Waylander Posted May 14, 2016 Report Share Posted May 14, 2016 I've had my cabin filters replaced twice, I've done those Aircon Bombs about 3 times but come summer as soon as you start the car the fungified smell from the aircon is terrible. Do I need have the whole aircon system drained and regassed? Not sure what else I can do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarMad Posted May 14, 2016 Report Share Posted May 14, 2016 Just change the car, done. Next. Other than that no idea, never had it happen sorry. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuprabob Posted May 14, 2016 Report Share Posted May 14, 2016 It'll be due the build up of bacteria. If the bombs don't work then an an air con anti-bacterial refresh at a specialist should be able to kill it. It's normally caused by people not using the air con regularly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patently Posted May 14, 2016 Report Share Posted May 14, 2016 The aircon gas shouldn't affect the smell, surely? It's a sealed system that purely affects where or not the air gets cold or not. Sounds like there is a pipe somewhere that is properly foul. I'm guessing you need professional help, but you could try taking out the heater matrix and seeing if it needs a scrubbing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarMad Posted May 14, 2016 Report Share Posted May 14, 2016 It'll be due the build up of bacteria. If the bombs don't work then an an air con anti-bacterial refresh at a specialist should be able to kill it. It's normally caused by people not using the air con regularly. See I don't use my air con much, I live in an air condition box all day at work so I don't put it on in the car unless its warm enough to need it and I've never had this issue in any of my cars nor has my better half who does the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M8CKN Posted May 15, 2016 Report Share Posted May 15, 2016 Apparently putting on max temperature on full power for a couple of minutes, then straight to min temperature for a couple of minutes....and repeat. This kills bacteria in the system, getting rid of the pong. Never tried it, but got to be worth a go. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser647 Posted May 15, 2016 Report Share Posted May 15, 2016 Apparently putting on max temperature on full power for a couple of minutes, then straight to min temperature for a couple of minutes....and repeat. This kills bacteria in the system, getting rid of the pong. Never tried it, but got to be worth a go. Sounds logical. I always turn my air con off when I get nearer home after a long trip. I also, never use it all the time nor even every day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garcon magnifique Posted May 15, 2016 Report Share Posted May 15, 2016 Have you checked the inlet and removed the dead rat yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waylander Posted May 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2016 It'll be due the build up of bacteria. If the bombs don't work then an an air con anti-bacterial refresh at a specialist should be able to kill it. It's normally caused by people not using the air con regularly. Yep I do that enough is why I leave it on climate control permanently with aircon always on (learned that lesson from the Audi) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waylander Posted May 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2016 Apparently putting on max temperature on full power for a couple of minutes, then straight to min temperature for a couple of minutes....and repeat. This kills bacteria in the system, getting rid of the pong. Never tried it, but got to be worth a go. Thanks I've already tried that too with no luck :-( 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M8CKN Posted May 15, 2016 Report Share Posted May 15, 2016 Sell it....buy a new one 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waylander Posted May 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2016 A Porsche? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-bmw Posted May 15, 2016 Report Share Posted May 15, 2016 With a collapsible? spare. In red, not the spare the car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted May 16, 2016 Report Share Posted May 16, 2016 Sorry, late to this thread. Stop shitting in the engine bay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garcon magnifique Posted May 16, 2016 Report Share Posted May 16, 2016 Sorry, late to this thread. I'll stop shitting in the engine bay. And not before time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tipex Posted May 16, 2016 Report Share Posted May 16, 2016 Most of those cans you can get at Halfords etc claim to be anti bacterial, I'm not entirely sure a specialist would have any more powerful chemicals? Probably worth seeking one out and asking. Stripping out to remove and clean the matrix would be such a huge job, you'd need to remove most of the dashboard than it'd need regassing and coolant refilling afterwards, it's just a job so involved it's simply not worth it. My first action would be to get a torch and look inside every air vent, including the ones under the seat and under the dash, see if you can spot anything untoward in them, I've never had a car that had smelly aircon due to bacteria in the system, I've heard of it before, but assumed it was one of those old wives tales that doesn't really happen as cold air kills bacteria anyway, hence why we refrigerate food. I don't do anything special with mine to stop it getting smelly, I use it in the summer, not so much in the winter, never switch it off before I get home or anything and it doesn't smell, considering some of the people I pick up, there should be a plentiful supply of bacteria! Someone vomited in one of the air vents on my old Mondeo, that stank, had to keep stripping back the pipe work until I found the farthest point it had reached and cleaned it all up, sorted it out but wasn't a pleasant job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patently Posted May 16, 2016 Report Share Posted May 16, 2016 Fair point re the matrix. I'm not used to tinkering with cars that have complicated modern stuff like heaters... cold air kills bacteria anyway, hence why we refrigerate food. No, heat kills most bacteria, cold just slows them down. Hence why stuff still goes off eventually, even if it's in the fridge. Also, a fridge goes down to 4 degrees whereas most aircon systems drop the air temperature to 16 degrees at most. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted May 16, 2016 Report Share Posted May 16, 2016 (edited) Beat me to it. Cold is very much the friend of bacteria. Recent tests have taken ice deposits known to be over 500 years old, melted the ice, waited a while...and found bacteria slowly but surely beginning to move in them. This is precisely why NASA and ESA are keen to explore ice deposits on Mars - because they're convinced they'll find what can be constituted as life in them - in the form of bacteria. Edited May 16, 2016 by NewNiceMrMe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tipex Posted May 16, 2016 Report Share Posted May 16, 2016 (edited) Understood, with regards to A/C going down to 16 degrees, yes that's the coldest you can set the climate control but the temperature of the air is much colder to achieve that, the temperature of the matrix having that air flowing through it will be nigh on zero degrees, you can get ice forming on them in the right conditions. Maybe leave the heater on full blast for a few hours on a hot day! Edited May 16, 2016 by Tipex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted May 16, 2016 Report Share Posted May 16, 2016 (edited) The reality is the same at the other end of the scale too. Warm temperatures don't kill bacteria. They kill bacteria that can't survive warm temperatures - but far from all. It isn't too long ago that science thought it impossible for anything to live at very high temperatures. Then nature decided to say "Hey, scientists, you can all feck off" in quite epic style. Double-whammy proportions. At a mile down in the Atlantic ocean, around hydrothermal vents, where the temperature was measured at up to 600 fahrenheit - teaming with bacteria and all manner of much more sizeable creatures (tube worms the width of a mans hand). Science at the time said this wasn't possible. For a start, how could tube worms be getting food down there? They took samples and discovered that their insides were lined with bacteria that oxidize the H2S, turning it into usable nutrients. The bacteria, in turn, benefit from the relationship because the worms deliver blood-containing hemoglobin, which helps the bacteria to break down the sulfides.But science is always correct.... p.s. that's without mentioning anything being able to thrive of at such extreme pressures with no sunlight. Edited May 16, 2016 by NewNiceMrMe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patently Posted May 16, 2016 Report Share Posted May 16, 2016 But science is always correct.... Yes, it is, because it is a process for approaching a closer understanding of a physical law, not a statement of fact. But I see your point... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eldavo69 Posted May 17, 2016 Report Share Posted May 17, 2016 (edited) p.s. that's without mentioning anything being able to thrive of at such extreme pressures with no sunlight. You've obviously not worked in some of the offices that I have then! Edited May 17, 2016 by eldavo69 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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