dustinN

My 07 E63 AC smells really really bad when first running. I saw a cleaning product, I forgot the brand, at AutoZones, to spay into the drain hole underneath the car but I have no idea where to find it. Does anyone know how to locate this draining tube? Thanks.

Island_Moose

I don't think you spray anything into the evaporator drain, you spray the product either into the cabin air intake or put the system on recirculate and spray the product into the cabin intake in the passenger foot well. Its like a bug-bomb...press the trigger, shut the door and run like hell.


I just did this 2 weeks ago.


http://www.supercheapauto.co.nz/Prod...nuFrom=1021761

dustinN

I've done that one. Its good for a few week then the smell came back. There is a different product to spay directly to the drain to get rid of the mold.

dustinN

A/C Pro Auto Air Conditioning Evaporator Odor Eliminator ACP-0E1 This is the one Iam talking about.

pumpedTSI

Simple Green lemon flavor......

dustinN

The bad smell comes from the AC evaporator so just spraying in vent and cabin won't do the work.

pumpedTSI

Exactly........spray evap with SG lemon.....it cleans/foams out all the crap AND smells good....

hachiroku

I use this stuff, Klima Cleaner. Works every time! you have to use it once a year if your account smells foul to prevent the smell from returning.

dustinN

How do you locate the evaporation drain plug? Thanks.

Dublinoh

Not to be funny but it drips water when needed, look for the drip. I would "guess" that the product tube goes up the drain line. So your not really looking for a plug. Please correct me if I have this wrong.

dustinN

The problem is the drain may be clogged and I dont see the water on the ground.

dustinN

Our cars dont have the drain pan like the one in the picture.

hachiroku

on my Audi A4 B6 model the evaporator drain flows down the passenger side of the car.

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/532742-A-C-drain?p=8637222&viewfull=1#post8637222

hopefully someone here can chime in. I know must of us have our cars serviced vs doing the work ourselves. good luck and please share your findings.

VII

I just did this last weekend, and had the same problem. Where the hell is the tube that drips water !?

Well... turns out there isn't one (At least not a traditional one)

The holes are vertical in the middle tunnel behind the heat shield, its surrounded by a fabric like liner, one on each side they are certainly not easy visible.
But wait there is more! The drain is not hollow it has a plastic piece inside (to prevent crushing and animals from getting in?) that makes it impossible to feed the tube through.

What you might want to do is:
1. Remove the passenger side lower dash cover (the one with the light held by 2 screws)
2. Pull back carpet a little on the left side
3. You will now see where the drain tube connects to evaporator
4. Disconnect that, feed tube of cleaner, SEAL it to the evap drain
5. Feed product, the product will drain to the other side once it melts or you can try to quickly re-attach that side drain but that will be messy

dustinN

Thanks a bunch man! This will definitely help! Can't wait til next weekend to try it.

dustinN

Thanks for the instruction, I got mine done last week, waited for 1 week before I update the result. It got some improvement but the smell is still there. I already replaced the AC air filter by the passenger windshield and I just wondering if it has a cabin air filter and the bad smell comes from there? Does any one know? Thanks.

VII

There is no additional filter, this problem is sadly very common if you live under certain environmental conditions and there is no easy fix.
Mercedes had so much trouble with this they've implemented a "dry-out" program on newer cars 2012+ where the blower will run for ~10 minutes on low after the car has been off for a while to remove moisture.
Try this: with the engine at operating temp run the heater at max in recirc mode for ~5 minutes and then the defroster for ~5 minutes before you let the car sit overnight. This should kill everything off.

dustinN

Good info, thanks. I think I have done this in the past, its ok for a few months then it came back. I guess I have to do this more often. Thanks again.

hachiroku

clearing your drains isn't going to do anything in regards to the smell besides help prevent it. you will need a foaming cleaner to disinfect the mold that has grown on the AC evaporator coils. Klima Cleaner has worked every single time on every vehicle I've used it on. So much I always keep 4 cans on hand. Audi's are notorious for having AC systems that do not drain well enough. In those situations I've had to run the cleaner once a year, generally in the spring time before it starts getting hot.

http://www.1z-usa.com/products/klima...r-cleaner.html

Island_Moose

I watched the klima cleaner tutorial, and it looks like major surgery. I can't help but wonder why a mould and mildew spray into the cabin air intake wouldn't be distributed throughout the air con system...I'm referring to a Lysol-type product sprayed into the intake under the cabin filter. The smelly air that enters the cabin has to pass through all the same passages, it would just be carrying the 'lysol'...leaving a residue that would kill the mould?


I religiously turn my AC off 5 minutes before arriving at my destination, but I fear the previous owner did not, and more often than I would like, the AC reeks.

VII

It takes 10 minutes to access the drain behind the carpet. Try running the heat as described too.

You can use products through the intake but keep the following in mind:
Chlorine bleach: will corrode evaporator over time leading to leaks and ruin plastics
Alcohol: will ruin (whiten) the finish on plastic (eg vents)
Ammonia: will corrode evaporator and ruin plastics
Salt: will corrode evaporator
I do not know of an effective product that you can spray through the intake that won't lead to significant consequences.
​​​​

Island_Moose

Doing a bit of Google-research led me here:


http://www.gelair.com.au/index.php/p...r-health-e-car


Seems a dilution of tea tree oil kills mould and fungus without any of the above-mentioned corrosive or destructive ingredients.


I wonder if a dilution of tea tree oil atomized into the cabin air intake would coat the system and kill/prevent mould? Water would be the only other ingredient.


My concern with the drain treatment is that people claim the smell comes back, and the foaming cleaner is not cheap.

hachiroku

Klima Cleaner is a foaming cleaner that surrounds the entire evaporator for 15-30 min with cleaning agents that remove mold and mildew. any spray non foaming cleaner will not provide any agents that loosen and dislodge the sticky mold and mildew. Klima Cleaner and any other type of foaming cleaner will lift mold and mildew and take it away as the foam liquifies.

people have had luck using Lysol sprayed into the intake of the AC system but in my experience it simply masks the smell only to return.

Swizz

you need a ozonmachine

VII

That three oil thing sounds interesting, report back if you give it a try!

The highly corrosive and toxic ozone is not what you want in your evaporator or your lungs!