99 Caravan - Air Filter replacement

I am trying to figure out how to change the air filter on my 99 Dodge
Caravan. I have taken out the two screws that hold the housing down, but I
can't seem to figure out how to open the box.

Thanks for your help.

 

That is not the air filter housing. That is called the resonator. The air
filter housing is below the resonator. Remove the resonator completely by
removing those two bolts and detaching the air ducts. One duct goes to the
throttle body and the other, below, goes to the air filter housing.

 

Oh, and be careful with the ducting to the throttle body. It tends to get
brittle due to all the heat in there and, when installed, it's under tension
and can break. Attach the ducting to the resonator first, then bolt the
resonator to the frame being careful not to stretch the ducting too harshly.

 

And one pain in the ass job to do also, I might add.

Dan

 

Not a hard job if you know what you are doing. I just replaced the air
filter in my 96 GV.

The housing with the screws and where the hose from the top of the valve
cover goes isn't the housing for the air filter. I'm not exactly sure
what this does other than provide a place for the crankcase gases to get
sucked into the intake, but it appears to be glued together so getting
it apart could be really tricky!

Assuming that the 99 didn't change much from the 96....

After removing the two screws (I'd call them bolts since they have a hex
head), unhook the hose from the valve cover and then loosen two of the
air duct clamps. Loosen the one on the end of the rear duct where it
attaches to the throttle body and then loosen one of the clamps on the
duct under the housing that goes straight down to the OTHER housing that
actually contains the air filter. The bottom clamp is slightly harder
to get to, but is the best one to take off as you won't then have the
duct in the way on the air filter cover.

After doing the above, raise the housing until the lower duct comes free
and then rotate the top housing clockwise and pull toward you until the
duct comes off the throttle body. Now you can see the housing that
contains the air filter. you will see two spring clamps on the rear of
the housing (toward the firewall). Pop these and the cover will rotate
open. It is held at the front side by four tabs. You can slip it off
these if you wiggle it around a little. You will no see the air filter.
Carefully pull it out and replace it making sure that the right side
is facing toward the housing (the metal support grid should be facing
away from the housing). Make sure the silicon seal is seated properly,
especially at the bottom. If it isn't seated properly, the cover won't
go back on correctly. The filter has a propensity to hang a little low
at the bottom and not seat into the recess. Now get the outer cover
back over the four tabs (takes a little wiggling around), rotate it
closed and pop the snaps back in place. Replace the upper housing,
being careful to get the lower duct in place correctly. This can be
tricky as it wants to fold up the lip rather than fit over the tube.
Now tighten both of the clamps on the air ducts, replace the two bolts
and plug the hose from the valve cover back in place.

Not as easy as the old days with circular filters right on top of the
carburetor, but I did mine in less than 20 minutes, so not a real big
deal. I find mine stays clean a long time (50,000 miles typically) even
though I live on dirt roads. The air intake is somewhere behind the
grill it appears and seems to bring in pretty much only clean air and
bugs, and not much dust from the tires.


Matt

 

I still have the scars.......

 

Agreed!

However, I find it easier to leave the duct on the throttle body, and detach
it from the resonator. I then detach the duct from the bottom of the
resonator. After removing the resonator, the filter housing will come out
in one piece.