Ford Explorer: air conditioning

On 20 Sep 2003 16:43:01 -0700, com (c85) wrote:
 

The smell is from moisture condensing on the evaperator coil, and
thingies growing in the moisture. Mildew, stuff like that. Some find
that zspraying something like Lysol in the air inlets at the base of
the windshield helps, but then it smells like Lysol. :-(
You can minimise this by turning the AC off a few minutes before you
park; this will dry the coils.

The outside odors are normal; you're drawing in outside air! It's not
just a characteristic of Explorers, it's all vehicles.
You can turn the AC to MAX, which will recirculate the inside air.
Doing this, though, can lead to some pretty stale air inside the cabin
on long trips. Not dangerous, as some outside air will still get in,
but not much. The cabin isn't airtight.
Hope this helps.

--
Bill
Replace "g" with "a"
Experience is what you get when you expected something else.

I believe that by leaving your system on recirculate you will have colder
AC, if you run on outside air the system will need to cool warmer air each
time. Like your house you would not cut an outside vent by your return air
vent, or leave your doors open. You want the air to recirculate over and
over so to be cooler with each cycle and cost much less in energy bills..
"Fred" <com> wrote in message
news:com... 

Yeh, on a 62 Biscayne maybe....

In today's sue sue sue society, if there were ANY danger from running on MAX
for long periods of time, FORD would disable the feature !

Of course, it depends on where you live, but here in Las Vegas, when it's
115 outside I guarantee you that pretty much every working A/C in an auto is
on MAX all summer !


"Fred" <com> wrote in message
news:com... 

On Sat, 20 Sep 2003 17:23:47 -0700, "Erik Trevino"
<net> wrote:
 
This has to do with the fact that you'll eventually use up all the
oxygen in the cab and go under, drive off the road, and die.

Really.


Many years ago, my brother was driving my car (there were 4 of us in
the car) and we'd been on the road for half and hour, or so, and I
noticed that my brother, who was driving, was beginning to get sleepy,
and we were beginning to weave around a little.

I tried to tell him to take the AC off MAX, but was so sleepy by then
I could hardly manage to talk and get his attention.

We all perked up as soon as I managed to tell him.

(I think we opened a window, too, for a minute.) Middle of the day
and we all were wide awake, basically, except that oxygen starvation
almost killed us!

On Wed, 24 Sep 2003 14:35:39 -0700, "Chief Wiggum" <com>
wrote:
 

I doubt it. They would have to make the AC systems much more
powerful if they couldn't put that simple "close the outdoor air flap"
system. And that would cost them LOTS more money than the little
vacuum motor that closes the flap! 

On Sat, 20 Sep 2003 18:01:52 -0700, com wrote:
 

Doesn't work for me! Having the temp control anywhere but on the
coldest setting allow air in through both the warming exchanger and
the cooling exchanger. It's left there a lot.

IF it is moisture in the cooler that causes the smell, I can guarantee
this: mine gets dried out a whole lot, but the next time I turn on
the AC -- even MONTHS later, it smells. . . . .

It ONLY happens when I turn on the AC system, which enables the
compressor.

What could make that happen?

On Sat, 27 Sep 2003 07:59:13 -0500, Alan com wrote:
 
Condensation. That's where the water on the evap coils comes from.

I should have been a little more detailed; just turning the AC off may
not do the trick. It helps if you leave the system set to "Vent", to
ensure outside air passes over the damp coils to dry them off. Also,
leaving the system at "Vent" when leaving the vehicle also lets
outside air circulate over the coils, helping to keep them dry.

And some individual systems still smell. Probably because the drain
vent isn't working right, and water puddles at the bottom of the
housing.


--
Bill
Replace "g" with "a"
Experience is what you get when you expected something else.

On Sat, 27 Sep 2003 09:16:11 -0700, com wrote:
 


That's what I meant..... the system is either in "heat" or "vent" for
months at a time, with the temp set anywhere from full cold to full
hot -- it varies a lot.

The thing HAS to get dried out!
 


Maybe it's aliens..............


Alan Moorman