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  #1  
Old 08-01-2002, 08:09 PM
mattski mattski is offline
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Air Conditioning smell!

After ~ 15 minutes of driving and AC use, I get this strange smell inside the car that I have never experienced before. It is not very strong but it is definitely there. A little acrid, acidic like.

Has anyone experienced anything like it?

What does refrigerant smell like? But if that was leaking, wouldn't it be gone after 2 months of use?

Could there be something dead in the duct work?
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  #2  
Old 08-01-2002, 08:29 PM
kuoh kuoh is offline
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If it was something dead, it wouldn't wait 15 minutes to start smelling, especially if your car has been in the hot sun. Perhaps your blower motor is going out?

KuoH
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  #3  
Old 08-01-2002, 10:20 PM
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Refrigerant has no smell, so you can rule that out (unless you're a farmer that likes using propane...) Does it smell like mold or midew? If so, let me know I found a bit of a cure. If it smells like a hot electric motor or melting insulation I think KuoH is on the right track.
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  #4  
Old 08-02-2002, 01:47 AM
scoochv scoochv is offline
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Quote:
Does it smell like mold or midew?
It used to be that everytime I would near floor the car, the A/C would go warm and smell like that for 2-3 minutes or so. Then cold again. Took it back to the techie who said something about "overcharging" the freon (either before or after), anyway, he fixed it... But! I noticed it happen yesterday afternoon for some reason. So I'm thinking it's coming back?
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Old 08-02-2002, 09:31 AM
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I've always thought that if the power light comes on the A/C and fan shut off. (to maximize power)
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  #6  
Old 08-02-2002, 10:35 AM
mattski mattski is offline
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Beav and KuoH, I have smelled burning stuff and this does not remind me of it. I don't know if I would recognize mold/mildew smell, but if you have an easy suggestion, I can give it a try.
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  #7  
Old 08-02-2002, 02:43 PM
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Try shutting off your AC a few minutes before you shut down the car.. Most AC systems will smell if you don't let them clean out..
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  #8  
Old 08-02-2002, 02:51 PM
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Re: Air Conditioning smell!

Quote:
Originally posted by mattski
After ~ 15 minutes of driving and AC use, I get this strange smell inside the car that I have never experienced before. It is not very strong but it is definitely there. A little acrid, acidic like.

Has anyone experienced anything like it?

What does refrigerant smell like? But if that was leaking, wouldn't it be gone after 2 months of use?

Could there be something dead in the duct work?
Odd you should mention that - I've noticed a smell something like mothballs on a couple of occasions lately. But it's not constant, and hasn't shown up the last week or so.
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  #9  
Old 08-02-2002, 02:59 PM
mattski mattski is offline
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Yeah, it is kind of like that only different.

I know what moth balls smell like. The similarity is that they both have a "chemical" odor.

Im going to try Zeppelin's suggestion and turn it off a couple of miles from home and let it "clean out".
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  #10  
Old 08-02-2002, 03:12 PM
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There are products you can buy that sprays into the vent air intake that will kill most of the mold/mildew buildup.

Here at Crappy Tire (Canadian Tire), it's less than $20CDN for a can.

VK
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  #11  
Old 08-02-2002, 03:36 PM
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Without me having to repeat a lot of stuff, go here ( www.airsept.com ) and read about the causes. I rec'd promo material from them but still no pricing - I hate companies that only give you pricing over the phone - grrrr. I saw on ad at amazon.com for a bottle that was supposed to do four cars and they wanted $160! Can you say "Owwww...take it out, it hurts?!"

Anyway I figured most bathroom cleaners have mold and mildew killing agents in them plus surfactants. I got a can of Lysol bathroom cleanser (but after having used it I wished I had picked something with a bit less perfume in it.) I drilled a small hole in the evap case under the dash - carefully and only deep enough to make the hole - you don't want to drill a hole through anything inside. I then found a spray can nozzle that had a straw and used it on the bathroom cleaner can, inserting the straw in the hole while the blower was running on medium. I flexed the straw all around in order to coat the evaporator evenly and after about half the can was gone I shut the blower off and let it sit for about fifteen minutes. Then I turned it back on high heat for a few minutes and let it set for an hour or so. The smell was gone! I used a small (short, too) screw to seal off the hole and made sure the evap drain was clear.

That was about 5-6 weeks ago and I can tell that the smell will be returning. I should buy one of the blower timers to dry the evap at each shut-down to eliminate the smell from returning. I just have to remember to call airsept on a day off - that is unless one of you EE types want to design a small unit with similar properties...
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  #12  
Old 08-02-2002, 04:11 PM
Boone
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Quote:
Originally posted by Zeppelin
Try shutting off your AC a few minutes before you shut down the car.. Most AC systems will smell if you don't let them clean out..
I was wondering why I do that. Must be ancestral memory from the early days of AC.
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  #13  
Old 08-02-2002, 06:22 PM
gcookaustin
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On a really hot day, put the settings to "Econ" and turn the temp up as high as possible, and let it run for a while. Should clear it out (if it's moldy stuff).
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  #14  
Old 08-02-2002, 08:56 PM
Ron Mummert Ron Mummert is offline
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Question

I don't recall ever having a "stink" or mildew odor from ANY automobile A/C system ever. Is there suddenly some bug going around similar to "sick" buildings? Are those of you experiencing this problem located in an ultra-humid climate? And since the subject is A/C, is it still recommended that the system be run a few times in the winter to keep the compressor lubed?

Cool hands Ron.
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  #15  
Old 08-03-2002, 12:36 AM
DavieGravy DavieGravy is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by Ron Mummert
Are those of you experiencing this problem located in an ultra-humid climate?
Funny you should mension that. The smell's worse for me down here in California than Colorado.
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