car air conditioner cleaning shop

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tamada
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car air conditioner cleaning shop

Post by tamada » June 1, 2020, 9:54 pm

It looks like the rains made a pregnant mouse or rat drop her litter in the pickup's air intake where they have expired. I am about to have a go at it tomorrow but my fallback would be a shop that knows how to deal with this without dismantling the dashboard. If I do manage to get the intake box separated from the evaporator housing, I'm going to need some industrial strength deodorizer as well.

Ta
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Bandung_Dero
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Re: car air conditioner cleaning shop

Post by Bandung_Dero » June 2, 2020, 7:16 am

Had a similar problem = "stinks"

Took DMax to our local A/C regas business (we have at least 5 here in Ban Dung). By just removing the glove box (very easy) he had access to the heat exchanger, unclipped the cover and pulled out the nest. BUT it was to late, a combination of rotting mice and condensate had damaged the cooling radiator. It had to be replaced.

The car was parked up for about 2 months and mice got in whilst I was away.
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tamada
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Re: car air conditioner cleaning shop

Post by tamada » June 2, 2020, 9:58 am

^ Thanks BD. I have access to the evaporator unit and can just see the crispy critter wedged on top of the top recirculate flap, stuck in the air inlet from below the windshield scuttle where it came from. I have got all the screws and studs out but it's such a tight fit, I can't get the "mouse trap" bit out.

As you say, any car air con shop will be familiar with the procedure so my post was to narrow down the search in Udon a bit.

The reason I wanted to do it myself is so I can see about fitting some mesh across the fresh air inlet. The clever buggers at Ford design their recirc air control so that when you switch off and pull the ignition key, the top flap opens to let in fresh air. This is to speed up the evaporation of condensation on the inside of cold ductwork and slow the growth of mold. The rat finds the door open and moves in but when the key is inserted and the truck started, the flap shuts and eventually they suffocate or starve.

Right now it looks like one juvenile rat and it never got beyond the inlet duct, thank ****.

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Re: car air conditioner cleaning shop

Post by sometimewoodworker » June 2, 2020, 4:01 pm

This shop
1BC3DA7B-424E-4054-BFC2-31E4AC0D6A8C.jpeg
Opposite this
026A9E35-602F-4389-92FA-578CEE6AAEB2.jpeg
Is really good if you need help.
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Re: car air conditioner cleaning shop

Post by dunroaming » June 2, 2020, 5:10 pm

I agree shop opposite Wing 23 do a good job and don't charge crazy prices

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Re: car air conditioner cleaning shop

Post by tamada » June 2, 2020, 8:20 pm

sometimewoodworker wrote:
June 2, 2020, 4:01 pm
This shop
1BC3DA7B-424E-4054-BFC2-31E4AC0D6A8C.jpeg

Opposite this

026A9E35-602F-4389-92FA-578CEE6AAEB2.jpeg
Is really good if you need help.
Excellent stww, that's my backup. I can't get the inlet bit out by itself so I have have dropped the fan motor, pulled the flap actuator out and will flip the vent and drop what's left of Mr (Mrs?) Rat through the hole where the fan motor was onto a drop sheet in the passenger footwell. I will take off the wiper arms and pull the scuttle so I can get at the 'door' to the mouse trap. I have ordered four cans of foam aircon cleaner from lazada and watched some YouTube's on evaporator disinfection in anticipation.

I also found my can of "rat-be-gone"!

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Re: car air conditioner cleaning shop

Post by sometimewoodworker » June 2, 2020, 8:36 pm

tamada wrote:
June 2, 2020, 8:20 pm
sometimewoodworker wrote:
June 2, 2020, 4:01 pm
This shop
1BC3DA7B-424E-4054-BFC2-31E4AC0D6A8C.jpeg

Opposite this

026A9E35-602F-4389-92FA-578CEE6AAEB2.jpeg
Is really good if you need help.
Excellent stww, that's my backup. I can't get the inlet bit out by itself so I have have dropped the fan motor, pulled the flap actuator out and will flip the vent and drop what's left of Mr (Mrs?) Rat through the hole where the fan motor was onto a drop sheet in the passenger footwell. I will take off the wiper arms and pull the scuttle so I can get at the 'door' to the mouse trap. I have ordered four cans of foam aircon cleaner from lazada and watched some YouTube's on evaporator disinfection in anticipation.

I also found my can of "rat-be-gone"!
If the problem is only in the duct you are probably OK. We had our AC radiator clog up well within the warrantee period on our pickup and to clean that out took a mechanic 4 hours and he had to take the complete dashboard out to get at it. Not something I would enjoy doing.
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Re: car air conditioner cleaning shop

Post by tamada » June 2, 2020, 8:51 pm

^ There's no evidence that any got past that flap. I saw some horror stories on the internet where they got beyond the motor and into the guts and evaporator box and that did need major dismantling and replacement of expensive bits. I have the workshop manual and probably all the tools but being 6' 4" with creaking joints, I doubt I could manage alone.

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Re: car air conditioner cleaning shop

Post by mech_401 » June 3, 2020, 4:30 am

people seem to be using variations of gutter guard
for cowl air-intake screen. what a headache ugh

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Re: car air conditioner cleaning shop

Post by tamada » June 5, 2020, 9:04 am

mech_401 wrote:
June 3, 2020, 4:30 am
people seem to be using variations of gutter guard
for cowl air-intake screen. what a headache ugh
Tell me about it! There's a 11" x 3" duct inlet without any grill or mesh. Looking for the correct-sized, meshed steel or plastic draining basket for washed cutlery and chopsticks.
Screenshot_20200605-090330.jpg
I got the rat out a couple if days ago BTW, through the front vent pictured above. Totally cleaned the inlet duct and flapper and aired out the whole system driving around with it all opened up. Not a hint of smell any more. Got my cleaning stuff yesterday so I will put it back together and do the disinfectant and foam purge today.

...or tomorrow.

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Re: car air conditioner cleaning shop

Post by saint » June 5, 2020, 9:32 am

tamada wrote:
June 5, 2020, 9:04 am
mech_401 wrote:
June 3, 2020, 4:30 am
people seem to be using variations of gutter guard
for cowl air-intake screen. what a headache ugh
Tell me about it! There's a 11" x 3" duct inlet without any grill or mesh. Looking for the correct-sized, meshed steel or plastic draining basket for washed cutlery and chopsticks.

Screenshot_20200605-090330.jpg

I got the rat out a couple if days ago BTW, through the front vent pictured above. Totally cleaned the inlet duct and flapper and aired out the whole system driving around with it all opened up. Not a hint of smell any more. Got my cleaning stuff yesterday so I will put it back together and do the disinfectant and foam purge today.

...or tomorrow.
Heres a thought . Index sell mesh storage trays and stuff for bathrooms and offices . get one and cut it to size .
I dont think plastic would last long with the heat under the hood .

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Re: car air conditioner cleaning shop

Post by tamada » June 5, 2020, 11:02 am

saint wrote:
June 5, 2020, 9:32 am
tamada wrote:
June 5, 2020, 9:04 am
mech_401 wrote:
June 3, 2020, 4:30 am
people seem to be using variations of gutter guard
for cowl air-intake screen. what a headache ugh
Tell me about it! There's a 11" x 3" duct inlet without any grill or mesh. Looking for the correct-sized, meshed steel or plastic draining basket for washed cutlery and chopsticks.

Screenshot_20200605-090330.jpg

I got the rat out a couple if days ago BTW, through the front vent pictured above. Totally cleaned the inlet duct and flapper and aired out the whole system driving around with it all opened up. Not a hint of smell any more. Got my cleaning stuff yesterday so I will put it back together and do the disinfectant and foam purge today.

...or tomorrow.
Heres a thought . Index sell mesh storage trays and stuff for bathrooms and offices . get one and cut it to size .
I dont think plastic would last long with the heat under the hood .
Thanks, that's another supplier of mesh trays I can add to the list. The ones at Mr DIY were too short/narrow. Plastic will have a limited shelf life under the sun and rats can chew through it if they really want so I may opt for some steel mesh. Maybe OfficeMate in Central has some metal ones that can be trimmed to fit. Don't need too fine a mesh though.

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Re: car air conditioner cleaning shop

Post by mech_401 » June 5, 2020, 1:31 pm

the cowl area is separated from engine bay with
a sheet metal riser and weatherstripping. so only
ambient weather. looks like a bear to repair/fix . limited access, inlets an awkward shape. some
sort of flex-mesh and you might even have to epoxy it. no room to drill or use normal fasteners
would hot glue work? have never tried that stuff
being such a common problem, no easy solution

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Re: car air conditioner cleaning shop

Post by saint » June 5, 2020, 3:15 pm

mech_401 wrote:
June 5, 2020, 1:31 pm
the cowl area is separated from engine bay with
a sheet metal riser and weatherstripping. so only
ambient weather. looks like a bear to repair/fix . limited access, inlets an awkward shape. some
sort of flex-mesh and you might even have to epoxy it. no room to drill or use normal fasteners
would hot glue work? have never tried that stuff
being such a common problem, no easy solution
Epoxy super steel , two pack will withstand high temperatures and water very well .

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Re: car air conditioner cleaning shop

Post by tamada » June 9, 2020, 7:34 am

I checked another branch of Mr. D.I.Y. and found a steel grill for draining cooked food for about 50 baht. After hack-sawing it to the correct height, I opted for a band if 3M VHB double-sided tape to hold it in place before securing it using 4 tiewraps, cross-tied around the central upright of the vent inlet. The hot-glue gun was also an option for the temporary holding function but the tape did the job.

I had half a can of air conditioner cleaner that I had bought earlier from Tops to do the bedroom unit so I used that to clean the blades of the blower fan. I also bought some foam car aircon cleaner on lazada as well as finding another brand at Mr. D.I.Y. I also bought a can of Dettol aerosol surface disinfectant at Tops.

Step 1. Using the long thin hose from one of the foam cleaners, I hit all floor, dash and windscreen vents with the disinfectant; a good 6-7 second blast in each. Wait 5 minutes.

Step 2. Emptied one of the foam cleaners up the evaporator drain hose from underneath the truck. That's the hardest bit!

Step 3. Emptied the other brand of foam cleaner down/up all floor, dash and windscreen vents. Waited 15 minutes.

Step 4. Start engine, turn on aircon and cycle between all the vents on low fan. Run for 5 minutes.

Step 5. Check that there's a good flow from the evaporator box drain before selecting high blower speed... use a rag to soak up any excess foam (now liquid) that comes out of any internal vents.

Step 6. Inserted the brand new odor filter in the aircon fan box behind the glove box.

Smells lovely!

Total cost for disinfectant, foam cleaners and the grill maybe 500 baht. The new odor filter from Ford was 320 baht.

Oops! Forgot to add 70 bahts worth if steel wool scrubbing pads from Mr. D.I.Y. to block the four drain/air cutouts in the inner fenders where the rats can enter behind the scuttle below the windshield in the windscreen wiper box.

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Re: car air conditioner cleaning shop

Post by mech_401 » June 9, 2020, 8:53 am

saint's idea of cutting up a steel mesh office supply tray with a pair of tin-snips , hard to beat

think local boys probably tack it in place with a
mig welder , and give it a spot of paint for a neat
permanent repair. hard to discern from factory

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Re: car air conditioner cleaning shop

Post by tamada » June 9, 2020, 12:21 pm

mech_401 wrote:
June 9, 2020, 8:53 am
saint's idea of cutting up a steel mesh office supply tray with a pair of tin-snips , hard to beat

think local boys probably tack it in place with a
mig welder , and give it a spot of paint for a neat
permanent repair. hard to discern from factory
That would look good but I was concerned about strangling the aircon if the mesh was too restrictive. The grill I fitted has spot-welded bars at 2 cm high x 8 cm wide mesh spacing to cover a 8 cm high x 28 cm wide hole that has a 2 cm wide center vertical divider. It's hard chrome plated steel and only needed 3 hacksaw cuts to the right size.

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Re: car air conditioner cleaning shop

Post by mech_401 » June 9, 2020, 1:13 pm

we're keeping mice out not ants. it shouldn't be
that fine a mesh that air flow/restrict is even a consideration . i mean the local commercial garage probably does this weekly . maybe got
a minimum fuss system. permanent type repair

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