How can the HVAC system be cleaned?

[Zack1978]

HI everyone,
Since the concept of a cabin air filters was not included on the 60's what can we do to clean the HVAC system? When I first turn the A/C on in the 60 I get a musty smell, and I am sure that it is not healthy to breath that in. In the past I have used a BG product called "Frigi-Fresh", but alas the can is empty. I don't even know if the Frigi Fresh even worked all that well, but it was something. Is there a sure fire way to clean the system? Are the sprays just masking the problem, or do they actually work? HOw about spraying Lysol in the intake vents, would that kill any germs/smells? The Toyota dealer has an $85.00 service that they claim "inoizes" the air and cleans the mold, and all oder causing elements ? Any ideas on this process?

Thanks,
Zack

 

[dgangle]

FJC A/C Products Catalog

This company makes a product called "evaporator odor control" that I have used that worked well for me. Spray it in the return air intake with the AC on and the windows down then turn it off.

 

[OlympiaFJ60]

These products can be found at any autoparts store. Most of them you spray some in the vents with the blower off and some in the cowl vent with the blower on high. A can of Lysol can do about the same thing. You just have a build up of mildew/bacteria from the wet conditions around the evaporator. There are a few products that you drill a small hole in the evaporator case and spray in in the product. It foams and cleans the evaporator, then drains out the drain tube.

That reminds me, make sure the drain tube is not plugged (comes out the firewall below the AC lines).

 

[Zack1978]

These products can be found at any autoparts store. Most of them you spray some in the vents with the blower off and some in the cowl vent with the blower on high. A can of Lysol can do about the same thing. You just have a build up of mildew/bacteria from the wet conditions around the evaporator. There are a few products that you drill a small hole in the evaporator case and spray in in the product. It foams and cleans the evaporator, then drains out the drain tube.

That reminds me, make sure the drain tube is not plugged (comes out the firewall below the AC lines).

Well I know the drain tube is not clogged because large amounts of water drain out when the AC is on. The Toyota dealer in the past had a foam type system as you described, I wonder if they still do? Where might I find the foam type cleaning system? The PO of my 60 was a chain smoker, so I am sure there is some of his cigg tar left in the truck! I hate po's!


Zack

 

[jgordon]

When I got my truck, I had large (and I mean large) quantities of old dog hair in my system, as well as a lot of texas clay dust.

1 - I took apart the vent tubing and wiped it all down with simple green. schematic is in the factory manuals, and they're all held in with phillips head screws. Easy.

2 - The dog hair was all matted against the AC radiator thing (held in the housing on the drivers side of the passenger footwell, the radiator thing that the air passes through/around to get cold). As in, a 2-inch thick mat of old, moldy, musty, dead dog-ass smelling dog hair. I thought it was a foam pad on the thing at first. That was truly nasty. Anyway. Pulled it off to the best of my abilities, and sprayed the entire interior of the housing with clorox cleanup. Let that sit for a few hours. Sprayed once or twice more, followed up with some febreeze. Lasted me a year. Had to go back in and clorox it again recently. Am pondering mixing a solution of dran-o to spray in there on the theory that it will dissolve the organic matter left in the radiator, but I haven't taken that step.

I haven't figured out a clean way to remove the housing, so I just undid the clips and pried it open. I was sufficiently grossed out by the dog hair that I actually cut a flap in the passenger side of the housing (intake side, where any contaminants through the fan into the system would get caught up) and pried it open in order to access the radiator. Happy to take pics if it would help.

If anyone has a good way of removing the housing on that radiator, I'm all ears.

 

[Zack1978]

When I got my truck, I had large (and I mean large) quantities of old dog hair in my system, as well as a lot of texas clay dust.

1 - I took apart the vent tubing and wiped it all down with simple green. schematic is in the factory manuals, and they're all held in with phillips head screws. Easy.

2 - The dog hair was all matted against the AC radiator thing (held in the housing on the drivers side of the passenger footwell, the radiator thing that the air passes through/around to get cold). As in, a 2-inch thick mat of old, moldy, musty, dead dog-ass smelling dog hair. I thought it was a foam pad on the thing at first. That was truly nasty. Anyway. Pulled it off to the best of my abilities, and sprayed the entire interior of the housing with clorox cleanup. Let that sit for a few hours. Sprayed once or twice more, followed up with some febreeze. Lasted me a year. Had to go back in and clorox it again recently. Am pondering mixing a solution of dran-o to spray in there on the theory that it will dissolve the organic matter left in the radiator, but I haven't taken that step.

I haven't figured out a clean way to remove the housing, so I just undid the clips and pried it open. I was sufficiently grossed out by the dog hair that I actually cut a flap in the passenger side of the housing (intake side, where any contaminants through the fan into the system would get caught up) and pried it open in order to access the radiator. Happy to take pics if it would help.

If anyone has a good way of removing the housing on that radiator, I'm all ears.

Hey thanks for the info, I will try that over the weekend. But can you give me some more about the drivers side/ pass footwell?

Thanks,
Zack

 

[1972FJ55]

Hi,
The only way to remove the evaporator case would be to recover the refrigerant, disconnect the a/c lines at the firewall, and remove the case from under the dash by removing the screws/bolts. Then the case can be separated by removing the clips holding it together. We have a foam cleaner for evap cores, sells for $32 that is designed to kill the bacteria/mold on the fins/tubes of the core. I was recently given a flyer by a detail shop, advertising some type of new machine that they put in the passenger compartment that kills all the odors-don't know if it really works.
Good luck,
Rex

 

[Zack1978]

Hi,
The only way to remove the evaporator case would be to recover the refrigerant, disconnect the a/c lines at the firewall, and remove the case from under the dash by removing the screws/bolts. Then the case can be separated by removing the clips holding it together. We have a foam cleaner for evap cores, sells for $32 that is designed to kill the bacteria/mold on the fins/tubes of the core. I was recently given a flyer by a detail shop, advertising some type of new machine that they put in the passenger compartment that kills all the odors-don't know if it really works.
Good luck,
Rex

Well the Toyota dealer has the "new" system that you describe for $85.00, but does it actually work?


And where can I get the foam that you describe? And how do I use it?

Thanks,
Zack

 

[1972FJ55]

Hi Zack,
The foam we sell is an aerosol product made by Innotec. It comes with a length of plastic tubing with a misting valve on the end. Basically you find the fresh air inlet to the evaporator, and spray the foam all over inside the opening. Let it set for 15 minutes then run the blower fan on low for 5 minutes(I'd recommend lowering the windows and running the fan for at least 1/2 hour).

As far as the "machine" cleaner, you might call a few used car dealers and see if they have any feedback.
Thanks,
Rex

 

[dgangle]

All of this is exactly what I described in the very first reply to this thread. Is it because I'm not a 60 guy?

 

[4xoddic]

Was it the cat, or the passenger & driver?

an $85.00 service that they claim "inoizes" the air and cleans the mold, and all oder causing elements ? Any ideas on this process?

Toyota dealer should have spelled it ionizes.

I bought a 92 Xcab from a Toy Pickup salvage yard in Rosehill, KS. They bought ONLY Toyotas for many states around (mine was a front clip from LA (State) grafted onto a roof/cab of another). I was told the SR5 seats they would put back in had been stored inside, where the guardian cat whizzed on them. So they'd smell until I shampooed them. YEAH, right.

I wound up taking it to RESTORE OF THE HEARTLAND. They have DEODORIZATION: Of buildings and contents with ozone gas, thermal fog, or chemicals as needed.

It took 2 attempts. I believe it was less than $100, but that was 12 years ago. Their website says they do car detailing. Should be something similar in your area. I'm sure they have a booth to sit a vehicle in, as removing odors by removing parts is cost-prohibitive.

I tried finding a product I had for cleaning outdoor AC condensers. Maybe my wife, former contaminants biologist, has put it up, out of my reach. I have used it on auto AC condensers (it is acid). Works well. You would need to protect adjacent areas & use hand & eye protection (not safety glasses, lab goggles).

Good Luck & post back what worked for you!

 

[jgordon]

Zack,

It's the big box on the left (driver's side) of the passenger footwell The intake fan is on the right of the passenger footwell. It's held to the firewall (12 mm bolts), to the ducting next to it (phillips screws), and to itself (clips running around the circumference). Undo everything and you can pull it apart. I cut a flap on the right side of that housing (down and back, so it opens outward and to the passenger door). Sprayed liberally with clorox or your anti-fungal of choice. If you use clorox, your truck will smell like a pool for a little while. I followed up with simple green, so my truck smelled like a pool in the woods for a little while.

I'd be very interested in the foam product - will look it up. As for the ionizers, I distrust solutions that solve symptoms but not the underlying problems. If your truck smells, there's mold or funk in there somewhere that you need to destroy.

 

[jgordon]

Additional - Your fan is a very old electrical device, with lots of exposed wiring and circuitry. I would be very, very wary of spraying compressed gasses into it while it's on.

 

[VTCruiser]

I just cleaned out the ducting and replaced all the foam gaskets for my overland build since I had the entire dash apart anyway. See post #171. In the last picture the, the A/C evap housing is the one with the green wiring connector in it. The blower housing it to the right, and the heater core housing is on the left.