How to clean a stinky 2005-2010 Honda Odyssey minivan a/c evaporator coil
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- Опубликовано: 6 сен 2024
- My video demonstrates how to effectively clean a stinky a/c evaporator coil in a 2006 Honda Odyssey.
This technique will likely work on other vehicles as well but like all things DIY related you should do your homework first to make sure you don't do any damage to your vehicle's expensive a/c system.
The product used in my demonstration is BG Products Frigi-Clean expanding foam evaporator cleaner that kills mold, mildew, bacteria and blasts away dirt and other undesirable accumulations inside your car's a/c system. Great thing I love about BG products is the fact that it's biodegradable, non-toxic and most importantly non-corrosive.
Hope it works well for you as it did for me.
good luck!
Best way to prevent this problem is a few minutes before getting to your destination. Make sure your a.c. is off and the blower is on high and set to outside air flow. This will dehydrate all components. Been doing this for years and never had to clean the coils.
Totally agree but how many people in practice will remember that. I am pretty neurotic about my ac system and there times when I have caught myself forgetting to turn it off before arriving at my destination.
Thanks for taking the time to post this video. Worked like a charm. Took far more time to jack up the van so that I could slide under it.
that's great news. I'm glad it worked out well for you!
This video was very helpful ! I've been dealing with a wet socks smell from my ac since a bought my car 3 months ago. Thanks for the video.
You're very welcome. I'm glad that you found it useful. Stay tuned for more videos to come.
Is the coil the same in the 2011?
Basically, jump to 2:43.
Thanks for posting another great video. I have this odor problem in my '06 EXL. I'll try and find the BG Frigi-Clean somewhere.
***** Your local dealership (if they have it and if they're kind to you) can sell you the product. If all else fails look online and ebay to obtain some.
***** EBAY
yep flea bay would be a good place to get it.
Check Lowes Home Improvement (Lowes.ca) for Frost King Air Conditioning Coil foaming cleaner, a compressed spray can, about 9" tall and 3" diameter, currently priced at $7.98. It works on the air conditioner coils in my home, non-toxic, biodegradable etc Lable says it will work on cars radiators and air conditioners.The condensate will drain out the dirt once the foam has dried. Hope this helps.
I have used frigi-fresh but to be honest with you I just feel that it's a supercharged air freshener. I would rather spend my money on getting more frigi-clean than the frigi-fresh.
Yes STEALERSHIPS charge a lot for this otherwise simpleton service and I've personally witnessed dealers cleaning incorrectly which renders the cleaning foam useless (but they still charge you anyways).
Good luck!
Thank you! Very good explanation and demonstration of the process. I'm going to give this a try right now.
glad to be of assistance!
Frigi-Fresh is just an air freshener. I got a FrigiClean foaming kit from a local Honda dealer for my 2006 CRV. I chose to drill into the airbox in the passenger footwell and install the provided reuable brass fitting to inject the product.
I noticed here he just injected the product and let the car sit. The instruction sheet that came with my kit had a procedure where you ran the blower on high to suck the foam through the system (yes, it blows it out the vents a little).
Personally, I found that this procedure just covers up the problem for a while and then it comes back. It could just be a issue of the product not getting to the problem. Perhaps a second procedure of running the hose through a vent to get the product on top of the coil would help. Let me know what you think about that.
Patrick Maloney Patrick yes the instructions do state to run the fan to draw the product deeper into the coils and I've had success by not doing that but admittedly I've also put the fan on high to suck it deeper and it also worked. The issue with a/c coils is that they're certain to grow mold of some sort on them the moment they're wet, dusty and in a dark place. A/C coils are ideal breeding grounds for it and even though FrigiClean would've killed off the spores that if you're in an environment where a/c is used a lot that it will be a 100% given the stink will come back. Frigi clean from coils I've ripped apart does do a reasonable job of cleaning the coil but it is far from being foolproof or guaranteed. You can try running the fan on high with a 2nd treatment but I suspect you'll probably run into the stink again at some point. Fortunately since I'm up in a very dry area of Canada that I alleviate my a/c stench by shutting off the a/c compressor about 5 minutes before my destination and that allows the fan to run and dry my coil off before I park my car. From when this video was first created until today my a/c still doesn't stink so I guess I'm doing something right!
Quick question...did you change your filter at the same time you serviced with Frigi-Clean? I changed my filter a month ago and I was wondering if the product would ruin the existing filter. The filter on my Pilot sits right next to the evaporator. Thanks for posting the video!
Honda Owner here's a tip, remove the filter and replace the evaporator cover prior to injecting the cleaning foam :) Replace filter element after 2 hours post cleaning and you'll be good to go.
You can replace the cabin air filter too as that thing gets dirty after a while.
yep, Honda recommends the cabin filter be replaced every 2 years or every 48,000kms.
that looks interesting, thanks for sharing your experience, I tried to find that hose but failed, could you pls let me know how to find it, Thanks
hard to describe it any better than how I did in the video. Perhaps find a friend that will rewatch this video and help you identify where it is?
Good video..going to try it on our CRV....Thank you..
Hopefully your CR-V no longer stinks :)
@ Victor Small - Thanks for that tip! Paying $8/can is a lot cheaper than paying for BG-Frigi-Clean.
You're going to have to look online or call other dealerships that use BG products to get Frigi-clean. The can used in the video was from a Chrysler dealership that was willing to sell the product to the general public. Normally BG products are reserved for automotive service professionals but you will often find BG dealers will sell just to get your business. Keep looking and calling. If worst comes to worst you can always purchase it off of ebay as I do see them listed now and then.
How do i know location evaporator on Honda Odyssey 2012 front dash board on rear side window ?...
same location. The 2012 Odyssey underpinnings are very similar to the 3rd gen oddy.
Hi how about the back the front is okayp but my ac on the sear is smell really bad
The back coil would be cleaned in a similar manner. While I haven't done it before that it would be cleaned in a similar way as how I demonstrated. Look for the condensate drain at the back of the van on the rear passenger side where the blower is located.
Thank you for sharing!
you're welcome!
Meza201011 how did it go on the armada?
I also have an armada 07 would like to do this just feedback would be nice
Also where was the evap.coil hose located at easy to find on the armada?
Hello, can you give me an idea of how to do a 2008 Toyota Tacoma tanks.
Jose Vazquez same principal as the Odyssey. Go under the truck and locate the condensate drain hole (you can usually find it where the refrigerant lines run through the firewall to the evaporator core (also typically on the far right side of the dash). Follow the exact procedure and it should work just fine for you.
thanks for the video. I think I own a similar year judging by the consol pannel. if ypu have any other types, please post. my man skills for automotive, is at the beginner end of tje spectrum.
glad you liked my video. Thanks for watching!
Really informative video - thank you.
You're welcome Doug. Glad you liked the video.
Outstanding Video!
Well done Sir, Good info
Great video. Can you get this can at a local store?? If yes, like where?
@ Jason Moon - I got my can of this cleaner/de-odourizer from a Chrysler dealership b/c the parts guy was willing to sell me a can of it. You'd have to look around and make some calls or look for a reseller online that is willing to sell it to you.
Great video, thanks. Do you know how to clean the evaporator in a 8th gen Civic?
@ Danny Manh - 8th generation civic is done in the exact manner but the location of the condensate drain is of course going to be in a different (but likely similar) location.
Thanks! I really like your videos, more please!
@ Danny Manh - I see you've subscribed! Thanks! Feel free to share my channel with others. New content creation is a bit slow right now b/c of the extreme cold winters but as spring rolls around I'll be in full swing again!.
Hi there,
Thanks for the video. I have a 2012 Acura TL that I am going to perform this service on soon. Just a few questions if I may. 1) The vehicle should be off when injecting the foam, correct? 2) What setting should the climate control system be on when injecting the foam? fresh air or recirculation? 3) Once I am done injecting the foam and have waited 30 minutes or so, when I turn on the car and the A/C, what setting should the climate control system be set on? fresh air or recirculation? 4) How long should I run the A/C to flush out the foam/debris?
Thanks in advance!
Flyinblyian Let me answer your questions in the order you asked them:
Before you begin remember to save some cleaning foam for the very end (technically 1 can is enough to do at least 2 cars).
1. yes
2. temperature should be full cold and preferably on a/c mode.
3. doesn't matter
4. set it to fresh and let the fan run on high and inject more foam in while the fan is on high to let the fan help the foam get "pushed" deeper into the coils.
5. Run the fan on high for about 10 minutes with all windows open to get the foam/smell out.
Hope that helps!
piercedasian Thank you!
you're welcome!
+piercedasian Finally got around to performing this service.....worked like a charm! I only had the smell when I first turned on the a/c and immediately after I turned it off. Now, I don't smell it at all. I will never use the "recirculation" feature and I will continue to turn off the a/c and let the blower run in an effort to dry the evap coil prior to parking the car. I have done a lot of research on this issue, and apparently these two are the main culprits in causing the smell. I may need to perform this service once a year, but this is not a big deal to me.....I perform most of my own maintenance.Thanks again!
glad it worked out for you! Yes evaporator coils are the perfect breeding ground for bacteria and mold b/c inherently they're always wet when you're using them and all the dirt and dust from the incoming air (regardless of recirc or not is coating the coils such that nasty things start growing on them. You're right in that you'll probably need to redo it every year but at least it's a fairly easy fix. Keeping a coil "sterile" is next to impossible and all you can do is eliminate or reduce one of the two primary components needed to make mold. By running the fan on high 5 minutes prior to arriving at your destination you'll remove lots of water that would otherwise "fester" in the coil.
Jeremy from jersey just subscribed
is this also work on mazda 3 2007?
cedieboy cedie It absolutely will work!
Where do you find Frigi-Clean? I can't seem to find it anywhere. I can find similar products, but I don't want to screw up my van.
Frigiclean can be found where BG products are sold (typically dealerships). I am personally finding it harder and harder to find as well and I stocked up on this stuff ages ago when it was readily available in my area.
Thanks for the video!
Question: Where did you buy this (I live in GTA) ?
I purchased mine from a Chrysler dealership that had it and was willing to sell to me. Most dealerships probably have this stashed in the back room but BG products are technically reserved for automotive professionals so you'll just have to call some dealerships or car a/c service joints to ask for it.
Thanks!
not a problem.
Where is the evaporator coil in 2002 Honda Odyssey?
The 1999-2004 Odyssey's coil location is pretty much identical to the 2005-2010 models. The condensate drain location is always under the car. You'll just have to find the rubber hose stubbing out from the firewall of the van or car. Tell tale way of checking is to turn the blower on high (engine not running of course) and then looking for a hose that has air coming out of it. It will be faint but there will be air.
Transmission has been golden. Up to when I sold it it had over 220, 000kms without a single issue. Loved the van and the transmission never skipped a beat. Are you sure the clank isn't a loose exhaust system? Honda tranny failures usually start with delayed or rough shifts or inability to select the right gear. To be honest 2005s had a few issues but rarely did the 2006+ vans.
having a tranny cooler is the best thing you could do for your van. Honda transmissions b/c of their small size tend to run hot (b/c they're carrying a lot of weight). I had 2 tranny coolers on mine - the stock honda towing cooler and then I added in a true cool 4454 so it runs plenty cool. Definitely good to hear that you change the fluid sooner than the recommended intervals. Best thing you could do for your van.
+H.G. C. Sounds like the ABS kicking in
That liquid aint safe for ur ac it cud harm your better off removing the blower and evaporator and filter and just clean it off really good and ur done rather then buying that
HITMAN 727 can you elaborate why it isn't safe for the coil? There is a difference between acid wash coil cleaners and neutral based cleaners like BG Frigiclean. It is EXTREMELY impractical to remove the blower and coil assembly from the modern car and if it isn't difficult enough to do that the cost will surely turn people off to easier solutions. Fortunately BG Frigiclean specifically is formulated to fairly pH neutral and is tailored to automotive service professionals to hopefully have "professional results". So far so good in all the years I've used this product and it doesn't harm the aluminum coils (that I've experienced) in automotive a/c systems.
Evaporator CORE!!!!!! Hmu...
core contains a coil so technically the same. I do residential and commercial HVAC work and I often interchange the two terms.
Are you Jackie Chan? :P
I can if you want me to be :)