OT ? Foul odor emanating from my car air conditioner

Posted by Walter R. on October 9, 2009, 8:28 pm

This may not really be OT in AHR, after all, my car is parked in my garage,
part of my home. Maybe this is stretching it? :-). I don't know where else
to ask.

I drive a 1993 Chevy Lumina with 100,000 miles. Runs better than new.

Lately, when I turn on my air blower in any mode, such as heating, air
conditioning, vent, it produces a blast of foul smelling air. After a
minute, the bad smell disappears.

Googling for this misbehavior points to mold produced by stagnant water in
the a/c evaporator.

I have tried disinfectant spray in the air-intake vent but now the car
smells of perfumed dirty socks.

Does anyone know of a simple way to get rid of this stink without tearing
the car apart?? Seems to be a common problem and thus of common interest.

Thanks, and my apologies.

--
Walter
www.rationality.net
-

Posted by Nate Nagel on October 9, 2009, 8:38 pm

Walter R. wrote:

> This may not really be OT in AHR, after all, my car is parked in my garage,
> part of my home. Maybe this is stretching it? :-). I don't know where else
> to ask.
>
> I drive a 1993 Chevy Lumina with 100,000 miles. Runs better than new.
>
> Lately, when I turn on my air blower in any mode, such as heating, air
> conditioning, vent, it produces a blast of foul smelling air. After a
> minute, the bad smell disappears.
>
> Googling for this misbehavior points to mold produced by stagnant water in
> the a/c evaporator.
>
> I have tried disinfectant spray in the air-intake vent but now the car
> smells of perfumed dirty socks.
>
> Does anyone know of a simple way to get rid of this stink without tearing
> the car apart?? Seems to be a common problem and thus of common interest.
>
> Thanks, and my apologies.
>

Have you cleared the evaporator drain? if you haven't done that then
anything else you do will be pointless

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

Posted by aemeijers on October 9, 2009, 8:52 pm

Nate Nagel wrote:

> Walter R. wrote:

>> This may not really be OT in AHR, after all, my car is parked in my
>> garage, part of my home. Maybe this is stretching it? :-). I don't
>> know where else to ask.
>> I drive a 1993 Chevy Lumina with 100,000 miles. Runs better than new.
>> Lately, when I turn on my air blower in any mode, such as heating, air
>> conditioning, vent, it produces a blast of foul smelling air. After a
>> minute, the bad smell disappears.
>> Googling for this misbehavior points to mold produced by stagnant
>> water in the a/c evaporator.
>> I have tried disinfectant spray in the air-intake vent but now the car
>> smells of perfumed dirty socks.
>> Does anyone know of a simple way to get rid of this stink without
>> tearing the car apart?? Seems to be a common problem and thus of
>> common interest.
>> Thanks, and my apologies.

>
> Have you cleared the evaporator drain? if you haven't done that then
> anything else you do will be pointless
>
> nate
>

In case that doesn't mean anything to you, what he is referring to is a
little tube that comes out to daylight somewhere to the rear of the
right front wheel well. If you are lucky, applying compressed air to it
will result in all the stagnant water flowing out. Note that 'out' may
be the carpet of the front passenger seat, so lay some old towels out
first. DAMHIKT.

Hey, it ain't too different from a fubar'd dishwasher or washing machine
drain, and we talk about those all the time on here.

--
aem sends...

Posted by Jim Yanik on October 9, 2009, 9:44 pm

dnZ2d@giganews.com:

> Nate Nagel wrote:

>> Walter R. wrote:

>>> This may not really be OT in AHR, after all, my car is parked in my
>>> garage, part of my home. Maybe this is stretching it? :-). I don't
>>> know where else to ask.
>>> I drive a 1993 Chevy Lumina with 100,000 miles. Runs better than new.
>>> Lately, when I turn on my air blower in any mode, such as heating, air
>>> conditioning, vent, it produces a blast of foul smelling air. After a
>>> minute, the bad smell disappears.
>>> Googling for this misbehavior points to mold produced by stagnant
>>> water in the a/c evaporator.
>>> I have tried disinfectant spray in the air-intake vent but now the car
>>> smells of perfumed dirty socks.
>>> Does anyone know of a simple way to get rid of this stink without
>>> tearing the car apart?? Seems to be a common problem and thus of
>>> common interest.
>>> Thanks, and my apologies.

>>
>> Have you cleared the evaporator drain? if you haven't done that then
>> anything else you do will be pointless
>>
>> nate
>>

>
> In case that doesn't mean anything to you, what he is referring to is a
> little tube that comes out to daylight somewhere to the rear of the
> right front wheel well. If you are lucky, applying compressed air to it
> will result in all the stagnant water flowing out. Note that 'out' may
> be the carpet of the front passenger seat, so lay some old towels out
> first. DAMHIKT.
>
> Hey, it ain't too different from a fubar'd dishwasher or washing machine
> drain, and we talk about those all the time on here.
>
> --
> aem sends...
>

applying compressed air to a blocked tube may result in the plastic hose
splitting and needing replacement.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
localnet
dot com

Posted by aemeijers on October 9, 2009, 10:03 pm

Jim Yanik wrote:

> dnZ2d@giganews.com:
>

>> Nate Nagel wrote:

>>> Walter R. wrote:
>>>> This may not really be OT in AHR, after all, my car is parked in my
>>>> garage, part of my home. Maybe this is stretching it? :-). I don't
>>>> know where else to ask.
>>>> I drive a 1993 Chevy Lumina with 100,000 miles. Runs better than new.
>>>> Lately, when I turn on my air blower in any mode, such as heating, air
>>>> conditioning, vent, it produces a blast of foul smelling air. After a
>>>> minute, the bad smell disappears.
>>>> Googling for this misbehavior points to mold produced by stagnant
>>>> water in the a/c evaporator.
>>>> I have tried disinfectant spray in the air-intake vent but now the car
>>>> smells of perfumed dirty socks.
>>>> Does anyone know of a simple way to get rid of this stink without
>>>> tearing the car apart?? Seems to be a common problem and thus of
>>>> common interest.
>>>> Thanks, and my apologies.
>>> Have you cleared the evaporator drain? if you haven't done that then
>>> anything else you do will be pointless
>>> nate

>> In case that doesn't mean anything to you, what he is referring to is a
>> little tube that comes out to daylight somewhere to the rear of the
>> right front wheel well. If you are lucky, applying compressed air to it
>> will result in all the stagnant water flowing out. Note that 'out' may
>> be the carpet of the front passenger seat, so lay some old towels out
>> first. DAMHIKT.
>> Hey, it ain't too different from a fubar'd dishwasher or washing machine
>> drain, and we talk about those all the time on here.
>> --
>> aem sends...

>
> applying compressed air to a blocked tube may result in the plastic hose
> splitting and needing replacement.
>

So what is the alternative solution? Clip the end off a bicycle brake
cable and thread it up there? Serious question- the answer I always see
in the books and hear on 'Car Talk' is to blow it out with air. I agree
you probably want to start with the lowest pressure you can rig up.

--
aem sends...

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