Noticed last year a slight odor coming from the vents when the ac was on but it would rapidly go away. Thus year it has come back and I also notice a lack of water being released from the ac unit when I park in my garage like I used to see. Can anyone offer a suggestion or tell me where the drain tube is for the ac unit is? Perhaps it may be plugged and I can clean it out with some compressed air.

Thanks in advance!

 

sorry I don't have a picture of the location so maybe someone can help with that.

But, once you find it, give your clean out method some thought.... if the line is clogged, probably with moldy gunk, do you really want to shoot it up INSIDE the car? See if you can rig up a small attachment to a wet/dry vac and suck the crud out of the line. learned this trick from my a/c guy for the house - blowing the condensate line clear with compressed air works, but puts the crud in the drain pan.....

 

Would be awesome if some one could provide of a location picture.

 

It's the oval rubber hose, next to the heat shield, as viewed underneath from the passenger (right) side, just behind the firewall. You can see the left front tire, and the front jack point, in the picture for locational reference.

 

Thanks much for the reference picture!

 

First and foremost I want to express my sincere thanks for the fast and quick responses! I am happy to report after a decent reaming up the drain tube with a coat hanger, I have a fine, albeit stinky, puddle of water on my garage floor. I must have just caught the plug before it backed up enough to dampen my rugs.

Sooo glad I trusted my instincts when I first noticed that "sour" smell and decided not to ignore it.

Again, thank you fellow MINI folks!!

 

How far up the tube before you know it's clear?

I measure 7.25" from the bottom of the tube until the hanger stops.

 

You may want to get some of this and treat the system.


There is probably still some mold that is in there. You spray this in the system with the recirc on, then let it sit. It should kill what is left. I use it on my wife's Z3 every couple of years.

 

I've read of a foam you can spray up the drain pipe to clean / disinfect the evaporator enclosure. Apparently the foam goes up and all around the evaporator box then turns to liquid and runs out with all the mold.

Anybody know what it is and where to get it? My '05 R53 also has semlly AC that is kept at bay by regularly using the blowers without the AC on, but quickly returns after a humid day.