algae growth in climate control system

I seem to have algae growing in the AC system of my '98 S90. When I start
the car the vents emit an unpleasant smell and often the windshield fogs
over. It will blow cold air for about 10 minutes, then blow warm air for 10
minutes, then cold again, then warm again and so on. Water does drip from
the condensate drain but probably not fast enough to keep it from staying
moist all the time and freezing up while running. A poke of the finger up
the condensate drain resulted in a coating of pink slime. Is there any way
to flush out this growth without opening the air plenum?

Thanks

 

In my '98 V70, I cleaned the stink out of the evaporator with a product
designed to spray into the air intake at the base of the windshield with
the fan on high. However, that wasn't good enough for me, I removed the
heater motor and could more or less spray the product on the whole
evaporator. The I reinstalled the heater motor and blew it for the
amount of time specified on the can. This has been effective for 4
years now - more time that it took the evaporator to stink up from when
the car was new!

The fact that you have cold air for 10 minutes then warm air for 10
indicates another problem.

--
Mike F.
Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.

Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
(But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)

 

What is the name of this wonder product, please? TIA

 

You can get a special air-con spray to remove this, however, I have
heard that another way is running the engine up to temp and then turning
the blowers on full on full heat for approx 20mins, then turning to full
freeze for 10 mins.
I believe if you do this a couple of times it may kill of the crap.
Failing all that try roundup spray from B&Q

Andy

 

This will also work, although as noted, the A/C system
isn't working properly.

Non-toxic A/C System Cleaner

Mold, mildew and fungus growth in automotive A/C systems is a
common problem, especially when the air intake control is
regularly set to "recirculate" or "Max A/C". There are commercial
cleaners available that can control the problem, but I have yet to
locate one that isn't both moderately toxic and strong-smelling.
Since I'm somewhat sensitive to noxious odors and to chemicals
like ammonia, I have developed an easy to mix, non-toxic
alternative that, for me at least, works as well as or better than the
commercial products. In the interest of a less-toxic environment
and as a public service, I am posting it.

Materials Needed:

Clean adjustable spray bottle, preferably 24oz or smaller.

Cheap vodka

Apple cider vinegar

It is probably possible to use white wine vinegar, but I haven't
tried it. Feel free to experiment, at your own risk. Mix the two
ingredients in the bottle: three or four parts vodka to one part cider
vinegar.

Application:

With the recirculate control set to "fresh", the ventilation fan on
medium, all windows open ,and the engine and A/C running, spray
generous amounts of the mixture into all of the outside air intakes.
These intakes are usually located at the base of the windshield. If the
system is already seriously moldy, wait a minute, set the air intake
control to "recirculate" or "Max A/C", and spray the mixture into the
air recirculate intake, usually located above the front passenger
footwell, or sometimes behind the glovebox. Let the A/C and fan
run for another minute or two, then switch off first the A/C, then
the engine. The car will smell strongly of vinegar for an hour or
two, but I find this to be both far preferable to the smell of the
commercial cleaners and shorter-lived. Leave the windows open a
little when finished, if possible.
Like commercial cleaners, one application may not be enough,
so I suggest weekly applications until the problem is gone, then
preventative treatment once a month during warm weather.


Precautions:

This formula is non-toxic, but not completely harmless. Use
common sense when applying it. That means not getting the spray
in eyes, nose or open wounds, and not applying it with people or
animals in the vehicle. Depending on the proportions (and again
like some commercial products) the mixture may be flammable, so
don't apply it while smoking or near any combustion source.

As with the commercial cleaners, remove any residue from painted
and/or plastic surfaces after application, as it may harm the finish.

Finally, don't drive the vehicle until the vapor has dissipated; not
only is there a slight potential for intoxication, there is also the
possibility that this cleaner can produce a false positive on a police
breath alcohol analyzer.



Copyright 2001, by Michael Cerkowski.
Distribute freely, but do not modify.

 

Well, it was 4 years ago... It was a can of "not for retail sale" stuff
that my friend that runs a garage lent me. I'll talk to him and see if
he still has any.

--
Mike F.
Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.

Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
(But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)