alright just making sure....
Thanks


where can I locate the evaporator drain tube?
Thanks

 

I can't find a good picture of the drain tube. Here's the AC tubing. Follow the AC tubes back to the firewall, as shown here. The evaporator unit at upper right doesn't have a number. The drain tube comes back thru the firewall from the bottom of the unit, at that little nozzle-type thing at the bottom corner. The drain tube will just be hanging there with the bottom end open so the water can drain out onto the road.

 

My wife and I lived in a humid Florida coastal location for a short period of time. There, this ac odor problem is very common.

The odor cure is to keep the ac as dry as possible when the car is just going to sit for hours on end. If condensate is dripping out of the ac drain after you come to a stop and shut off the engine, then things are too wet inside the ac. In a hot, humind climate that is the perfect environment for bacterial development.

So, to minimize the odor, whenever you are driving somewhere that the car is going to sit for hours thereafter, turn off the air conditioner a few minutes before you get there, but keep the blower blowing outside air into the car. This will dry out the condensation in the ac and prevent bacteria from growing. Bacteria cause the odor.

Alternatively, if it is just too damned hot outside to drive without the ac, after stopping, let the car continue to run for a bit with the ac off, but with fan blowing until the ac dries out.

 

So I have to jack up my car huh....
that mean its near the oil pan?

 

Got ramps? Jack-stands? Don't crawl underneath with only the tire-changing jack.

It's not at the oil pan, it's farther aft. It comes through the firewall at a fairly low elevation. Maybe between the steering rack & the firewall?

 

Of course I have jack-stands.....its scary with the jack alone
hmmm...I guess I'll just have to take a look once I'm finish with finals

Thanks

 

Here's an option for those who don't want to do it themselves: your local dealer should be able to do something called "misting". Basically they spray disinfectant throughout your entire air system to kill all the mold and bacteria that's causing the smell. Not sure about cost since a buddy of mine got it done, not me.

 

That's good to know, but it's one half of the issue.

If a plugged drain is the reason for it happening in the first place, you need to deal with that first.

 

I have had a similar problem with my '03 Accord EX for about a year now. I've tried the disinfectant route, I've taken it to the dealer, and have tried to keep the system "dry" as recommended previously. Last weekend I tried to make sure the drain line is clear. I could only get a pipecleaner about 2-3 inches up the tube. At that point, the pipecleaner would bend.

My question is how far should I be able to push the pipecleaner up the drain tube, and is the tube straight all the way up? Also, is there a way to try and clean the drain tube from the top?

Any recommendations for clearing the drain tube is appreciated.

 

Here's a 2003 EX 4-door auto-trans.

The drain hose is #18 near the bottom. See the bends? Try something like plastic weed-trimmer string - kinda heavier but flexible.

I'm not sure how much of that hose is outside vs. inside the cabin. Maybe under the dash, you can squeeze & flex the hose??