Honda Car Forum

On 28 Aug 2003 22:56:03 -0700, cranbrook@attbi.com (rusty cranbrook) wrote:

>I bought a used 98 Accord (Torneo actually) for use overseas that came
>from Japan. I'd never even heard of musty smelling vents before or I
>would have checked, but this thing really stinks. It has about 50k km
>on it. Plain air from the outside is pretty bad, but with the A/C on
>it's really terrible. Wish I'd never bought the thing...
>
>Anyways, a car cleaning guy used one of those vent cleaning sprays in
>it and it was *a little* better for a week or two. But how can I
>really fix this thing? I've read about shutting off the ac a mile or
>two before stopping; lysol; etc. but those fixes are not likely to be
>up to my needs. Can a Honda dealer really fix this issue? Or should I
>take it to an AC specialist? Just thinking of the smell makes me
>ill...

Two things about Honda ventilation: 1) there is no mesh, behind the plastic
plenum cover at the bottom of the windshield, to prevent plant debris from
being sucked in to the ventilation system; 2) the fan is a centrifugal type
so the debris gets sucked into the cavity of the fan, stays there and rots
and mildews there.<yugh>

There may be removable "doors" on that plastic plenum - there is on our 2K
Accord - lift the hood and have a look. You may be able to reach in and
prevent any crap lingering under the plenum cover from getting further into
the system from there but the bottom line is, because of the lack of a
screen, you have to be meticulous about checking the bottom of the
windshield area for debris, every time you go back to the car after it's
been parked... before it gets sucked in any further.

I'd guess there is also a "pollen/dust filter" between the fan and the
evaporator housing - there is in Accords. If it hasn't been changed,
either DIY or have it done. It's actually better to do it yourself because
when you take the old filters out, there is traces of rotting plant residue
all around the filter housing, which is easily removed; somehow I don't see
your average dealer mechanic paying attention to such details. The best
diagram outside the shop manual, which bounces you from section to section
and page to page is here: <http://www.hastingsfilter.com/cabair/af1011.pdf>
but they miss on the number of screws holding the glove compartment to the
support bar - IIRC I had to remove 4 plus the 3 on the lower bar.

Finally if it really stinks that bad, I've seen a mouse nest in the cavity
of the centrifugal fan - nice 'n' cozy I guess. I think it's possible to
drop the fan motor and impeller without taking the whole fan housing out of
the car, which is a big job and a PITA. A mouse nest will likely put the
fan badly out of balance at the higher speed settings.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

Whats all the talk about., You obviously need to replace your AC
filters. If you look in the manual it reccoemnds replacing them pretty
frequently, I think every 36,000 miles? There are two AC filters and
they are a pain in the ass to get to. I should cost about $200-300 for
labor and parts. While youre at it, is the smell is that bad, get them
to throw on some bleach and clean out the AC ducts.

Peter thanks... are the two AC filters you refer to the ones that
George refers to as "pollen/dust filter" between the fan and the
evaporator housing? He posted a link to a pdf that shows them. Just
want to be clear if there is more than one set of possible filters to
replace.

pkim4@hotmail.com (Peter Kim) wrote in message news:<8ed1a80c.0308301429.7c90991f@posting.google. com>...
> Whats all the talk about., You obviously need to replace your AC
> filters. If you look in the manual it reccoemnds replacing them pretty
> frequently, I think every 36,000 miles? There are two AC filters and
> they are a pain in the ass to get to. I should cost about $200-300 for
> labor and parts. While youre at it, is the smell is that bad, get them
> to throw on some bleach and clean out the AC ducts.

George thanks that is killer information. If I get it apart to the
point that I can service these two filters, will I be able to spray or
otherwise clean the condenders? Many have refered to crud on the
condenser as a source of smell... so if I can somehow get to that
while doing the filter that would be great. And... are the two filters
shown in the hastings pdf the only filters in the ducting system for
Accords, or are there other filters I should look at also?

fammacd=!SPAM^nothanks@tellurian.com (George Macdonald) wrote in message news:<3f50918c.1898969@news.tellurian.com>...
> On 28 Aug 2003 22:56:03 -0700, cranbrook@attbi.com (rusty cranbrook) wrote:
>
> >I bought a used 98 Accord (Torneo actually) for use overseas that came
> >from Japan. I'd never even heard of musty smelling vents before or I
> >would have checked, but this thing really stinks. It has about 50k km
> >on it. Plain air from the outside is pretty bad, but with the A/C on
> >it's really terrible. Wish I'd never bought the thing...
> >
> >Anyways, a car cleaning guy used one of those vent cleaning sprays in
> >it and it was *a little* better for a week or two. But how can I
> >really fix this thing? I've read about shutting off the ac a mile or
> >two before stopping; lysol; etc. but those fixes are not likely to be
> >up to my needs. Can a Honda dealer really fix this issue? Or should I
> >take it to an AC specialist? Just thinking of the smell makes me
> >ill...
>
> Two things about Honda ventilation: 1) there is no mesh, behind the plastic
> plenum cover at the bottom of the windshield, to prevent plant debris from
> being sucked in to the ventilation system; 2) the fan is a centrifugal type
> so the debris gets sucked into the cavity of the fan, stays there and rots
> and mildews there.<yugh>
>
> There may be removable "doors" on that plastic plenum - there is on our 2K
> Accord - lift the hood and have a look. You may be able to reach in and
> prevent any crap lingering under the plenum cover from getting further into
> the system from there but the bottom line is, because of the lack of a
> screen, you have to be meticulous about checking the bottom of the
> windshield area for debris, every time you go back to the car after it's
> been parked... before it gets sucked in any further.
>
> I'd guess there is also a "pollen/dust filter" between the fan and the
> evaporator housing - there is in Accords. If it hasn't been changed,
> either DIY or have it done. It's actually better to do it yourself because
> when you take the old filters out, there is traces of rotting plant residue
> all around the filter housing, which is easily removed; somehow I don't see
> your average dealer mechanic paying attention to such details. The best
> diagram outside the shop manual, which bounces you from section to section
> and page to page is here: <http://www.hastingsfilter.com/cabair/af1011.pdf>
> but they miss on the number of screws holding the glove compartment to the
> support bar - IIRC I had to remove 4 plus the 3 on the lower bar.
>
> Finally if it really stinks that bad, I've seen a mouse nest in the cavity
> of the centrifugal fan - nice 'n' cozy I guess. I think it's possible to
> drop the fan motor and impeller without taking the whole fan housing out of
> the car, which is a big job and a PITA. A mouse nest will likely put the
> fan badly out of balance at the higher speed settings.
>
> Rgds, George Macdonald
>
> "Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

On 30 Aug 2003 22:27:03 -0700, cranbrook@attbi.com (rusty cranbrook) wrote:

>George thanks that is killer information. If I get it apart to the
>point that I can service these two filters, will I be able to spray or
>otherwise clean the condenders? Many have refered to crud on the
>condenser as a source of smell... so if I can somehow get to that
>while doing the filter that would be great. And... are the two filters
>shown in the hastings pdf the only filters in the ducting system for
>Accords, or are there other filters I should look at also?

Those are the only filters in the ducting system - pity that they're
downstream of the fan.:-( When I changed ours last month, there was some
wet leaf debris - not enough to cause a smell - stuck in the filter housing
around the edge of the filters which I poked out with a bit of wire - too
cramped to get a vacuum cleaner attachment in there without some
improvisation.

When you have the filters out it might be worth turning the fan on to see
if the stink is originating upstream of the filters but you will be able to
spray something in there too - you can see the face of the evaporator fins
(condenser is the other end of the horse:-)... in front of the radiator).
Not sure where you're located but there are sprays, which are usually sold
in the A/C section of auto-parts stores, for deodorizing the ventilation
system - doesn't smell strong so I think it must contain hydrogen peroxide.
Lysol has also been suggested for this.

As others have suggested, also make sure that the A/C evaporator housing
drain is not clogged - you'll see a short plastic spout sticking out of the
firewall under the hood where you can poke a bit of wire in to clear it.

>fammacd=!SPAM^nothanks@tellurian.com (George Macdonald) wrote in message news:<3f50918c.1898969@news.tellurian.com>...
>> On 28 Aug 2003 22:56:03 -0700, cranbrook@attbi.com (rusty cranbrook) wrote:
>>
>> >I bought a used 98 Accord (Torneo actually) for use overseas that came
>> >from Japan. I'd never even heard of musty smelling vents before or I
>> >would have checked, but this thing really stinks. It has about 50k km
>> >on it. Plain air from the outside is pretty bad, but with the A/C on
>> >it's really terrible. Wish I'd never bought the thing...
>> >
>> >Anyways, a car cleaning guy used one of those vent cleaning sprays in
>> >it and it was *a little* better for a week or two. But how can I
>> >really fix this thing? I've read about shutting off the ac a mile or
>> >two before stopping; lysol; etc. but those fixes are not likely to be
>> >up to my needs. Can a Honda dealer really fix this issue? Or should I
>> >take it to an AC specialist? Just thinking of the smell makes me
>> >ill...
>>
>> Two things about Honda ventilation: 1) there is no mesh, behind the plastic
>> plenum cover at the bottom of the windshield, to prevent plant debris from
>> being sucked in to the ventilation system; 2) the fan is a centrifugal type
>> so the debris gets sucked into the cavity of the fan, stays there and rots
>> and mildews there.<yugh>
>>
>> There may be removable "doors" on that plastic plenum - there is on our 2K
>> Accord - lift the hood and have a look. You may be able to reach in and
>> prevent any crap lingering under the plenum cover from getting further into
>> the system from there but the bottom line is, because of the lack of a
>> screen, you have to be meticulous about checking the bottom of the
>> windshield area for debris, every time you go back to the car after it's
>> been parked... before it gets sucked in any further.
>>
>> I'd guess there is also a "pollen/dust filter" between the fan and the
>> evaporator housing - there is in Accords. If it hasn't been changed,
>> either DIY or have it done. It's actually better to do it yourself because
>> when you take the old filters out, there is traces of rotting plant residue
>> all around the filter housing, which is easily removed; somehow I don't see
>> your average dealer mechanic paying attention to such details. The best
>> diagram outside the shop manual, which bounces you from section to section
>> and page to page is here: <http://www.hastingsfilter.com/cabair/af1011.pdf>
>> but they miss on the number of screws holding the glove compartment to the
>> support bar - IIRC I had to remove 4 plus the 3 on the lower bar.
>>
>> Finally if it really stinks that bad, I've seen a mouse nest in the cavity
>> of the centrifugal fan - nice 'n' cozy I guess. I think it's possible to
>> drop the fan motor and impeller without taking the whole fan housing out of
>> the car, which is a big job and a PITA. A mouse nest will likely put the
>> fan badly out of balance at the higher speed settings.
>>
>> Rgds, George Macdonald
>>
>> "Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

OK, you've made it clear. I can get some lysol or one of the sprays.

Is there anything special about the Hastings filters you pointed me
too (besides the excellent diagram) or will any brand (incl Honda) do
the trick?

fammacd=!SPAM^nothanks@tellurian.com (George Macdonald) wrote in message news:<3f51c89b.81542782@news.tellurian.com>...
> On 30 Aug 2003 22:27:03 -0700, cranbrook@attbi.com (rusty cranbrook) wrote:
>
> >George thanks that is killer information. If I get it apart to the
> >point that I can service these two filters, will I be able to spray or
> >otherwise clean the condenders? Many have refered to crud on the
> >condenser as a source of smell... so if I can somehow get to that
> >while doing the filter that would be great. And... are the two filters
> >shown in the hastings pdf the only filters in the ducting system for
> >Accords, or are there other filters I should look at also?
>
> Those are the only filters in the ducting system - pity that they're
> downstream of the fan.:-( When I changed ours last month, there was some
> wet leaf debris - not enough to cause a smell - stuck in the filter housing
> around the edge of the filters which I poked out with a bit of wire - too
> cramped to get a vacuum cleaner attachment in there without some
> improvisation.
>
> When you have the filters out it might be worth turning the fan on to see
> if the stink is originating upstream of the filters but you will be able to
> spray something in there too - you can see the face of the evaporator fins
> (condenser is the other end of the horse:-)... in front of the radiator).
> Not sure where you're located but there are sprays, which are usually sold
> in the A/C section of auto-parts stores, for deodorizing the ventilation
> system - doesn't smell strong so I think it must contain hydrogen peroxide.
> Lysol has also been suggested for this.
>
> As others have suggested, also make sure that the A/C evaporator housing
> drain is not clogged - you'll see a short plastic spout sticking out of the
> firewall under the hood where you can poke a bit of wire in to clear it.
>

fammacd=!SPAM^nothanks@tellurian.com (George*Macdonald) wrote:

>Two things about Honda ventilation: 1)
>there is no mesh, behind the plastic
>plenum cover at the bottom of the
>windshield, to prevent plant debris from
>being sucked in to the ventilation
>system;

I guess that would explain Jarrett's complaints about being nailed with
debris from the vents the first few weeks we owned the Civic. You could
be driving along, and all of a sudden, a piece of leaf would nail you in
the face.

I sympathize with your "smelly" problem.
I too have been invated by a foul smell from my venting system in my 2002
Honda CRV.
My problem, I believe, is a decaying mouse in the ventilation system.
I have taken out the filters, removed and inspected the fan, which was
spotless; sprayed Lysol and a variety of other deoderizers into the ducting,
vacuum the entire car and ducting as well as I could reach, but it still
stinks.
I have read all of the posted responses, but find no solution to my dilema,
other that just not turning the fan on at all. This is hard to do this time
of year here in the deep south.
Is there a way to clean out the heating/ac ducts? Someone please help, other
than telling me to burn the car....(lol).

"ravelation" <ravelation@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:26948-3F520BA8-206@storefull-2334.public.lawson.webtv.net...

fammacd=!SPAM^nothanks@tellurian.com (George Macdonald) wrote:

>Two things about Honda ventilation: 1)
>there is no mesh, behind the plastic
>plenum cover at the bottom of the
>windshield, to prevent plant debris from
>being sucked in to the ventilation
>system;

I guess that would explain Jarrett's complaints about being nailed with
debris from the vents the first few weeks we owned the Civic. You could
be driving along, and all of a sudden, a piece of leaf would nail you in
the face.

On 31 Aug 2003 07:39:12 -0700, cranbrook@attbi.com (rusty cranbrook) wrote:

>OK, you've made it clear. I can get some lysol or one of the sprays.
>
>Is there anything special about the Hastings filters you pointed me
>too (besides the excellent diagram) or will any brand (incl Honda) do
>the trick?

Nothing special about Hastings that I know of, though we have one person
here who thinks highly of their engine oil filters. I used the Honda
filter parts but the Hastings diagram is one of the best I've seen for
illustrating the job in a single sheet fairly accurately.

I'll be interested to hear what you find in the way of debrius and where it
is lurking.:-)

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??