Greetings all,
I live in the "Deep South", and with the coming of Spring brings with it the dreaded "pollen season" and shedding of leaves from native oak trees. I have owned 2 TJ's: a 2001 Wrangler Sport and a month ago, traded it (23,000 total miles), for a 2005 Wrangler Rubicon.
Pollen is a major problem for me, and the leaves are just about as bad. These so-called "water oaks" shed their leaves twice a year: once in the fall, and a complete shed in the early spring...now. Even though the air intake has a fine plastic grate to keep large "objects" out, the leaves still collect in the opening and have to be painstakingly "picked out." Then, after the trees have finished shedding their leaves, and with the pollen still coming "full bore", these oaks produce and then shed the "dreaded tassels", which are even more of a problem. They are about 2" long and love to collect in the grate and the hood cowl drain. They "fall apart" (disintegrate) at a touch, and the tiny particles come right through the intake grate and the whole ones go down into the cowl drain. This causes the drain to plug in time, and those that have disintegrated get inside the air duct and when the fan blower is turned on, they and the pollen blow unmercifully into the cabin. I have used shop rags weighted down with flat weights, blocks of wood, and even a plastic videotape case.
Being a pack-rat, I came up with an idea the other day after pondering this problem for a long time. I took an old license plate and a about 8- 1.5" x
3" rectangular refrigerator magnets and went to work. I scuffed the back side of the license plate and the outer side of the rubber magnets with sandpaper and then put contact cement on the scuffed surfaces of the magnets and the license plate. After 15 minutes I applied the magnets to the plate and weighted the plate down from the top with a piece of plywood and some heavy weight.When the glue had set, I took the plate inside to dry and cure for a few days. The license plate is the perfect size to cover the air intake on a TJ and has enough overlap in length and width to cover the opening very well. I was surprised as how well it sealed the opening. I used about 3 more magnets to cover the cowl drain opening. I do this when the Jeep is sitting in the yard during periods of inactivity and overnight. When I leave in the morning, I take the plate and the extra magnets off and put them in the Jeep then and to work where I cover the openings while at work to cut down on the pollen than falls, blows, & settles during the day.
The difference is amazing. It not only cuts down on the pollen and the disintegrated "tassels" that get into the air intake system, but dust and dirt as well. I am left to my own devices when driving, but at least I have solved a major problem that has plagued me for years with all sorts of vehicles. This simple "do it yourself kit" also helps with the leaf problem in the fall, and snow, sleet, and ice that come our way from time to time.
Now if DC would only put in a cabin filter, that would take care of the problem while driving.
I know it's a Jeep and by definition a "rough and tumble" vehicle, but this simple system is a great help for those of us who suffer from allergies and dislike the problems with small leaves and the problems they cause when they find their way into every crack and crevice.
Maybe this will be of benefit to others who have the same nagging problem. Off road, one expects to get blasted with everything, but that is by choice.
Campbell Freeman South Carolina