AC Stink - solved

[jsmay311]

I believe it is the cabin overheat protection causing it. Do you use cabin overheat?

I never used cabin overheat protection and still got the smell. For me it seems highly correlated with using A/C on Auto and not manually turning off recirculate.

 

[Schulz1983]

I never used cabin overheat protection and still got the smell. For me it seems highly correlated with using A/C on Auto and not manually turning off recirculate.

That’s possible. I have been manually turning off recirculate when I get someplace. I’m not entirely sure but I have taken everything from this forum and trying it. Surely if you throw the sink at it something will work?

 

[davraker]

Just changed filters and seems to be better. However, the placement for these are simply ridiculous. No it doesn’t take all day, but there should be no need to remove panels just to get to the screw holding the compartment.

 

[Threader]

That’s possible. I have been manually turning off recirculate when I get someplace. I’m not entirely sure but I have taken everything from this forum and trying it. Surely if you throw the sink at it something will work?

maybe get a snake camera and see what is in the coil cavity? though if you do see debris what kind of micro vacuum can you use?

Just changed filters and seems to be better. However, the placement for these are simply ridiculous. No it doesn’t take all day, but there should be no need to remove panels just to get to the screw holding the compartment.

Behind the glove box just by removing a few rubber grommets that keep the glovebox from completely swinging open and down would be great. Had that placement on a prior vehicle for cabin filter change. It was a 2 min job.

 

[jsmay311]

maybe get a snake camera and see what is in the coil cavity? though if you do see debris what kind of micro vacuum can you use?

I posted about this here: UGH - The smell of it. [AC Smell]

I MacGyver’d a solution to suck out the debris using a small (1/2”-3/4”) flexible plastic hose attached to a shop vac suction hose w/ duct tape to provide suction, and then taped that hose to the aforementioned inspection camera’s arm, which allowed me to see where I was guiding this hose inside the filter compartment and maneuver it to where the debris was so I could suck it all out. It was a huge PITA, but it got the job done.

 

[Pianewman]

OR...you could cut a piece of HVAC filter, to fit across the TOP of the HVAC inlet in the frunk. It catches large debris w/o air flow restriction.

See post #14

 

[Schulz1983]

I don’t think mine had any debris in it as it isn’t that old, and it is a garage queen. I don’t think it has ever spent a night outside or forbid under a tree (gasp). I think I’m going to take really fine screen (have some at work) and draw up the shape in CAD. We have flash cutters than can cut the design perfectly and that will solve the debris getting into the duct work. I don’t want to use a filter in the frunk as that will further reduce the fan output, and make the fan work harder than it needs to. I will post pictures when I get it done.

 

[Darmie]

I've had these in my amazon cart for a while now. Hope they meet the needs of a replacement. They're cheap enough.

Amazon.com