I did a search on the newsgroups to try determine why my wife's Tahoe AC smells bad. I read that it was probably the condenser was wet and had mold growing on it and maybe the drain hole was plug. Doesn anyone know where the drain hole plug is at? Also, where in the vehicle is the condensor?
2003 Tahoe AC Smells
Aug 28, 2004
9 Replies
================ just so you know, its the evaporator, not the condensor. the drain will be on the pass side, under the hood down low, comming from the firewall. Do you ever see water leaking from that side after running the air for a while? (condesation) follow that water to the drain...
My '93 3/4 ton Chevy pickup did this. It's caused by condensate water left to sour in the evaporator lower housing overnight. I started turning the a/c compressor off with the fan continuing at high speed about a mile before getting home. Dried out the evaporator and no smell the next time I used the truck. If it's real bad, you might have to mist some bleach/water solution into the air inlets to kill the funk growing there. Hope this helps.
Garrett Fulton
Scott, thanks for the correction. Your are absolutely correct, it is the evaporator, not the condensor. I even took thermodynamics in college and dropped the ball on that one. Anyway, the drain is working fine. Nice clear water runs out of it.
I checked the Tahoe this afternoon. It seems the smell is the worst when the recirculation light is on. I can over ride this but this vehicle has the automatic climate control setup which likes to switch it to recirculation on start up. I started to get the same thing in my 2003 pickup but I just left the air selector to be inbetween the vents that blow on you face and the ones down below.
Other than keeping the temp on a warmer setting and later turning only the fan on high for a long time to help keep the coils dry, this is some more info:
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"Neal Conrardy" wrote in message news:hO6Yc.185737$Oi.24765@fed1read04...
Bleach is very corrosive to most metals.
-- Best Regards Gordie
Just a thought. It COULD be mouse piss. Ask me how I know!
-- Best Regards Gordie
Just a thought, even tho yer's isn't that old, it could be the filters on the air intake.. I guess i don't know for a fact that your's has them, but my 99 does and a friend of mine just changed his and his air smells 100% better
Adair
Where is the filter at?
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