Nice one cheers

Nice one Kace - I found it here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mann-Filter-FP-19...amp;sr=1-3

Prime delivery on Friday. Good price too!

I think euro car parts have 50% off. Worth comparing prices

Fitted the new filter today - very obviously different to the standard filter, which does not have any charcoal embedded and feels a lot softer and flimsier. Only difficulty is getting the recirculation "cowl" to move to the right position, which required switching it in and out as the cowl seems to have a mind of it's own (and probably does). All I need now is some pollution for testing - there's never a '04 plate diesel Astra around when you want one is there?

can get the filter down to £25, eurocarparts code sale90 for 50% off

So I had a problem with fumes in the cabin which was toxic. As it turns out I had a fuel leak from the fuel filter (which is another story about not going OEM for the filter… in short don’t do it) which was pretty much flowing into the cabin unless the HVAC is on re-circulate. Anyway after taking all the vents apart and checking seals without any success. As it turns out there is incompatibility between the hood seal and the plastics, specifically around the back of the fuel filer. So I fashioned a piece of rubber to complete the seal and boom no more fumes. I think this problem is a design fault that is probably exacerbated by rubber seal on the bonnet hardening. Anyway it stops the HVAC intake being in the engine bay.

Interesting, any photos of the area of concern?

Whilst there is a small area on the other side I have used a small piece of rubber to fill, the main culprit is the circular indentation on the passenger side (LHS) where there is a misalignment with the bonnet rubber. You can see the circular indentation on the rubber as well as seal line on the plastic showing a gap. Whilst not the neatest fix the rubber pad I fashioned works perfectly and I now no longer have to smell the engine bay. Interested in your opinion but it is clear in my mind that it is a design fault.

Brilliant! I was wondering how I was getting engine fumes in the car, not diesel like yours but from a small oil leak onto the exhaust manifold.

I suppose it's one of those unintended consequences of having to cater for left hand & right hand drive options.

Yeah, it is probably likely to do with LHD/RHD but I with a better seal it has changed my driving experience a lot. Good luck with fixing your issue.

Did a bit of work on this today - firstly, I determined there is no oil leak (any more - the oil cooler, turbo oil feed & LH turbo oil drain all had previously been leaking...) the burning oil smell is just from residual in the insulation of the exhaust crossover pipe. I'm tempted to cut it away and wrap with some exhaust insulation tape.

Anyway, back to the problem above - I was going to cut some foam to fill the gap, looking at the seal, there is 'not much' of a gap and there should be enough slack/stretch in the seal to reposition it.

The seal is held on by lots of 'T' shaped clips, not listed for the L405 but they are for the L322 - BYC000010 The holes are drilled at 4.7mm dia. but they work perfectly in a 4.5mm dia. hole.

Great job, I did think of similar but went the rubber option. I might follow suit a much more elegant solution.

Thanks, I'm on the lookout for some small plastic plugs I can paint the tops of and pop in the holes, just for neatness.