The Quest for the Holy Pollen Filter

[ZilogJones]

Has anyone tried buying a pollen filter for their 406 recently?

Here's my experience:

I ordered this: http://www.micksgarage.com/proddetails.aspx?pid=1491365 (Mann CU3340) which claims to correspond to Peugeot part no. 6447.S5, and is for the 406

I received this (the one that isn't black):

pollenfilter1.jpg

When I first saw it I assumed it was just some new compatible design, but in reality it does not fit all and the dimensions seem to be wrong. Above is the filter that was in my car, which I got about 3 years ago from the local dealer.

Here's what's printed on the side of the OE filter:

pollenfilter2.jpg

I then went back to the dealer parts shop where I bought the filter that fit 3 years ago, and they gave me a filter-shaped object, with "6447.S5" both on the packaging and printed on the side, but again the wrong dimensions and this time with no plastic tabs at all. Unsurprisingly it did not fit either. I went back and showed him the old filter I had, he looked up the long number printed on it (PSA9616429380) and that also corresponded to 6447.S5. From what I and he could see from Service Box, 6447.S5 is the only paper pollen filter fitted to 406's - D8 non-aircon models had just a grille, and a carbon filter is also available (but $$$), but for all other 406's there is just 6447.S5. He seemed baffled.

I then went back to MicksGarage and picked the only filter of seven which at least looked right according to the pictures (look at this mess): Mahle LA32/2, which also listed the two other markings on my OE filter, which was promising!

A few days later I received it, in a rather scruffy box - it looked like it had been languishing in a warehouse for quite some time. But at least it was the right filter! And again on the box it listed this magic number: "6447.S5"

What is going on here? Have both PSA and all third party manufacturers forgotten what 6447.S5 is supposed to be, and the Mahle part I got was long out of production?

If you look on Euro Car Parts or other websites you will see a similar list of suspiciously wrong-looking filters - either with the foam strip around three sides or just paper with no plastic bits.

Even on Mann's own website they claim CU3340 (pictured as the wrong filter I got) is suitable for the 406 - and what was even more bizarre was the instructions that came with this filter contained pictures of the correct filter being fitted to a LHD D9 406: http://catalog.mann-filter.com/media/ei ... pVpJVi.pdf

[steve_earwig]

Weirdness Maybe it's part of some effort to fit similar parts to various cars but nobody actually checked first

(look at this mess)

Oh yes, every single one is different

D8 non-aircon models had just a grille, and a carbon filter is also available (but $$$), but for all other 406's there is just 6447.S5. He seemed baffled.

Umm,according to the infallible (ha!) Service Box non-air con cars just get the grille, air con seem to have a choice of 3: S5 until RPO 09638,the carbon filter PG from RPO 09639 and this VCF137 - M:PASS COMPARTMENT FILTER PSA - AND AGE >= 4 I asked my friendly spares guy at TM Pug in Zagreb (before he got headhunted and went to Fiat ) what this was about and he said it was Pug's "second line spares", he then pulled this filter of the shelf, showed me it was a flimsy piece of garbage, screwed it up into a ball and binned it. Nice.

PG on ebay - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PEUGEOT-406-C ... 0922587486 Looks good to me but I wouldn't know without trying to fit the damn thing.

Anyway, the manufacturers should soon realise they've cocked up when they get loads of these sent back by factors because they don't fit.

[rwb]

How very odd.

The foam strip round the side sounds familiar, but whatever filter I got it always fit the hole satisfactorily

[Rolebama]

I have a D8 non-air con with a pollen filter. I use Lloyds Motors for all my parts.
http://www.lmsspares.co.uk/
I got a full service kit from them three weeks ago, and the only bit wrong was the fuel filter, as they supplied a 'short' one, as opposed to the 'long' one I have fitted.

[ZilogJones]

How very odd.

The foam strip round the side sounds familiar, but whatever filter I got it always fit the hole satisfactorily

Did it have the four small plastic tabs on the sides? These clip into holes on the intake assembly, and I don't know how the filter would stay in place without them. Do you know which brand you bought?

[rwb]

Only ever the cheapest that eBay would sell for me.

Have you actually tried it?

[gumby6371]

I got my last one from Halfrauds, they had to order it in but it fitted fine.

[ZilogJones]

Only ever the cheapest that eBay would sell for me.

Have you actually tried it?

The Mann filter? It didn't seem to fit at all. It was either slightly too wide or long.

[Bailes1992]

Your old one isn't dirty, it's a charcoal filter!

[Ares]

I just washed mine filter,is Polish Filtron,just soaked it in with some dishwashing thingy after that i washed it off 2 times with fresh water and over all put some lemon tea on it for better smell and let it dry.

[ZilogJones]

Your old one isn't dirty, it's a charcoal filter!

Not sure if joking but it's not. I bought it new three years ago and it was a white paper filter. 6447.S5 is the standard filter - there is a charcoal filter but it has a different part number and I got some ridiculous quote from the dealer parts shop...