I’ve been meaning to write about a few things recently, but as you may have noticed from the lack of entries recently, I… um… haven’t. So instead of making one big post like I normally do in this situation, I’m going to actually split them up so I won’t get the TLDR factor and people skip right over the wall of text.
So anyway, first subject: My car is trying to kill me.
About two or three months ago I got sick, pretty much just a normal cold (just about the time the Lego Millenium Falcon arrived so… um… let’s see… *looks at his entries* October 5th? Okay, so three months ago. After I got over the cold, I was skill coughing occasionally. I did what any normal person would do: I bought some cough drops and drank tea and just tried to wait it out. After a month of this on-and-off coughing, I started to wonder if there might be some external factor that was continuing to antagonize my throat. I began to suspect the car, but it wasn’t until I drove down to my mom’s house for Thanksgiving and was coughing the entire way that I became pretty sure of it.
I took the car to the mechanic last week, and it turns out there was not one, but two leaks in the engine. There was a transmission fluid leak, and a loose gasket that was causing some oil to burn. The thing is, I can’t smell anything, so I was suspicious. I got those things fixed anyway at a cost of about $600 (ignoring some other things that needed to be fixed for another $500 because I’m going to be getting a new car soon anyway, knock on wood) and I haven’t driven it much since then, but it’s still bugging me.
Someone I know who works in a car dealership mentioned it could be mold in the air conditioner and that there’s a service the dealer offers that basically forces air through the system and cleans it all out. I’m guessing this isn’t a cheap service, so I tried parking the car, opening all the windows, turning the air to full and spraying Lysol into the engine, hoping it would come through the system. When I smelled it in the cabin, I knew it was, so I did it a few times.
It didn’t seem to help. I’ve been feeling kind of light-headed and tired recently, and in the fear that it might be related, I’ve made a doctor’s appointment. I’m sure it’s going to be something silly, but hey, I’m insured now.
The car talk guys have discussed this subject before. I think they suggested spraying (pouring?) disinfectant directly into the vents. You might also try shoving a vacuum into whatever ducts you can.
Don’t die, that’s part of KKD policy.
BTW, I have the printer and KKD database-on-an-external-hd that was used for Anime Vegas and PMX (plus the binders that look like they’ve been around). I need to return them to you.
Your car is a cold-blooded killer. I would suggest pouring poison and/or sugar in its nightcap of gasoline to ensure you get him before he gets you. It’s the only natural course of action.
I’ve done this, and I second the CarTalk comment.
This is not the job for ‘a little’ Lysol.
Get a full can of Lysol, and spray it directly into the air intake vents (hopefully, you know where they are). You might want to remove the cowl if there are leaves and stuff in the way.
And spray. A lot. Like ‘the entire can’. (Don’t turn it upside down, and mind your hands: the same rules as dealing with compressed air apply).
Do you normally drive with the A/C or vents in play?
I used to drive with the vents and A/C always on, but since I suspected this, I’ve used it sparingly. But even with the fan on and the vents closed, air is still getting through.
I had no idea where the air intakes actually were, but now that you mentioned leaves, I’ve got an idea…
*goes downstairs for a bit*
Okay, I’ve emptied most of the can into the intakes. I’m pretty sure I found the spot because when I was done I saw a puddle of moisture underneath the car, which I assume is the moisture the air conditioner removed. Should I have done it with the A/C off, I wonder?
Well, a car isn’t a closed system, so you’ll get air into the passenger compartment, no matter wait.
The puddle of moisture is pretty much what you think it is. You can run your fingers through the puddle (it should feel like water, not oil). If this drain was clogged, then you have a moist environment for breeding mold spores.
Basically, for the Lysol method, you want A/C or heat (whichever gives the worse smell) and full vents open into the passenger cabin.
CarTalk gets this now and again. Typically in those cases it’s a dead mouse in the ventilation system (is that smell mold on a dead mouse? or just plain mold? is this a question you want to know?)
http://www.cartalk.com/content/columns/Archive/1997/September/09.html
http://www.cartalk.com/content/columns/Archive/1998/September/03.html
http://www.cartalk.com/content/columns/Archive/2007/September/09.html
So, it sounds like your A/C isn’t clogged, which is good. But there may be mold or mildew in the rest of the system. Lysol and time should take care of it, provided that air is moving through the system regularly. You might want to do this for 20 minute bursts, repeated every other day (weather permitting). I think you’ll get it in time.
Good luck to you.