Team-BHP - Car Air-Conditioner Cleaning to remove bacteria & fungi

Quote:

Originally Posted by anandpadhye (Post 836103)

How to get to the evaporator without disconnecting?
I have a vaccum cleaner and would like to try this.

One alternative I have adopted is :
1) I spray HIT! into the blowers and through the A/C air intake at the bottom of the windshield.
2) I use full heater for 5 minutes every week or two - thinking that the hot air will kill the micro-organisms to some extent.

from firewall side engine area there will be two pipes metal ones (these are pipes connecting to evaporator - AC high & low pressure) and there are two more hose type pipes also entering from firewall into cabin, these are the heater hoses.

try to locate all the screws that you feel could be holding the glovebox area. then make sure from where and which screw you remove (better to mark) most cars usually should have the same type screws used under the dash glove box area.
1) the thing to do is remove the glovebox.
2) remove the plastic enclosure which covers the evaporator
3) once you can see the evaporator YOU WILL BE SURPRISED TO SEE THE DUST BUILD UP use the kind of fittings to the vaccum cleaner starting from firewall side as the intention is to pull the dirt cause if you vaccum from visible side you will suck in dirt which is on firewall side deeper into core.
4) MAKE SURE YOU ARE NOT AGRESSIVE IN REMOVING SCREWS AND DOING THE VACCUM JOB IN A WAY THAT YOU DAMAGE THE EVAPORATOR FITTINGS THEREBY GAS LEAKAGE AND THEN YOU WILL NEED TECH HELP TO DO UP THE SYSTEM.

P.S.:--
TIME REQU 2 TO 4 HRS DEPENDING ON HOW COMPLEX YOUR DASH AREA FITTINGS ARE.

Every morning my car used to smell odd, when i switch on the fan in air circulation mode. The smell goes away when i switch on the AC.

Here is what i tried and it worked - When ever there is a smell from the AC, in the evening after i come home i just run the fan in full blast with hot air for few minutes (~10 mins - fresh air mode). Next morning there is no smell from the AC/ fan.

For removing most of the odd smells in the car i leave a box of camphor over night in the car (all windows closed). Next morning remove the camphor box, else you car will start smelling like a camphor shop.

I use fresh flowers to keep the car smelling good. (My wife is allergic to most of the air fresheners)

Quote:

Originally Posted by visu03 (Post 837277)

Here is what i tried and it worked - When ever there is a smell from the AC, in the evening after i come home i just run the fan in full blast with hot air for few minutes (~10 mins - fresh air mode). Next morning there is no smell from the AC/ fan.

The moment i set the air intake to fresh air, all the leaves lodged above the shutter enter in & get stuck to the fan & i lose the air throw. the fan would have to be removed & cleaned. So my mechanic has actually sealed that opening.

I use Domex. Put a few drops of Domex in a mug of water.
Switch on the blower in fresh air mode, switch on the AC, at low speed and pour this water slowly from the air vents between the windshield and bonnet (outside the car).

I generally keep the car closed for a few minutes, and then put the blower to full speed.

This does reduce the foul smell.

Quote:

Originally Posted by esteem_lover (Post 837387)

Good job by your mechanic.

The fresh air intake at the base of the windshield is nothing but a menace - allowing all leaves, dust and other debries to sneak in...you don't know what you are inhaling in "fresh air" mode.

The best way to get fresh air while A/C on is to roll down the windows a little bit, take some air and then roll up again...

Quote:

Originally Posted by sacha_mul (Post 837399)

Hmm...interesting.
What does Domex do? What's the chemical/insecticide properties?

Quote:

Originally Posted by anandpadhye (Post 837834)

Hmm...interesting.
What does Domex do? What's the chemical/insecticide properties?

domex *seems* to be rather acidic (the brown coloured bottle). i spilt some on my marble floor at home... it frothed up a bit and when i wiped up, it stained the floor blue. not sure if it is the best option.

The AC in my Alto started giving stale air with a pungent smell around 10K though I always run it on recirculation mode, with windows rolled up. Whenever I told this to the AS.S guys, they never agreed that there was any issue, and insisted on ACX overhaul costing 2 K, is there no air filter in the AC blower and that cannot be cleaned??

the cooling coil can be cleaned. something may be there rotting inside which is giving that smell.

Remove rubber mat and fabric mat.
remove the water hole cap.
Empty the things inside the glove box and remove it. Now use the water jet (that used to clean the cars at service stations) to clean the coil housing through the circulating vents. Let it dry.

Total costs Rs.60 to the service station guy to use his powerful water jet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shyamtanu (Post 1049078)

T...Whenever I told this to the AS.S guys, they never agreed that there was any issue, and insisted on ACX overhaul costing 2 K...

If the A.S.S never agreed that there was an issue, then why the overhaul? My Alto, with 55k kms on the odo was never down with an A/c issue.

As SirAlec mentioned, there must be something decaying in the A/c line. Get that cleaned from a trusted mechanic.

PS: Since you are in re-circulation mode, are you sure that your driving path does not have this pungent smell in the air itself???