall the smaller housing half is the half that goes to the outboard side (e.g. closest to the outside of the vehicle).

Step 16: Assemble the new Air Inlet Housing
Working from the engine compartment side, down through the cowl plate opening, carefully position and assemble the larger housing half, the Recirculation Door and the smaller housing half. Pay careful attention to insure both pivot ends of the Recirculation Door are properly within each and the proper housing half as well as that you're getting all the male studs on the housing half properly aligned with their alignment hole on the opposing housing half. I recommend getting the front of the housing (toward the front of the vehicle) aligned, pushed together and clipped together before you do the clip accessible from the glove box side. Assembling this is a little tricky, but maybe due to the adrenaline rush I had by this point, it only took a couple minutes of trial and error.
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As you assemble the Air Inlet Housing, with Recirculation Door, I recommend keeping it rotated so the location where the Recirculation Door Actuator mounts is somewhat rotated toward the passenger compartment and glove box opening. The last thing you'd want at this point is for the two tabs in front of the housing to get latched into the pesky retaining clips before you install the Recirculation Door Actuator!
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Reaching in from the top (engine compartment side), insure the Recirculation Door freely moves and properly seats in both positions. One position allows air to come in from the top and blocks air coming from the passenger compartment while the other position blocks outside air coming from the top and it only comes from the passenger compartment. All the air is going downward into the A/C Housing blower wheel (for distribution).

Insure you have the new Air Inlet Housing fully assembled as a unit in all places and from all perspectives.

From the passenger compartment side, take the small C-type metal clip removed when the old Air Inlet Housing was being disassembled in place, and carefully reach in from the glove box opening and hook one side of the C-type clip on one housing half (at the top of the housing). While wearing safety glasses, reach in with an ice pick, and hook the other/loose end of the C-type clip with the ice pick and get this loose end to clip into place on the other housing half. Again, this is another one of those steps that can only be done by feel.

Here's a photo of the metal C-type clip show loose (photo taken on the housing previously removed from the vehicle):
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Step 17: Reattach Recirculation Door Actuator
Still from the passenger compartment side, fit the Recirculation Door Actuator over the stud on the Air Inlet Housing side toward the center of the vehicle. Look at the orientation of the flat spot on the Actuator's shaft versus the flat spot on the pivot end of the Recirculation Door within the Air Inlet Housing. You may need to flip the Recirculation Door to its other position to insure the flats spots line up so the stud off the Actuator will it into the end of the Recirculation Door. Insure you mount the Recirculation Door Actuator so the wires are coming into it from behind (from the firewall or engine compartment side) when viewed from the glove box opening.

Just like when you detached the Recirculation Door Actuator, you have install the screw closest to the engine compartment via purely feel. Be very careful when inserting it into the back upper mounting hole of the Recirculation Door Actuator. Then, again using the Torx T-20 bit and short socket extension, reinstall this screw. Once you get it in as far as you can with just your fingers and the extension, then this should give you enough clearance to use the socket wrench to snug it down. Then similarly reinstall the second screw which is toward the bottom of the Recirculation Door Actuator and visible from the glove box opening. Now, aren't you glad I recommended pre-running these two screws into the new Air Inlet Housing to help cut "threads" before you had do so while building this "ship in the bottle"?
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Still keep the new Air Inlet Housing rotated as it is for access to the Recirculation Door Actuator. It is still too early to engage the two front tabs into those pesky retaining clips up by the fire wall.

Step 18: Test Recirculation Door
From the engine compartment side looking down, note the orientation of the Recirculation Door within the new Air Inlet Housing. It is either positioned to allow outside air to come in the hole you're looking down through to go on down to the A/C Housing blower wheel or it is blocked (and thus allowing only air to come from inside the passenger compartment to be "recirculated").

Turn on the vehicle ignition (no need to start or risk moving the vehicle), and turn on a vent and fan speed. Change the recirculation feature on the fan speed control. Then re-inspect the Recirculation Door by looking down at it from within the engine compartment. It should be in the new position your selected. When the "recirculation" feature is on at the fan speed control, you should see the Recirculation Door blocking air coming down through the opening in the engine compartment. When the "recirculation" feature is off at the fan speed control, you should be able to look from the engine compartment opening down through the new Air Inlet Housing into the A/C Housing blower wheel (which also means the Recirculation Door is flipped to block air coming from the passenger compartment).

Only proceed once you are 100% confident the Recirculation Door is actuating properly according. Leave the "recirculation" feature off so the Recirculation Door is left open to outside air coming from the cowl plate on the engine compartment side. Turn off vehicle ignition and remove key.

Step 19: Set New Air Inlet Housing Assembly
Reaching in through the engine compartment opening (in the cowl plate), position the new Air Inlet Housing assembly and line it up over the circular ring or lip in the A/C Housing below it. Simultaneously, push the Air Inlet Housing into toward the front of the vehicle. Get the innermost front tab (the one closest to the center of the vehicle) to engage its retaining clip first. Insure the base of the Air Inlet Housing is still properly positioned over the lip of the A/C Housing below it.

Then maneuver the new Air Inlet Housing to get its outboard (the one closest to the outside of the vehicle) tab to latch into its retaining clip. Then insure the base of the Air Inlet Housing is fully and properly seated on the circular ring lip of the A/C Housing below it. Carefully inspect and feel to insure the Air Inlet Housing is fully seated. It should look like this from above:
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and this from the glove box opening:
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Step 20: Reinstall Screw Securing Front of Air Inlet Housing
From the passenger compartment side, reinstall the (1) screw that secured the Air Inlet Housing down to the A/C Housing below it. Use the Torx T-20 bit on a socket wrench as shown:
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Step 21: Install Weather-stripping as New Gasket
Recall that the Air Inlet Housing removed had that foam "gasket" all around the surface that mated to the Air Inlet Screen? The new Air Inlet Housing needs something similar to help create a reasonable seal between the Air Inlet Screen bottom and the Air Inlet Housing fresh air opening. That is where the weather-stripping is going to get used.
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Reassemble the old Air Inlet Housing that you removed so you can use it for reference measurements for the new "gasket" to be cut. Cut a piece of the 3/4"W x 1/2"H weather-stripping to fit across the bottom of the fresh air opening flange face of the Air Inlet housing. I recommend cutting the ends at 45 degrees. Test and fine tune sizing against the old Air Inlet Housing you removed like so:
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then working through the engine compartment opening from above the Air Inlet Housing, install it onto the bottom of the fresh air opening flange of the newly installed Air Inlet Housing like this:
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Follow the same measurement, test fit and then installation for the two sides (that I left their high end squared off). Then do the same for the top piece. Once installed, should look similar to this:
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If you use 7/16" or 1/2" thick weather-stripping as I did, although shorter than the 3/4" foam "gasket" on the OEM Air Inlet Housing, it is plenty tall to create a seal between the new Air Inlet Housing and the bottom of the Air Inlet Screen. During my trial and error, I test fit the Air Inlet Screen on some test pieces of installed 7/16" weather-stripping and confirmed it pressed down into the weather-stripping and thus created a seal.

Step 22: Reinstall Air Inlet Screen
Reverse the procedure used to remove the Air Inlet Screen to reinstall it. Tighten the (2) nuts with the 10mm socket and socket wrench with extension.
Image

Step 23: Reinstall Cowl Grille
The bottom of the cowl grille has these little J-tabs (shown with cowl grille flipped upside down):
Image
that will need to be pushed up and under the bottom edge of the windshield when the cowl grille is reinstalled. Reinstall the cowl grille piece pushing it upward toward the windshield to get the little J-tabs to hook under the lower front lip of the windshield glass. At the same time, you'll need to lower it over the windshield wiper arm pivot shafts as well as insure the two uppermost corners are sliding under the A-pillar covers. This is another one of those steps where having 2 people really helps out.
Image
After confirming the cowl grille is fully and properly seated and positioned, reinstall the (2) big plastic push-pin rivets, one in each of the upper corners of the cowl grille. This secures the upper portion of the cowl grille as well as the lower end of the A-pillar cover. To reinstall the push-pin rivet, leave the "head" popped up, push the entire assembly into the hole until the lower flange is flush with the surface being secured and then push the push-pin head down until flush with it outer flange. I don't know why I just typed that, if you've made it this far, then you've got to know enough to reinstall a push-pin or any part for that matter. :)

Now reinstall the (4) plastic push-pin rivets along the front edge of the cowl grille. Yes, they reinstall similarly as just described.
Image

Reinstall the U-shaped protective edging at the leading, or front, edge of the cowl grille. Just push it back into place firmly along its length.
Image

Step 24: Reinstall Both Front Wiper Blade Arms
Image
Open each loose wiper blade arm to its over-center position, which relieves spring tension at the connection to the pivot shaft. Reinstall each wiper blade arm onto its pivot shaft while lining up with whatever alignment marks you made before removing the wiper blade arms. Again, the over-centered wiper blade arms will be on the inside/underside of the propped open hood. Secure and tighten the wiper blade arms with the 15mm socket and wrench.

Lower the wiper blades to the windshield to check positioning. They should look like this:
Image
Image

Lower the hood (by removing the 48" prop. Turn on the ignition (again, no need to actually start or risk moving the vehicle) and test run the wipers. Insure the driver's side wiper comes all the way up to nearly vertical and that both wipers provide windshield coverage as beforehand. Turn off the wipers and ignition.

When the wipers are in the down position, they should rest about like shown below relative to the darkened area across the bottom of the windshield glass:
Image
If in doubt, go look at a stock KK's wiper positioning.

Reopen the hood and reinstall the plastic nut cap on the pivot end of each of the two wiper blade arms.

Step 25: Install Cabin Air Filtration Media (Filters)
I recommend labeling the outside of the two filters that came with the Air Inlet Housing assembly with the date they are being installed.
Image

From the glove box opening, the new Air Inlet Housing looks like this:
Image
Then disengage the little retaining tab on each side of the filter opening to open the cover. Here it is with the cover open:
Image

Install one filter element, insuring it is being installed with the "air flow" indicator pointing downward as it should.
Image
Once this air filter is all the way in, slide it outboard (toward the outside of the vehicle). Now install the second filter in through the open cover.
Image
Then close up the filter opening cover and insure the little retaining tabs on each side are engaged.
Image

Step 26: Close Glove Box
Close-up the glove box. As you close it, the little finger tab that sticks out:
Image
will automatically compress and flip around the dash front and hook behind it:
Image

Step 27: Enjoy Cabin Air Filtration
Enjoy your retrofitted Cabin Air Filtration System! Follow OEM guidelines, or common sense (whichever comes first) regarding checking and changing your air filter elements.

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2009 KK Limited 4x4
Jeep Green/partially dechromed/Sunroof/OEM Skids/
Gray Leather/uConnect GPS-Nav/DVD Head Rests/
MtnLuvr's Off-Road Front Winch Bumper, Heavy Duty Rock Sliders, Heavy Duty Off-Road Rear Bumper/JBA 4" AaS Lift w/UCAs/16x8's w/ 245/75R16 GY MT/Rs

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Apr 05, 2009 2:13 pm 
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Sweet write up 8) .... Big + to you for having the steel ones to cut up your KK :twisted:

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Apr 05, 2009 3:36 pm 
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awesome write up!! now go do mine heheh

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 Post subject: Re: HOW TO: Retrofit Cabin Air Filtration System
PostPosted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 10:52 am 
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Follow-up: Should probably mention you should check and change your cabin air filters regularly, especially if you off-road.

Here's a shot of my old ones (on the bottom) 11 months after this mod in comparison with the new white filter elements (on top):
Image

_________________
2009 KK Limited 4x4
Jeep Green/partially dechromed/Sunroof/OEM Skids/
Gray Leather/uConnect GPS-Nav/DVD Head Rests/
MtnLuvr's Off-Road Front Winch Bumper, Heavy Duty Rock Sliders, Heavy Duty Off-Road Rear Bumper/JBA 4" AaS Lift w/UCAs/16x8's w/ 245/75R16 GY MT/Rs

Coming: :twisted: :JEEPIN:


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 Post subject: Re: HOW TO: Retrofit Cabin Air Filtration System
PostPosted: Mon Apr 05, 2010 12:23 pm 
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AWESOME write-up! I may consider doing that since you make it look so easy! BIG kudos to you -thanks! :BANANA: :D

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 Post subject: Re: HOW TO: Retrofit Cabin Air Filtration System
PostPosted: Mon Apr 05, 2010 8:47 pm 
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SavageUrge wrote:
AWESOME write-up! I may consider doing that since you make it look so easy!


I don't know how different this may be, or even if possible, on a KJ like you have versus on my KK. Thanks for the compliment.

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2009 KK Limited 4x4
Jeep Green/partially dechromed/Sunroof/OEM Skids/
Gray Leather/uConnect GPS-Nav/DVD Head Rests/
MtnLuvr's Off-Road Front Winch Bumper, Heavy Duty Rock Sliders, Heavy Duty Off-Road Rear Bumper/JBA 4" AaS Lift w/UCAs/16x8's w/ 245/75R16 GY MT/Rs

Coming: :twisted: :JEEPIN:


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 Post subject: Re: HOW TO: Retrofit Cabin Air Filtration System
PostPosted: Sat Mar 08, 2014 6:56 am 
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Thank you for the write up, I just preformed is a few minutes ago. Wasn't the worst thing I've done but it wasn't easy either. Much easier knowing the steps involved. :rockon: Took me about 3 hours total for the retro fit. Thanks again.

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 Post subject: Re: HOW TO: Retrofit Cabin Air Filtration System
PostPosted: Thu Apr 30, 2020 2:52 pm 
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Curious if the above guy did the mod with a KJ. I don't want to get everything and find out it won't fit i have 2007 Jeep Liberty Sport that I was thinking of adding in the filter option since it will be for my daughter in a few short years. posting.php?mode=reply&f=104&t=41921#


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 Post subject: Re: HOW TO: Retrofit Cabin Air Filtration System
PostPosted: Thu Apr 30, 2020 3:21 pm 
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This mod is for the 08 and up KK Liberty only. And it’s only for the ones where a cabin filter didn’t come with it stock.

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M116A3 Trailer build thread: viewtopic.php?f=72&t=77997


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