kmc0929
Member
2020 Expedition Limited MAX
I have reached the end of my wits with the Expedition AC Smell Issue. The AC starts with the most pungent vinegar smell possible and goes away once the AC has become cold, usually about 3-4 minutes.
1) Obviously I have changed the cabin air filter, this isn't the source of the smell
2) The dealership has done the TSB that added the elbow to the AC drain, the AC appears to be draining normally (however dealership did say it was not included in the TSB Date Range)
3) I have used the Lysol technique to blast cleaner through the ductwork via the exterior cowl
4) I have drilled a single hole in the evap box and put a full can of the BG Evap Foaming Cleaner into the evaporator and watched it drain out the bottom (this fixed it for 2-3 days)
5) I have drilled a second hole on the high side of the evap box and sprayed 2 cans of the Klima Cleaner Pro into the high or left side of the evap core and then a 3rd can into the low side
*** In both applications the foaming cleaner drains out into a puddle underneath the vehicle***
6) I have used the B&G Fridgi-Fresh spray by spraying it into the blower motor cavity
7) Both holes drilled were cleanly patched using 1/4 sheet metal rubber plugs
8) I have used an endoscope to look into the evap box, the coils look as clean as I would imagine them to be (see photo)
9) The vehicle has a spotless interior
11) We do shut the compressor off about 2-3 minutes prior to parking the vehicle and let it run air through it. I do notice the smell starts to peak when you do this.
Starting to think it's not the EVAP core rather more the ductwork?
*See attached photo of the insertion points for the Evap Cleaning Foam
*Photos with the endoscope are AFTER the application of the foam so they show moisture
*Disregard date stamps on the endo photos, those are wrong
*The smell seem to be only coming from the front AC, however I have NOT foamed / lysol the rear AC unit yet, not positive where the intake / drain is yet...
![img_9219_c574cc30f0acefc1a3f0a9f71fc752923f06d72d.jpeg img_9219_c574cc30f0acefc1a3f0a9f71fc752923f06d72d.jpeg](https://www.expeditionforum.com/data/attachments/79/79236-07b945b5ddd932746a0701a194785492.jpg)
![img_0001_f5aa811a6062d23bf248ea37e28a94a303355cc6.jpg img_0001_f5aa811a6062d23bf248ea37e28a94a303355cc6.jpg](https://www.expeditionforum.com/data/attachments/79/79237-0300b5f6696ecd2f7e3c08bc91636ab1.jpg)
![img_0002_10568cec86594d625cc728e1a4785b0634aa8204.jpg img_0002_10568cec86594d625cc728e1a4785b0634aa8204.jpg](https://www.expeditionforum.com/data/attachments/79/79238-b7e7453349b22ec63a6931815e040678.jpg)
![img_0003_0293a70704b4be9125ca4f88826bba65ecaa722b.jpg img_0003_0293a70704b4be9125ca4f88826bba65ecaa722b.jpg](https://www.expeditionforum.com/data/attachments/79/79239-82111a53252aeccb43fd2cebec5c37d4.jpg)
I have reached the end of my wits with the Expedition AC Smell Issue. The AC starts with the most pungent vinegar smell possible and goes away once the AC has become cold, usually about 3-4 minutes.
1) Obviously I have changed the cabin air filter, this isn't the source of the smell
2) The dealership has done the TSB that added the elbow to the AC drain, the AC appears to be draining normally (however dealership did say it was not included in the TSB Date Range)
3) I have used the Lysol technique to blast cleaner through the ductwork via the exterior cowl
4) I have drilled a single hole in the evap box and put a full can of the BG Evap Foaming Cleaner into the evaporator and watched it drain out the bottom (this fixed it for 2-3 days)
5) I have drilled a second hole on the high side of the evap box and sprayed 2 cans of the Klima Cleaner Pro into the high or left side of the evap core and then a 3rd can into the low side
*** In both applications the foaming cleaner drains out into a puddle underneath the vehicle***
6) I have used the B&G Fridgi-Fresh spray by spraying it into the blower motor cavity
7) Both holes drilled were cleanly patched using 1/4 sheet metal rubber plugs
8) I have used an endoscope to look into the evap box, the coils look as clean as I would imagine them to be (see photo)
9) The vehicle has a spotless interior
11) We do shut the compressor off about 2-3 minutes prior to parking the vehicle and let it run air through it. I do notice the smell starts to peak when you do this.
Starting to think it's not the EVAP core rather more the ductwork?
*See attached photo of the insertion points for the Evap Cleaning Foam
*Photos with the endoscope are AFTER the application of the foam so they show moisture
*Disregard date stamps on the endo photos, those are wrong
*The smell seem to be only coming from the front AC, however I have NOT foamed / lysol the rear AC unit yet, not positive where the intake / drain is yet...
![img_9219_c574cc30f0acefc1a3f0a9f71fc752923f06d72d.jpeg img_9219_c574cc30f0acefc1a3f0a9f71fc752923f06d72d.jpeg](https://www.expeditionforum.com/data/attachments/79/79236-07b945b5ddd932746a0701a194785492.jpg)
![img_0001_f5aa811a6062d23bf248ea37e28a94a303355cc6.jpg img_0001_f5aa811a6062d23bf248ea37e28a94a303355cc6.jpg](https://www.expeditionforum.com/data/attachments/79/79237-0300b5f6696ecd2f7e3c08bc91636ab1.jpg)
![img_0002_10568cec86594d625cc728e1a4785b0634aa8204.jpg img_0002_10568cec86594d625cc728e1a4785b0634aa8204.jpg](https://www.expeditionforum.com/data/attachments/79/79238-b7e7453349b22ec63a6931815e040678.jpg)
![img_0003_0293a70704b4be9125ca4f88826bba65ecaa722b.jpg img_0003_0293a70704b4be9125ca4f88826bba65ecaa722b.jpg](https://www.expeditionforum.com/data/attachments/79/79239-82111a53252aeccb43fd2cebec5c37d4.jpg)