A/C Smells Like Vinegar (Not Teen Spirit)

Oldfart said:

Hey Stinky, do you eat curry, asparagus, and garlic EVERY day??

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Only on days that end with "y". Y do you ask?

lawdog said:

I had this one, but it didn’t last...shocker.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086JHC3HF/?tag=fordraptorforum-20

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I bought one similar to the one I linked, 110v, even has a handle. lol
It's pretty stout, we used it in our motorhome with good results. I may give it a quick shot in the Raptor.

GCATX said:

I bought one similar to the one I linked, 110v, even has a handle. lol
It's pretty stout, we used it in our motorhome with good results. I may give it a quick shot in the Raptor.

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Just be careful using an ozone generator in an enclosed environment, especially a small one like a truck cab. A lot of plastics and rubber can be fairly quickly damaged by ozone.

Ozone is also highly corrosive and is considered an air pollution hazard. Although many different types of plastics have properties which make them suitable for use in an ozone environment many other plastics are highly vulnerable to degradation when exposed to ozone. The plastics that are ozone safe are used in ozone generating equipment in several industries and have replaced many more expensive materials such as metal components and fasteners.

Oldfart said:

Just be careful using an ozone generator in an enclosed environment, especially a small one like a truck cab. A lot of plastics and rubber can be fairly quickly damaged by ozone.

Ozone is also highly corrosive and is considered an air pollution hazard. Although many different types of plastics have properties which make them suitable for use in an ozone environment many other plastics are highly vulnerable to degradation when exposed to ozone. The plastics that are ozone safe are used in ozone generating equipment in several industries and have replaced many more expensive materials such as metal components and fasteners.

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Yeah, I know. It's my last resort. I will try some quality coil cleaner first.

lawdog said:

Yesterday (Saturday) I tried a home version of the procedure posted here by FordTech... I ran the heat full blast for 25-30 mins with the widows open to dry out the system. I sprayed Lysol in the exterior intake vents by the windshield 4-5 times, and could smell it coming through. I then switched to AC, and ran it on high, recirc, with an ozone generator on and the glove box open/cabin air filter out. I did this for 10-15 mins. Then I let the truck air out with windows open, etc. Drove it a little, smelled fine. Felt pretty good about it.

Got in today (Sunday) at noon, fired up the truck, and...

Stale vinegar blast in my face. Unreal.

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You never can forget that great gym locker smell.

Had the problem last summer so bad I thought there was a dead mouse somewhere under the hood. Lysol aeresol did work well but I did have to do it 3-4 times or days in a row THEN change the cabin air filter. I think I did the treatment every other day for 7-8 days until I used a whole can of lysol. (be warned It is going to smell like lysol for months though)

For all the Lysol treatments, spray into the exterior intake vents like you did: make sure your last setting for 5-10mins before you turn the truck off is to run the air on HIGH, recirculate OFF & AC OFF) and on max heat
Condensation from the AC seems to be the main culprit for feeding mold/bacteria. To prevent it during the summers, run the air at a high speed (off AC and off recirculate) before you turn the truck off (if you used the AC for quite a bit)


hopefully the above made sense, hasnt come back this summer yet

I worked as a service writer at an independent automotive shop and broached this issue years ago with one of our most senior and respected techs. He said when you're 1-2 miles from your final destination, 1) shut off the AC, 2) adjust the temp control to its lowest setting, and 3) put the fan on its highest setting until you turn the truck off. The key is 1) moving ambient air through the system while driving to remove excess condensation, which, if left unchecked, will promote bacteria leading that locker room smell (this, of course, presupposes that there are no leaks inside the cabin too), and 2) you have to follow this procedure EVERY time.

I've been doing this for years in a variety of vehicles with perfect results. YMMV.

HTH.

Yes, I’ve seen/tried this method, but it doesn’t work well in South Carolina where I am when the ambient air is 90+ degrees with 90+% humidity. The next time I take it in for service, I’m going to request the treatment FordTechOne gave herein, and, if that doesn’t work, I’m going try and have them replace the parts under warranty as defective.

I should have added that I live in VA...the humidity levels are virtually the same here as they are in SC (which I know well since I regularly visit family in Spartanburg). The key, again, is to force ambient air through the system. In any case, good luck.

Seems weird to me that it’s such an intermittent problem. I Lysoled the crap out of the exterior intake vents and the cabin filter holder area. It was tamed for about a week. Then yesterday loaded up the family for a day trip and on startup after sitting overnight got blasted with the vinegar smell.
Drove a couple hundred miles yesterday with several extended stops. Nothing the rest of the day.
Today all was fine again. Nothing.
So does mold and bacteria come and go like the Covid scare?

Sonicsunspot said:

Seems weird to me that it’s such an intermittent problem. I Lysoled the crap out of the exterior intake vents and the cabin filter holder area. It was tamed for about a week. Then yesterday loaded up the family for a day trip and on startup after sitting overnight got blasted with the vinegar smell.
Drove a couple hundred miles yesterday with several extended stops. Nothing the rest of the day.
Today all was fine again. Nothing.
So does mold and bacteria come and go like the Covid scare?

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One of the first signs you have covid is loss of smell. Just saying.