Bill Curlee

People very often overlook the obvious.
The HVAC System air intake gets its air from the Windshield Cowl Area. There is a well under the cowl cover that collects and drains water. Under the windshield wiper motor are THREE Drain UDDERS. Those UDDERS can collect some NASTY stuff and STINK to high heavens.

There is one large drain tube on the passengers side. DO NOT remove that tube completely. Just disconnect it and flush it out with a garden hose and then reconnect it to the cowl well.

You can reach the drain udders by hand but its TIGHT. There is also an access cover inside the drivers and passengers fender liner that will give you access to the UDDERS.

Pop out all the udders and see if they are FULL OF CRAP!

IF,,,, they don't drain properly, the wiper motor well fills full of water and destroys the wiper motor module! Read $$$$$$$$$$$$!!!

Passengers side drain tube behind battery:



Drivers side UDDERS:







NASTY COLLECTION!

Bill Curlee

Another source of smell is the air box its self. If the evaporator doesn't dry and or drain off properly, it can start to smell. There is an AIR BOX CONDENSATE Drain that allows the air box condensate to exit. There is a small rubber fitting (ELBOW) that fits onto the fire wall drain tube.

If that fitting gets clogged, it will NOT allow the AIR BOX to drain. You should see water dripping onto the ground under the car when the AC is on and operation.





You can sort of see it from the top on the passengers side behind the head on the fire wall:

mre1974

Thanks Bill for the visuals...those help ALOT. I just cleaned the udders in the spring but they may need to be cleaned out again. I didn't know about the elbow off the airbox for the HVAC in the engine bay. I'll need to check that ASAP. Looks like the passenger side access from the top should be doable.