Musty A/C Odor

Hello all, I have a problem that maybe someone in these groups can help me
with. I not too long ago got my A/C working on my '90 Camry DX, 3SFE engine
with over 280,000 miles on the odometer. If I had known all was needed was
to have the system charged I would have done it 5 years ago instead of
driving around in the heat of Houston. Anyway, when I run the A/C for a
while and cut off the engine for like a day or a few hours and start it
again, there is a musty odor that comes from the vents. I asked my mechanic
about it and he said that it was most likely the evaporator which probably
had mold growing inside it from the moisture build up from the A/C running.
He said that on cars old as mine that they werent serviceable. There has got
to be some way of killing the odor and mold. I have sorta solved the problem
by just leaving the vent open and opening the windows and try to dry the
moisture out a while before I cut off the car. If anyone knows of some way
of solving this problem please let me know. It will be much appreciated.

"Savalas" <thegaffler@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:UiFOf.19910$n%2.526@tornado.texas.rr.com...[color=blue]
> Anyway, when I run the A/C for a while and cut off the engine for like a
> day or a few hours and start it again, there is a musty odor that comes
> from the vents.[/color]

The usual recommendation is buy a spray can of Febreeze and give all the the
vents a good squirt, and leave it overnite. If its really bad, you may have
to take the evaporator fan shroud off (if its accessible) and squirt the
fins directly.

May take several applications.

Stewart DIBBS

On Sun, 5 Mar 2006 14:15:35 -0500, "Stewart DIBBS" <sjd@pixcl.com>
wrote:
[color=blue]
>
>"Savalas" <thegaffler@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>news:UiFOf.19910$n%2.526@tornado.texas.rr.com...[color=green]
>> Anyway, when I run the A/C for a while and cut off the engine for like a
>> day or a few hours and start it again, there is a musty odor that comes
>> from the vents.[/color]
>
>The usual recommendation is buy a spray can of Febreeze and give all the the
>vents a good squirt,[/color]

The problem with the usual recommendation is that it doesn't kill the
cause (mold) but just masks it.

You need to kill the mold.
--
gburnore at DataBasix dot Com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
How you look depends on where you go.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gary L. Burnore | ÝÛ³ºÝ³Þ³ºÝ³³Ýۺݳ޳ºÝ³Ý³Þ³ºÝ³ÝÝÛ³
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| ÝÛ 0 1 7 2 3 / Ý³Þ 3 7 4 9 3 0 Û³
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===========================================================================

I have had pretty good luck, in cars without a cabin filter.

By

Spraying Lysol thru the intake (cowl area) while running the fan. I
use the aerosol type and usually give it a real good shot several
times. Not sure if it will get all the mold but should help.

Ron

"Savalas" <thegaffler@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:UiFOf.19910$n%2.526@tornado.texas.rr.com...[color=blue]
> Hello all, I have a problem that maybe someone in these groups can help me
> with. I not too long ago got my A/C working on my '90 Camry DX, 3SFE
> engine with over 280,000 miles on the odometer. If I had known all was
> needed was to have the system charged I would have done it 5 years ago
> instead of driving around in the heat of Houston. Anyway, when I run the
> A/C for a while and cut off the engine for like a day or a few hours and
> start it again, there is a musty odor that comes from the vents. I asked
> my mechanic about it and he said that it was most likely the evaporator
> which probably had mold growing inside it from the moisture build up from
> the A/C running. He said that on cars old as mine that they werent
> serviceable. There has got to be some way of killing the odor and mold. I
> have sorta solved the problem by just leaving the vent open and opening
> the windows and try to dry the moisture out a while before I cut off the
> car. If anyone knows of some way of solving this problem please let me
> know. It will be much appreciated.[/color]


First, check the carpet under the passenger side of the dashboard for
dampness. If it is damp or if you hear water sloshing around under the
passenger side of the dashboard, then the evaporator drain tube is
mis-positioned or clogged. Make sure it exits out the hole in the floor of
the car, and stick a wire up from underneath to make sure it is not clogged.

Besides Lysol, you can spray water mixed with bleach to kill the mold, or
you can try Frigi-Fresh by BG - some auto shops may carry it.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

On Sun, 05 Mar 2006 17:34:44 GMT, "Savalas" <thegaffler@yahoo.com>
wrote:
[color=blue]
>Hello all, I have a problem that maybe someone in these groups can help me
>with. I not too long ago got my A/C working on my '90 Camry DX, 3SFE engine
>with over 280,000 miles on the odometer. If I had known all was needed was
>to have the system charged I would have done it 5 years ago instead of
>driving around in the heat of Houston. Anyway, when I run the A/C for a
>while and cut off the engine for like a day or a few hours and start it
>again, there is a musty odor that comes from the vents. I asked my mechanic
>about it and he said that it was most likely the evaporator which probably
>had mold growing inside it from the moisture build up from the A/C running.
>He said that on cars old as mine that they werent serviceable. There has got
>to be some way of killing the odor and mold. I have sorta solved the problem
>by just leaving the vent open and opening the windows and try to dry the
>moisture out a while before I cut off the car. If anyone knows of some way
>of solving this problem please let me know. It will be much appreciated.
>[/color]

What I usually do to preven this is I switch the AC off a couple
minutes before I reach my destination and just let it blow air. It
will prevent condensation in the system and you won't get the bad
smell. Make sure the ac is off but the fan is still running. This is
actually quite common in many cars.

"Savalas" <thegaffler@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:UiFOf.19910$n%2.526@tornado.texas.rr.com...[color=blue]
> Hello all, I have a problem that maybe someone in these groups can help me
> with. I not too long ago got my A/C working on my '90 Camry DX, 3SFE
> engine with over 280,000 miles on the odometer. If I had known all was
> needed was to have the system charged I would have done it 5 years ago
> instead of driving around in the heat of Houston. Anyway, when I run the
> A/C for a while and cut off the engine for like a day or a few hours and
> start it again, there is a musty odor that comes from the vents. I asked
> my mechanic about it and he said that it was most likely the evaporator
> which probably had mold growing inside it from the moisture build up from
> the A/C running. He said that on cars old as mine that they werent
> serviceable. There has got to be some way of killing the odor and mold. I
> have sorta solved the problem by just leaving the vent open and opening
> the windows and try to dry the moisture out a while before I cut off the
> car. If anyone knows of some way of solving this problem please let me
> know. It will be much appreciated.
>[/color]

Either steam clean your floor mats or replace them. Or, I highly recommend
Oust. Don't use Lysol it can attack your lungs. It's not meant to be used as
a air spray and definitely not in such a closed space. Read the warning
label.
mark_

If your floor mats are wet on passenger side probably the drain hose
is plugged. Unclog it then try the other remedies. Easy to get mold
in high humidity areas if the drain is plugged.

Won't the bleach mixture damage metal parts? It might take a while but
chlorine bleach eats metal. When furnace manufacturers thinned out metal
parts to make furnaces more energy efficient, people that had washing
machines near furnaces and used bleached often suffered premature failure of
the heat exchangers. It was traced to the use of bleach in the same room.


"Ray O" <rokigawa@tristarassociatesDOTcomn> wrote in message
news:6a2fb$440b98dd$180fead6$23575@msgid.meganewsservers.com...[color=blue]
>
> "Savalas" <thegaffler@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:UiFOf.19910$n%2.526@tornado.texas.rr.com...[color=green]
>> Hello all, I have a problem that maybe someone in these groups can help
>> me with. I not too long ago got my A/C working on my '90 Camry DX, 3SFE
>> engine with over 280,000 miles on the odometer. If I had known all was
>> needed was to have the system charged I would have done it 5 years ago
>> instead of driving around in the heat of Houston. Anyway, when I run the
>> A/C for a while and cut off the engine for like a day or a few hours and
>> start it again, there is a musty odor that comes from the vents. I asked
>> my mechanic about it and he said that it was most likely the evaporator
>> which probably had mold growing inside it from the moisture build up from
>> the A/C running. He said that on cars old as mine that they werent
>> serviceable. There has got to be some way of killing the odor and mold. I
>> have sorta solved the problem by just leaving the vent open and opening
>> the windows and try to dry the moisture out a while before I cut off the
>> car. If anyone knows of some way of solving this problem please let me
>> know. It will be much appreciated.[/color]
>
>
> First, check the carpet under the passenger side of the dashboard for
> dampness. If it is damp or if you hear water sloshing around under the
> passenger side of the dashboard, then the evaporator drain tube is
> mis-positioned or clogged. Make sure it exits out the hole in the floor
> of the car, and stick a wire up from underneath to make sure it is not
> clogged.
>
> Besides Lysol, you can spray water mixed with bleach to kill the mold, or
> you can try Frigi-Fresh by BG - some auto shops may carry it.
> --
>
> Ray O
> (correct punctuation to reply)
>[/color]

Or use the lysol when you are not going to be driving the car for a while.


"mark_digital©" <976XXX@nospam.net> wrote in message
news:X5ednRvb7fkHgpHZnZ2dnUVZ_s-dnZ2d@comcast.com...[color=blue]
>
> "Savalas" <thegaffler@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:UiFOf.19910$n%2.526@tornado.texas.rr.com...[color=green]
>> Hello all, I have a problem that maybe someone in these groups can help
>> me with. I not too long ago got my A/C working on my '90 Camry DX, 3SFE
>> engine with over 280,000 miles on the odometer. If I had known all was
>> needed was to have the system charged I would have done it 5 years ago
>> instead of driving around in the heat of Houston. Anyway, when I run the
>> A/C for a while and cut off the engine for like a day or a few hours and
>> start it again, there is a musty odor that comes from the vents. I asked
>> my mechanic about it and he said that it was most likely the evaporator
>> which probably had mold growing inside it from the moisture build up from
>> the A/C running. He said that on cars old as mine that they werent
>> serviceable. There has got to be some way of killing the odor and mold. I
>> have sorta solved the problem by just leaving the vent open and opening
>> the windows and try to dry the moisture out a while before I cut off the
>> car. If anyone knows of some way of solving this problem please let me
>> know. It will be much appreciated.
>>[/color]
>
> Either steam clean your floor mats or replace them. Or, I highly recommend
> Oust. Don't use Lysol it can attack your lungs. It's not meant to be used
> as a air spray and definitely not in such a closed space. Read the warning
> label.
> mark_
>
>[/color]

"Art" <begunaNOSPAMPLEASE@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:imhPf.1144$sL2.455@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net...[color=blue]
> Won't the bleach mixture damage metal parts? It might take a while but
> chlorine bleach eats metal. When furnace manufacturers thinned out metal
> parts to make furnaces more energy efficient, people that had washing
> machines near furnaces and used bleached often suffered premature failure
> of the heat exchangers. It was traced to the use of bleach in the same
> room.
>
>[/color]

I don't know whether the bleach mixture will damage metal parts or not, so
to be on the safe side, forget what I said about the bleach and stick to
Frigi-Fresh!

--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)
[color=blue]
> "Ray O" <rokigawa@tristarassociatesDOTcomn> wrote in message
> news:6a2fb$440b98dd$180fead6$23575@msgid.meganewsservers.com...[color=green]
>>
>> "Savalas" <thegaffler@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>> news:UiFOf.19910$n%2.526@tornado.texas.rr.com...[color=darkred]
>>> Hello all, I have a problem that maybe someone in these groups can help
>>> me with. I not too long ago got my A/C working on my '90 Camry DX, 3SFE
>>> engine with over 280,000 miles on the odometer. If I had known all was
>>> needed was to have the system charged I would have done it 5 years ago
>>> instead of driving around in the heat of Houston. Anyway, when I run the
>>> A/C for a while and cut off the engine for like a day or a few hours and
>>> start it again, there is a musty odor that comes from the vents. I asked
>>> my mechanic about it and he said that it was most likely the evaporator
>>> which probably had mold growing inside it from the moisture build up
>>> from the A/C running. He said that on cars old as mine that they werent
>>> serviceable. There has got to be some way of killing the odor and mold.
>>> I have sorta solved the problem by just leaving the vent open and
>>> opening the windows and try to dry the moisture out a while before I cut
>>> off the car. If anyone knows of some way of solving this problem please
>>> let me know. It will be much appreciated.[/color]
>>
>>
>> First, check the carpet under the passenger side of the dashboard for
>> dampness. If it is damp or if you hear water sloshing around under the
>> passenger side of the dashboard, then the evaporator drain tube is
>> mis-positioned or clogged. Make sure it exits out the hole in the floor
>> of the car, and stick a wire up from underneath to make sure it is not
>> clogged.
>>
>> Besides Lysol, you can spray water mixed with bleach to kill the mold, or
>> you can try Frigi-Fresh by BG - some auto shops may carry it.
>> --
>>
>> Ray O
>> (correct punctuation to reply)
>>[/color]
>
>[/color]

Not if properly diluted. It is like the 'bleach' in the water you drink
water, but you can't drink bleach ;)

mike hunt


"Art" <begunaNOSPAMPLEASE@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:imhPf.1144$sL2.455@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net...[color=blue]
> Won't the bleach mixture damage metal parts? It might take a while but
> chlorine bleach eats metal. When furnace manufacturers thinned out metal
> parts to make furnaces more energy efficient, people that had washing
> machines near furnaces and used bleached often suffered premature failure
> of the heat exchangers. It was traced to the use of bleach in the same
> room.
>[/color]

"Art" <begunaNOSPAMPLEASE@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:fnhPf.1145$sL2.1065@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net...[color=blue]
> Or use the lysol when you are not going to be driving the car for a while.
>[/color]
Sprinkle some Old Spice in there while you're at it.

mark_

"Mike Hunter" <mikehunt2@mailcity.com> wrote in message
news:RBmdnU0jLMRQT5DZUSdV9g@ptd.net...[color=blue]
> Not if properly diluted. It is like the 'bleach' in the water you drink
> water, but you can't drink bleach ;)
>
> mike hunt[/color]

OK. If one drop of bleach in a gallon of water is the equivalent of tap
water tell me how many drops will it take to be "properly diluted"?
mark_

On Tue, 7 Mar 2006 14:31:40 -0500, mark_digital© <976XXX@nospam.net>
wrote:
[color=blue]
>
>"Art" <begunaNOSPAMPLEASE@mindspring.com> wrote in message
>news:fnhPf.1145$sL2.1065@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net...[color=green]
>> Or use the lysol when you are not going to be driving the car for a while.
>>[/color]
> Sprinkle some Old Spice in there while you're at it.[/color]

Better yet, some FDS. Heh.



--
gburnore at DataBasix dot Com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
How you look depends on where you go.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gary L. Burnore | ÝÛ³ºÝ³Þ³ºÝ³³Ýۺݳ޳ºÝ³Ý³Þ³ºÝ³ÝÝÛ³
| ÝÛ³ºÝ³Þ³ºÝ³³Ýۺݳ޳ºÝ³Ý³Þ³ºÝ³ÝÝÛ³
Official .sig, Accept no substitutes. | ÝÛ³ºÝ³Þ³ºÝ³³Ýۺݳ޳ºÝ³Ý³Þ³ºÝ³ÝÝÛ³
| ÝÛ 0 1 7 2 3 / Ý³Þ 3 7 4 9 3 0 Û³
Black Helicopter Repair Services, Ltd.| Official Proof of Purchase
===========================================================================