Smell coming from A/C & Heat - My Beetle stinks!

[Canadianbugin]

Originally Posted by callisto9

Nice.

I am def going to try the Lysol. It can't make it any worse.

We'll see what Curby smells like today!

The more chemicals you spray into there the more your heatercore will obsorb and clogg-up and cause more of the stink you are trying to get rid of.... The cleaner you purchased did not solve the problem???

[callisto9]

Originally Posted by Canadianbugin

The more chemicals you spray into there the more your heatercore will obsorb and clogg-up and cause more of the stink you are trying to get rid of.... The cleaner you purchased did not solve the problem???

I just sprayed it in there yesterday. I'm going to give it awhile to see if it works or not. Too early to tell.

I'm not using the Lysol right away.

And, it's an eight-year old car...how much worse can I make it?

[Canadianbugin]

Originally Posted by callisto9

I just sprayed it in there yesterday. I'm going to give it awhile to see if it works or not. Too early to tell.

I'm not using the Lysol right away.

And, it's an eight-year old car...how much worse can I make it?

Lot's if it clogs-up the heatercore and have to have it replaced... To replace the heatercore most of the dash has to be removed...So your choice... If this was my car i would vacuum out the condensation drain and wipe out(with Lysol Wipes) all the cabin airbox where the filter goes. I had the same problem on my 98 NB and did all the above including the filter and bingo no smell and have not had the problem since...

[callisto9]

Originally Posted by Canadianbugin

Lot's if it clogs-up the heatercore and have to have it replaced... To replace the heatercore most of the dash has to be removed...So your choice... If this was my car i would vacuum out the condensation drain and wipe out(with Lysol Wipes) all the cabin airbox where the filter goes. I had the same problem on my 98 NB and did all the above including the filter and bingo no smell and have not had the problem since...

I'll take your advice into consideration. Thanks.

Now to go find a how-to on removing that top dash piece...

[Canadianbugin]

Originally Posted by callisto9

I'll take your advice into consideration. Thanks.

Now to go find a how-to on removing that top dash piece...

I can guide you though that......1. Push the centre section of the top of the dash towards the windshield and it will come out. 2. Now at the front of the pannel you just removed you'll see two Torx screws..remove them and slide the side Pannel toward the drivers side(will just side out in your hand) and below that you'll see the top of the cabin filter box.3.Remove the screws from the top of the airbox and lift off and remove the filter. Now you'll be able to wipe it all out with the Lysol wipes. If you see anything like leaves or anything around there just vacuum it out then do the wipes.... If the Bentley had a good picture i 'd post it but the one i found would only confuse you as it does not have all the pieces in the picture.... Let me know if you need more info but it's a easy thing to take apart....

[Canadianbugin]

Originally Posted by Canadianbugin

I can guide you though that......1. Push the centre section of the top of the dash towards the windshield and it will come out. 2. Now at the front of the pannel you just removed you'll see two Torx screws..remove them and slide the side Pannel toward the drivers side(will just side out in your hand) and below that you'll see the top of the cabin filter box.3.Remove the screws from the top of the airbox and lift off and remove the filter. Now you'll be able to wipe it all out with the Lysol wipes. If you see anything like leaves or anything around there just vacuum it out then do the wipes.... If the Bentley had a good picture i 'd post it but the one i found would only confuse you as it does not have all the pieces in the picture.... Let me know if you need more info but it's a easy thing to take apart....

Here is some pictures i just found in the Bentley.... Sorry the first pic won't up load so heres just one...

[jstargell34]

Originally Posted by callisto9

How much was it to have the heater core replaced?

The book we looked at said 9.5 hours labor. But I found a performance shop in calhoun,ga that did the job for 200 and I supplied the heater core antifreeze and had to pay a little for some refrigerant.

[Canadianbugin]

Here is the other picture that would not up load before...

[callisto9]

Awesome. Thanks!

[Canadianbugin]

Originally Posted by callisto9

Awesome. Thanks!

Anytime...For some reason from time to time i cannot ad attachments....?????

[callisto9]

Originally Posted by Canadianbugin

Anytime...For some reason from time to time i cannot ad attachments....?????

Weird. I don't know what to say honestly. I've never had an issue. Maybe write and admin and see if they can help?

[Canadianbugin]

Originally Posted by callisto9

Weird. I don't know what to say honestly. I've never had an issue. Maybe write and admin and see if they can help?

Did that already....seems to be an intermitent problem...With this site...???? Did you get into your stinky problem yet...???

[callisto9]

Originally Posted by Canadianbugin

Did that already....seems to be an intermitent problem...With this site...???? Did you get into your stinky problem yet...???

I think the smell is lessened, yes. We'll see how it does the next time we get a big rain and it's warmer. That's when the smell is at its worst.

[Canadianbugin]

Originally Posted by callisto9

I think the smell is lessened, yes. We'll see how it does the next time we get a big rain and it's warmer. That's when the smell is at its worst.

Sound's like we're getting back to the condinsate drain again....

[callisto9]

Originally Posted by Canadianbugin

Sound's like we're getting back to the condinsate drain again....

Yeah, although that was cleared about 2 weeks ago. I think. No way of knowing until I get to see it for myself.

[Canadianbugin]

Originally Posted by callisto9

Yeah, although that was cleared about 2 weeks ago. I think. No way of knowing until I get to see it for myself.

Nothing beats seeing it with your own eyes instead of in a picture....Then you'll understand what i was telling you before...I feel for ya as my car smelled like a musty barnyard when i bought her it was nasty....

[callisto9]

Well, the smell still remains. No smell when heat/air isn't on, but the smell is def still there when I turn it on. Worse when it rains.

I don't smell it when the recirc is on, only when the air is coming from outside.

So what part do I have to replace to have this fixed? I've had it. If I can't get this fixed, the Beetle goes. I'm tired of this problem.

[salsa-man]

Originally Posted by callisto9

.....I don't smell it when the recirc is on, only when the air is coming from outside.....

Well that narrows it down. If you aren't smelling it with recirc on, then the source of the stink is NOT the evaporator. So stop focusing on it as the source. The source of the stink has to be somewhere in the plenum before the door that shuts the outside air off. The good new is that you don't have to replace the evaporator. The bad news is that you may have to just tear things apart to find exactly where the souce is. What I would do is start from the outside and work inward. The HVAC system draws air in from the outside under the cowling in and around the wiper arm mecahnism. I'll bet there is some rotting organic material (leaves and such) thats gotten down in there.

You should be able to get to this from the engine compartment. You'll have to remove the plastic shroud at the base of the windshield. I've never done this on a Beetle so don't know whats involved. Worst case - you may have to tear out part of your dash to get to all the air chambers to clean the junk out.

[Canadianbugin]

Originally Posted by salsa-man

Well that narrows it down. If you aren't smelling it with recirc on, then the source of the stink is NOT the evaporator. So stop focusing on it as the source. The source of the stink has to be somewhere in the plenum before the door that shuts the outside air off. The good new is that you don't have to replace the evaporator. The bad news is that you may have to just tear things apart to find exactly where the souce is. What I would do is start from the outside and work inward. The HVAC system draws air in from the outside under the cowling in and around the wiper arm mecahnism. I'll bet there is some rotting organic material (leaves and such) thats gotten down in there.

You should be able to get to this from the engine compartment. You'll have to remove the plastic shroud at the base of the windshield. I've never done this on a Beetle so don't know whats involved. Worst case - you may have to tear out part of your dash to get to all the air chambers to clean the junk out.

Sounds like the same as mine when i got her.. Had tons of leaves and other organic matter inside of the cabin air intake. To get at this you have to remove the wiper arms and then the screws that hold the wiper shroud and you'll see what is in there hopefully. If not, as said there must be something else in the cabin air inlet tubes... Did you ever look at the cabin filter yourself to make sure it had been replaced and the airbox is clean????

[oceanjoe89]

mine STUNK like wet dog when I got my car...

took the top panel of the dash off to change the cabin filter and about puked at all the stuff i found in there and the smell that was in there too.

the filter was no longer a filter. it was a breeding ground for nasty. there were wet leaves all over the place, and just gunky crap...

took a shop vac and some cleaner to it. replaced the filter. sprayed it all down with some disinfectant, and slapped it all back together... took about a week of running the A/C to get the smell totally out of the duct work, but it is gone...

Like you, if I turned the recirc on, it seemed to get less noticeable.

Good Luck, Erin!