AC Smells Bad (1 Viewer)

Dan_J-spec_fj62

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• Apr 30, 2004

• #1

So it's spring time and startin to get above 80 round here.... my wife starts using the AC in the 80..... she's not loving teh smell too much.. any suggestions as to how to fix this..

1. AC blows cold no problem here

2. AC blows cold and smells bad... problem here.... smell is a stale musty smell...

3. vent and hot don't smell at all and work fine...

its a 96' fzj 80 with a 162k

thanks

dan

 

e9999

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• Apr 30, 2004

• #2

put in some pot-pourri?
E

 

landtoy80

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• Apr 30, 2004

• #3

THere is some A/C freshNup stuff you spary into the air intake of the A/C that should freshen the duct up a bit. It should be in the A/C section of a parts house.

 

U

UsGirlzNeedTLC2

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• Apr 30, 2004

• #4

My friend's got a 4 Runner with same problem... she bought clip-on liquid air-fresheners thinga ma bobbers and clipped them onto the vent... Works well with a nice fresh scent.

 

Dan_J-spec_fj62

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• Apr 30, 2004

• Thread starter
• #5

perhaps i should be more clear... is there somting i can tear apart and clean to remove the problem.... or would that require too much tearing apart... like draining the AC.....

 

landtoy80

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• Apr 30, 2004

• #6

You just spary into the outside intake with the A/C on and fan on full.
You can go to A/C shop and they will spary some stuff that might be better, into the intake vent.

 

offroadkid

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• Apr 30, 2004

• #7

If you have your controls set to RECIRC all the time with your A/C on you will collect moisture on the evaporator. This will cause mildew to grow of the fins of the evaporator. You can keep this from happening by keeping the control set to FRESH with the A/C on. This will keep dry air flowing across the fins. Use the RECIRC when you first get in, open the windows to let the hot air out, then switch to FRESH. Mercedes climate control units automatically default to FRESH after 10 minutes of being on RECIRC to avoid mildew build-up. HTH!!

 

Dan_J-spec_fj62

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• Apr 30, 2004

• Thread starter
• #8

hmmm ok so lysol into the intake to kill all the mildew...... i figure 1 or 2 cans might do it..... then fabreeze to take care of any lingering oder?????

dan

thanks

 

RavenTai

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• Apr 30, 2004

• #9

Something you can do to prevent the return of this stuff after cleaning is to turn off the AC and leave the fan running a few minutes before you get to your destination this evaporates the moisture on the evaporator and helps to prevent future growth of mold

 

LandCruiserPhil

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• Apr 30, 2004

• #10

Could the cabinet that contains the evaporator not be draining leaving moisture trapped inside. Just a thought

Phil

 

R

Rich

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• Apr 30, 2004

• #11

http://www.dwd2.com The website is funky, the product is overpriced, but in my experience it works well. It is a foaming cleaner that is injected in the ac evaporator housing to clean out the dirt and mold that is causing the nasty smell.

 

Beowulf

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• Apr 30, 2004

• #12

Christo also recommended DWD2 about a year ago. Call around to your local Honda dealers as they might have it in stock and the "treatment" price is about the same as buying the kit from the vendor.

-B-

 

e9999

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• Apr 30, 2004

• #13

where is the intake vent for recirc?
E

 

R

Rich

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• May 2, 2004

• #14

Using DWD2 cleaner requires drilling a hole in the evaporator housing upstream of the evaporator. There is a resistor housing on the evaporator housing that can be removed to allow you to see inside the housing, and determine where the evaporator is located. You will also be able to visually see the crud and junk in the evaporator housing that is probably responsible for the odor.

The DWD2 kit includes enough cleaner for a number of cleanings, so if you are confident of your ability to drill the hole without piercing the evaporator there is an advantage to buying the kit and doing it yourself.

The work involved is not technically difficult, but lying on your back in the passenger compartment to remove the resistor housing, examine the inside of the evaporator housing, and to drill the injection hole is physically demanding and a bit uncomfortable.

The major benefit of the DWD2 that I see is that it is a foaming cleaner that is injected between the fan and the evaporator. The foaming action ensures that the entire evaporator is cleaned. The evaporator looks a lot like a radiator, with many small fins. The fan pushes the foam through the evaporator.

 

Dan_J-spec_fj62

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• May 2, 2004

• Thread starter
• #15

thanks rich...good info...

i kinda figured id be upsided down with my head jamed somplace uncomfortable


dan

 

turbocruiser

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• May 2, 2004

• #16

[quote author=RavenTai link=board=2;threadid=15641;start=msg148525#msg148525 date=1083381081]
Something you can do to prevent the return of this stuff after cleaning is to turn off the AC and leave the fan running a few minutes before you get to your destination this evaporates the moisture on the evaporator and helps to prevent future growth of mold
[/quote]

Another wonderful reason to do this is to allow the compressor time to turn off prior to turning off the engine. Do not know if this is an old dad's tale (my dad told me this) but I was always told to turn off the compressor prior to turning off the engine?

 

sjcruiser

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• May 3, 2004

• #17

I always turn off the compressor & turn the fan to maximum speed for approx. 1 minute before I reach my destination. Never have any odor issues. It helps folks!!!

When I bought my MB (W126), it had a bad odor but a dose of febreeze cured it (outside air mode, fan to max. speed, spraying febreeze into the cowl).

Regards,
Frank.

 

bkgiii

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• May 3, 2004

• #18

Had a similar problem as a result of different seats being installed. Anyway, a local detail shop had this 'bug bomb' thing: you set it off w/vehicle & AC running on recirc for 30-40 minutes. Then air it out for an hour or two. I was skeptical, but after a couple of months in the heat I find NO smoke odor whatsoever.

I'll run by the detail shop on the way home, get the mfg. and product info, and post it.

 

MoJ

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• May 3, 2004

• #19

[quote author=turbocruiser link=board=2;threadid=15641;start=msg149403#msg149403 date=1083560094]
Do not know if this is an old dad's tale (my dad told me this) but I was always told to turn off the compressor prior to turning off the engine?
[/quote]

Always wondered if that was a 'dad tale'.
Mine always said to turn it off before the car never start the car with the A/C switched on.