Need Tech Assist -- Alcohol smell from heater on warmup

[GordonB]

My MM is now 4 months old (to me) and has 1600 miles from mostly weekend driving. For the past several weeks I get a distinct odor of alcohol coming thru the ventilation system (HVAC controls are in FLOOR position) as the car is warming up as the heat starts to come on. The odor coes away after about 10 minutes or so.
Initially I dismissed this odor as leftover glue smell from the sunroof installation, but after 4 months I realized that any leftover glue smell would be long gone. So, I now turn to this knowledgable board of wisdom and seek the true cause of the odor. Question: Is it possible that there is a very small leak in the heater core that is NOT enough to leak on the floor but IS enough to create the odor I am smelling? If this is NOT the source of the odor, can anyone offer some suggestions as to what this odor.
I appreciate everyones comments and suggestions. I have an appmt with the Dealer on Tuesday for oil change , but I would like to have some idea what the problem might be.
Thanks in advance for helping me.
GordonB

[Constable]

I, too, have this odd smell when my heat is just starting to warm up. Any help would be appreciated.

[SheboyganGuy]

If it is a "sickly sweet" kind of alcohol odor, and maybe a bit yeasty, you may have some bacterial growth in the HVAC system. This can occur if the water condensed by the AC is not draining properly. I had this problem with a Ford Probe GT, and it turned out that the drain tube was pinched. Once I fixed that, the problem eventually went away.

It may also be that, because you are not driving the car a lot, bugs are having an opportunity to grow without getting flushed out of the system through regular use of the AC. This was another problem with my Probe...

Just some ideas, for what it's worth!!

[Mark McQuaide]

I too sometimes emit an alchohol smell on warmup...oh wait you mean the car...never mind!

[ultravorx]

i also have the same smell. since its my first ford product, i was thinking its normal!
Frank

[GordonB]

Constable, ultrvorx & others who have experienced this smell:
Thank you for adding your experiences.
I think this smell is ABnormal. I would really like to pinpoint the source and the cause of the odor.
Any more ideas?
GordonB.

[Constable]

The first time I smelled it, I actually thought it was an exhaust leak. I even had a passenger comment, "Wow, you're car sounds like a racecar... it even smells like a racecar!" He thought the smell was unburned fuel or something. I know that's not the problem, but I can't figure out what it really is.

[Haggis]

I have had my Marauder for approx. 6 months now and have about 2100 miles on her and have not detected any unusual orders. Sorry I can not be of any help at this time, but if I ever notice anything I will contact you. Good luck.

[Smokie]

GordonB The anti-freeze is alcohol based, if you had a coolant leak even if it is small you should be able to notice a drop in the level on the recovery bottle.

Do you keep your car garaged, and do you keep paints or solvents in the garage, maybe the odor is from something in garage and after you drive for a while it dissipates. I hope you find the answer.:confused:

[Mikeenh]

You guys need to lock your cars at night to keep the winos from sleeping in them http://smilies.sofrayt.com/%5E/c0/rofl.gif

[GordonB]

Smokie,
Thank you for the info and suggestion. I'll check the coolant level.

Mikeenh,
Since I live in the INNER City (not), I should have known that the odor was from the winos that stretch out in the spacious back seat and trunk! I'll remove them before startup next time out.

To all -- I am open to all suggestions. It appears that it is not just my car but several others here as well. Still puzzled.
Where is CARFIXER when you need him???!!!

GordonB

[GordonB]

Smokie might be right.
Just went to the garage and checked on our MM baby. You may be right. I dipped a clean paper towel in the coolant reservoir and smelled and had my wife do the same. The odor from the paper towel does NOT smell like what we notice inside the car. HOWEVER, there is the telltale sign of the coolant reservoir being down from the Low Cold mark by about 3/8 to 1/2 inch based on the assumption that that level was exactly at the bottom line when it was driven home in July.. A logical conclusion might be that the Heater Core has a slight leak! Arrrrrg!!!!!
What is very strange is that the odor inside the car is VERY STRONGLY an alcohol smell, almost undiluted, 150Proof! Um! And I have NEVER had a bottle of booze in this car, YET!!!!
GordonB

[carfixer]

Where is CARFIXER when you need him???!!!

I live in Fort Myers, FL. The temperature has only dipped into the 60's a couple nights so far. Heat not needed yet here.:). I hope it works when I need it.


Anyway, hot water curculates through the heater core all the time the engine is running. A door blocks airflow through it when warm air is not selected. For this reason, a fungus may have developed on the warm, dark heater core fins. When you finally use the heat for the first time of the season, you get hit with the smell. Fungi emit different smells and a chemical smell is one of them. I would recommend getting a can of "frigifresh" or other fungus odor eliminator spray from a parts store or A/C supply store and see if that takes care of the problem. Here in FL, I recommend it as maintenance every 6 months to prevent it from happening in the first place.


FWIW, I haven't seen a heater core leak in a MM yet. Come to think of it, I haven't seen one leak on a Grand Marquis newer than a 99 model year either.

[GordonB]

carfixer,
Thank you for all of your suggestions. Glad to know that the heater core doesn't leak.
My puzzlement is that I have NEVER smelled alcohol inside a car except for one in which someone spilled a bottle of booze!
I have a '90 Lincoln MK VII and believe me I know what mold, etc. smells like. That car needs to have its nose pointing down slightly after running the A/C or Def to allow it to thoroughly drain properly.
I think the first item is to fill the coolant level to the bottom line and monitor from here on. I will also ask the service mgr tomorrow to check for any musty smell and the need to deoderize the HVAC system.
Thanks,
GordonB

[Haggis]

GordonB what was the diagnoses to your Problem??? Did they find anything and if so is it fixed?

[GordonB]

Haggis, and others,
Got the car back last nite and the result was the dealer did as Carfixer posted. Dealer tech sprayed the disinfectant/deoderizer into the HVAC system and said `done'.
Had to take car back this AM for the UNattached front driver seat upholstery re-attach that was NOT done yesterday, but today I got NO ODOR from the HVAC system on warmup.
Net, Net -- I think 2 things are really at work concerning the alcohol smell on warmup with the onset of colder weather:
1. Car is NOT driven every day.
2. There MAY be 'stuff' in the HVAC system that is not getting cleared/cleaned/dried out thoroughly from not enough use.
3. I will monitor the coolant level in the garage BEFORE uses and see if any is escaping/leaking/missing.
4. Question: Does our A/C always run when we are using the HEAT? My Mark VII allows me to turn the A/C OFF by using the FLOOR ONLY button which does NOT activate the compressor.

GordonB

[Dr Caleb]

IIRC, the compressor is only engaged on Defrost/Air/MaxAir settings.

[GordonB]

Dr Caleb,
Thank you for the info. I was hoping it was that way.
GordonB

[SheboyganGuy]

I don't think that is correct, but I may be wrong. I don't have my owner's manual here at work.....

I think that the only time the AC is not functional is when you are using the "Floor" setting. If you are running in "Auto," the compressor may be kicking in and out as needed.

Also, I believe the compressor does not run if the outside temperature is below 37 degrees, or something like that.

I could be wrong, I'm sure someone will let me know!! :-)

[Dr Caleb]

I'm pretty sure the A/C will not engage in Floor, Floor-Defrost and Vent settings. I'm not too sure about Floor-Defrost though.

[TripleTransAm]

Floor defrost should still run the A/C... to defrost properly, you need dehumidified air.

[carfixer]

Per the service manual, the compressor will operate in Max, Norm, Def, and Floor/Defrost at temperatures above 39 degrees F (4 degrees C). It will not operate at 39 and under or in vent or floor modes.

[SheboyganGuy]

Well, I was close......... :-)

[frdwrnch]

The compressor will run in "Auto" mode when the ambient temp in the cabin is warmer than, or close to the selected temp. It will not run in that mode if cabin temp is cold and you've selected a high temp in order to warm the vehicle as quickly as possible.