moldy smell coming from the vents - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

hachiroku · 11-12-2002, 04:10 AM

it's been raining lately and i've been getting a moldy-like smell coming from the vents in my S13 when i first drive it, but it seems to go away when i turn the heater on at full blast for a few minutes...i also get the same smell after turning off the A/C...assuming when water/condensation gets in the vents, this is what carries the smell through?

is there a way to get rid of whatever is causing this smell?  i've also noticed it from other cars from the early 1990s such as this 92 accord my friend has.

Dousan_PG · 11-12-2002, 10:28 AM

yeah mine does the same. wonders of a 10 year old car. dont know how to fix it. sorry.

driftingpanda · 11-12-2002, 12:25 PM

i heard if you sprayed a bucket load of fabreeze into the vents and let it dry, the smell pretty much goes away... haven't tried it tho.  i usually just keep the a/c on constantly, it seems to reduce that musky smell somewhat.  good luck!

danny

will · 11-12-2002, 01:11 PM

Lysol is your friend, spray a lot in the vents under the hood, u should be good

-will  <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sneaky2.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':evil:'>

itsybitsy240sxEy · 11-12-2002, 07:00 PM

if you have a hatchback, the moldy smell might not be just from the vents.  my friend noticed a funky smell in his car and found that rain had leaked into his hatch into a puddle under the spare tire.  i've got to check my car now too.  dang schools for not having garages!!

Natty · 11-12-2002, 08:23 PM

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (itsybitsy240sxEy @ Nov. 11 2002,9:00)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">if you have a hatchback, the moldy smell might not be just from the vents. my friend noticed a funky smell in his car and found that rain had leaked into his hatch into a puddle under the spare tire. i've got to check my car now too. dang schools for not having garages!!</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
I had that same problem. I actually liked the modly smell. It was a change from the cigarette smell that last owner left me. I can't get it out   <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt='

'>
Don't smoke in your car!  <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/alien.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':alien:'>
Jeff

hachiroku · 11-12-2002, 10:05 PM

i have no leaks anywhere that i know of...the hatch surprisingly stays dry, even with the oem spoiler i have...so i guess it hasn't leaked yet...but i do want to get rid of it and get another spoiler that won't trap water like the oem does

it's just the vents because i get the smell when i mess with them...so i think something is growing in my vents

SilviaDriver · 11-12-2002, 10:21 PM

the smell could be coming from a dead animal stuck in the vents?

hachiroku · 11-13-2002, 12:18 AM

no...there's no dead animal, otherwise it'd be a rotting smell

it's like the smell of stale air or something like that....

it comes on right after i turn off the a/c or at the beginning of my drive when the car has been parked overnight in the cold/rain

adey · 11-13-2002, 04:24 AM

actually I get that smell in my GTi sometimes. It goes away after you turn the AC's on, but is ever-present when it's just the fan. I don't have it (as far as I can remember) on my 240, though. I don't drive w/ the ac or fan on often.

jdms14 · 11-13-2002, 07:49 AM

listen to will. or rip out your dash and remove your heater box.

uiuc240 · 11-13-2002, 08:46 AM

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (hachiroku @ Nov. 13 2002,01:18)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">no...there's no dead animal, otherwise it'd be a rotting smell

it's like the smell of stale air or something like that....

it comes on right after i turn off the a/c or at the beginning of my drive when the car has been parked overnight in the cold/rain</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
you probably have mold growing on the A/C condenser or the little drip pan.  I'm not sure what you need to take out to clean it, though...I've never looked at the system that closely.  Get an FSM...that'll show ya.

Eric

11-12-2002, 10:28 AM	#2
Dousan_PG Post Whore! Join Date: May 2002 Location: Orange County, California Age: 46 Posts: 16,640 Trader Rating: (23) Rides Gallery: Dousan_PG Feedback Score: 23 reviews	yeah mine does the same. wonders of a 10 year old car. dont know how to fix it. sorry. __________________ Aaron Pink GodziRa www.geocities.com/pink_godzira

11-12-2002, 12:25 PM	#3
driftingpanda Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: so cal Posts: 593 Trader Rating: (24) Feedback Score: 24 reviews	i heard if you sprayed a bucket load of fabreeze into the vents and let it dry, the smell pretty much goes away... haven't tried it tho.  i usually just keep the a/c on constantly, it seems to reduce that musky smell somewhat.  good luck! danny __________________ PM me about limited edition Pink GodziRa Sticker packages!

11-12-2002, 01:11 PM	#4
will Zilvia Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 250 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Lysol is your friend, spray a lot in the vents under the hood, u should be good -will  <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sneaky2.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':evil:'> __________________ Honda's are like tampons, every pussy needs one 91-S13 coupe S13koop.net coming soon...

11-12-2002, 07:00 PM	#5
itsybitsy240sxEy Leaky Injector Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: so cal Posts: 99 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	if you have a hatchback, the moldy smell might not be just from the vents.  my friend noticed a funky smell in his car and found that rain had leaked into his hatch into a puddle under the spare tire.  i've got to check my car now too.  dang schools for not having garages!! __________________ Being happy is like peeing in your pants, everyone can see it, but only you know how warm it feels inside. www.PinkGodziRa.com

11-12-2002, 08:23 PM	#6
Natty Zilvia Addict Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 944 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (itsybitsy240sxEy @ Nov. 11 2002,9:00)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">if you have a hatchback, the moldy smell might not be just from the vents. my friend noticed a funky smell in his car and found that rain had leaked into his hatch into a puddle under the spare tire. i've got to check my car now too. dang schools for not having garages!!</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'> I had that same problem. I actually liked the modly smell. It was a change from the cigarette smell that last owner left me. I can't get it out   <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''> Don't smoke in your car!  <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/alien.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':alien:'> Jeff __________________ 1991 White 240sx Fastback LE, rusty spoiler, weak driveshaft, exhaust rattle.... Rattles are just your cars way of saying 'I love you.'

11-12-2002, 04:10 AM	#1
hachiroku Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 40 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	it's been raining lately and i've been getting a moldy-like smell coming from the vents in my S13 when i first drive it, but it seems to go away when i turn the heater on at full blast for a few minutes...i also get the same smell after turning off the A/C...assuming when water/condensation gets in the vents, this is what carries the smell through? is there a way to get rid of whatever is causing this smell?  i've also noticed it from other cars from the early 1990s such as this 92 accord my friend has.

11-12-2002, 10:05 PM	#7
hachiroku Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 40 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	i have no leaks anywhere that i know of...the hatch surprisingly stays dry, even with the oem spoiler i have...so i guess it hasn't leaked yet...but i do want to get rid of it and get another spoiler that won't trap water like the oem does it's just the vents because i get the smell when i mess with them...so i think something is growing in my vents

11-12-2002, 10:21 PM	#8
SilviaDriver Post Whore! Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: San Jose, CA Age: 40 Posts: 5,514 Trader Rating: (2) Rides Gallery: SilviaDriver Feedback Score: 2 reviews	the smell could be coming from a dead animal stuck in the vents?

11-13-2002, 12:18 AM	#9
hachiroku Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 40 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	no...there's no dead animal, otherwise it'd be a rotting smell it's like the smell of stale air or something like that.... it comes on right after i turn off the a/c or at the beginning of my drive when the car has been parked overnight in the cold/rain

11-13-2002, 04:24 AM	#10
adey Post Whore! Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 3,072 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	actually I get that smell in my GTi sometimes. It goes away after you turn the AC's on, but is ever-present when it's just the fan. I don't have it (as far as I can remember) on my 240, though. I don't drive w/ the ac or fan on often. __________________ Instagram: @SX180HKG

11-13-2002, 07:49 AM	#11
jdms14 Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 29 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	listen to will. or rip out your dash and remove your heater box. __________________ '97 se with tint, head unit and sportlines. goal: out perform a z-06 in every aspect. someday.

11-13-2002, 08:46 AM	#12
uiuc240 Nissanaholic! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Naperville, IL Age: 46 Posts: 2,093 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (hachiroku @ Nov. 13 2002,01:18)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">no...there's no dead animal, otherwise it'd be a rotting smell it's like the smell of stale air or something like that.... it comes on right after i turn off the a/c or at the beginning of my drive when the car has been parked overnight in the cold/rain</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'> you probably have mold growing on the A/C condenser or the little drip pan.  I'm not sure what you need to take out to clean it, though...I've never looked at the system that closely.  Get an FSM...that'll show ya. Eric __________________ 2002 Mazda Protege5 1989 S13 w/SR20DET (sold)