Damp carpets VN

[MasterOfReality]

I posted this in the VN-VP commodore section without thinking, so I apologise for the repost.

Basically, I have had the whole airconditioning system in my car replaced except for the components under the dash. At the time I was told I was lucky that they didn't need replacing because of the huge cost involved.

Everytime I use the aircon, I notice the carpet in the front footwells gets damp. I have ruled out rain entering the car because this happened on a sunny hot day. I have smelt a funny odour when the aircon is on but I am not sure whether its anything in the system or just the smell from the damp carpets.

I also read that it could be a draintube or something, but water pools under the car when I use the aircon so everything seems to be draining.

Has anybody any ideas? I am taking it to the place that done the system, and I feel its going to be an expensive week.

Cheers

 

[MasterOfReality]

Well,

The aircon people had the car all day yesterday and reckon they couldn't find anything wrong with it.

They also checked the sunroof which also appears to be fine.

Damn

 

[gsmrobinson]

Vn-P?

I'm gathering that you have a Vn or Vp.???

If you have a good pool of water under the car and the drain tube is clean the only other possibilities are that either the evap box has a crack, a bad silastic fault, its condensing on the outside of the evap or that you have a heater core leak.

The first two will be hard to trace and will cost a mint to fix if located in a hard place.

The heater core is the same ...big $$$$$. Is the water a clear colour or does it have a slight colour to it (if so see if its the same as the radiator coolant...if so....heater core.)

If its the third one then chances are that the system is getting too cold get the A/c tech to check the temps...anything under about 2-3' on a Vp is too cold at the vents. This can cause the evap to freeze and thus the housing to get condensation on the outside.

Does the water happen straight away or how long befor you notice it????

Anyway...I'll not be online for about another week but I hope that helps a little....Kind regards Guy.

 

[MasterOfReality]

Thanks a heap Guy,

I do have a VP which, as mentioned before, has had most of the aircon system replaced.

I took it to the aircon guys and they didn't find a leak. Yesterday I was driving, looked over into passenger footwell and saw drops of water dropping down. The water was clear and icy cold. Also, the drain tube was checked and pronounced fine.

The water dripping seems to happen within minutes of me turning the A/C on. The water seems to be coming from the vents, and I am positive that it was dripping down from the outside of the vents. It also drips on both sides (passenger and driver). The aircon does get very cold so I will stick a thermometer in the centre dash vents to see what readings I get. I will also try it on a high temp setting to see if it also drips.

The aircon guys want to pull the dash out to check the evaporator, heater core and evap box. If all three needed replacing, I got quoted about ~ $1000, including re-gas and it would take about 3 days because they don't want to rush it.

I am not too keen on this option as I am just worried about future problems (eg. my dash doesnt rattle at all, heavens knows what its going to be like after its stripped to the firewall, loosening up wiring etc).

If the temp at the vents is lower than 2-3 degrees, is it a very good chance that it's just condensation?

Thank you

Update:

I drove around for a while with a thermometer stuck in the centre vents to see how cold the aircon got, I managed a reading of 4 degrees, but it was with a thermometer that didn't actually poke inside the vents. While I was doing this, there was no condensation on the ground or on the carpets as it was a pretty dry day.

The way I was thinking was that the aircon pulls the moisture out of the air, which then drains under the car. If water drips onto the carpets while the aircon is running on its coldest temp setting, but doesn't drip onto the carpets while the aircon is running at its highest temp, it must be that the system is cooling down too much, causing condensation outside the vents. Is this true?

And like wise, if water drips onto the carpets with both cases, there must be serious issues under the dash?

 

[gsmrobinson]

If the water drips no matter what temp the system is on then you have BIG problems...especially if the drain tube is OK. If its just when its at its coldest setting I would still have a good look behind the glovebox area to see if it is a leak or if the whole evaporator box gets droplets on it.

p.s. 3 days is a long time evn for a Commodore. Find someone who has done the job a few times before or only pay for no more than 12 hours to do the job.

Regards Guy.

 

[MasterOfReality]

Hello Guy,

Quick update:

The other day I drove around with the climate control on 18 degrees. Sure enough, after a few minutes the water started dripping.

Got in the car later that day, drove around with the climate control set to 28 degrees, and you guessed it, water started dripping.

Looks like the dash has gotta come out. Also, I noticed that when I have the aircon on, and the fan at the lowest speed, there seems to be a weird noise coming out of the centre vents (almost like a low bubbling sound). This noise goes away when I crank the fan up a notch.

Cheers

 

[gsmrobinson]

Still might consider it to be condensation so pull the glovebox etc out and get your head under there and try and see where it comes from first before pulling the whole dash out!!

Noise might be a leaf or the bearings going in the fan or could just be the gas flow through the pipes!

Regards Guy

 

[symo]

Vr with damp carpet

Hi,

I think I have the same problem. My 93 Vr carpet, in the front, under the consol, gets damp/wet when I use the A/C. Enough to run down to where the drivers feet go, and form a small pool(most extreme case).
This has happened for 3 - 5 months now, and the A/C still works fine?!?!

Also on humid days the A/C occasionally blows white/wet gas/liquid out of the vents.
If I turn the A/C off for a while (10 min) and keep driving, then turn it back on again, after a while(another 5 min) the white liquid or gas starts coming out of the vents. I'm not sure if it is water, but don't think it is.

Could it be the drainage pipe for the A/C ???
How do you check this out??

Any help or assistance would be most appreciated

Cheers
Symo

 

[gsmrobinson]

Hi Symo, suspect yours to be a blocked drain tube. Get the car going until it is cold and look undernieth the passengers side of the car about where the gearbox is, you should see water dripping. Watch the exhaust because its HOT and sometimes they drip onto the exhaust and evaporate from the heat.

The frost is just that...frost!

Have told people how to temp. clean the drain tube BUT they had very little luck. So get an A/c tech to look at it....tell them to jam it if they ask for more that $20. About 3 minutes work is involved BUT to remember this will only be a temp. fix.

Also check under the wiper arm plenum chamber for leaves as this is the biggest cause of a blocked drain tube.

regards Guy

 

[MasterOfReality]

After a couple of months of putting it off, I finally pulled out the glovebox, centre console and head unit to see where the leaks are coming from.

I can't actually see where the water is coming from, but I can see it dripping down. It seems to originate from behind the head unit somewhere, but lower down, if that makes sense.

I think I might just leave it alone cos I don't want my dash to come out.