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Funny intermittent smell when air con is on

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I have a 2015 manual 21k miles. Every so often with AC on (at least this is when I notice) I get a funny smell coming through the vents. Can't really describe the smell but I thought maybe it was due to aftermarket exhaust and decat. Looked under the bonnet can't see any leaks but there is some muck on the piping at the very back of the bonnet behind the engine.

 

I wouldn't call it a foul smell but it's just weird that it comes intermittently.

 

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

 

 

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You might have bacteria building up in the a/c system. You can get a smoke device you let off in the car, with the a/c running, to neutralise it. Plus a new cabin filter.

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I presume the muck you are referring to is the green "goo"? Some people have mentioned that the green goo elsewhere takes time to burn off..

I presume you checked the cam coverplate already and it's dry..

I have something similar and found the smell is strongest when aircon + recirculation is turned on.. might be worth playing around with the diff settings to see when it happens.. 

Mine happens when accelerating in general I think..

Closest thing I can think of in terms of smell is burnt coffee?

 

 

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Yeah I have no leaks anywhere that I can find. Checked the cam plate cover as well. No leaks at all. Mine happens when recirc is on mostly as well but sometimes when not. Changed my cabin filter. See how that goes 47603a6952d26a550c5f441c027671f9.jpg

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

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I too think it will be bacteria in the aircon as above. I have used an aerosol in the past(on another car)  that you squirt into the external air intakes with the air on and windows down and it gets sucked through and disinfects/deodorises. You are more likely to need this doing if you only use the air con occasionally as the bacteria are allowed to sit there undisturbed and grow.

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Looks similar to mine when I got it changed. RRG also sprayed some kind of odouriser to get rid of any through the pipes..

Unfortunately that didn't help my situation (i.e. It was fine during startup and idle, but if I drive with A/C + recirc when driving around I get the smell coming through the vents)

But to be honest it's bearable cos there isn't really a smell without recirc..

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Just went to sniff some anti freeze. It doesn't smell like this. I dunno how to explain it. It isn't even a bad smell like that. And it comes every so often for a couple seconds then disappears and comes back. You're all free to come round and smell it lol

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

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So I paid a visit to RRG recently and we tried topping up the aircon gas..

Still monitoring it but the smell seemed to have disappeared (or gotten weaker)..

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I've definitely got the bacterial smell that you get every now and then. 

The same thing used to happen to my corsa c all the time. 

The bacteria builds up on the ac condenser radiator which is near the heater matrix. I used to get a can of ac cleaner and try to spray directly on this radiator that is usually behind the filter. 

I've not done it on the 86 yet but the car is a 2017 and I've had it since new. Two Toyota dealers have both said they can't smell it so do nothing about it. I will at some point try to spray the cleaner on when I replace the filter in a weeks time. 

I'll let you know how I get on. 

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There is a hole below passenger or driver side. Apart from channeling engine noise to cabin, the hole may unintentionally bring in smell of fume because of incomplete burning during sudden acceleration. Cover the hole with the cover which looks like a cigarette lighter head located in inner section of  glovebox and see if this still happens. Had mine covered and i don't smell anything ever since. 

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Strange that you’d be smelling it from the noise generator going to the induction pipe. I’ll try that today with mine. 
I run my air conditioning regularly to keep it circulating and seals lubricated in the pipe lines. 
changing the cabin filter worked short term but this year I’m getting the air con serviced as it should be done every two years anyway.

normfest viro cleaner is what I use in the air vents every 6 months seems to help.

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