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Heater Smells Like Urine....how Do I Stop It!?

The_Scroop

By The_Scroop,
in General Maintenance

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The_Scroop Enthusiast

The_Scroop

Posted
Posted

Basically my heater smells like urine...bad....the musky cat piss type of urine. Has anyone else had this or know how to fix it?

I would assume some sort of bacteria build up? It only smells with the aircon off, if i turn on the a/c then it doesn't smell but as soon as the a/c is off and its running off the fans/heater (regardless of temperature) it will stink.

Help pleaseee!

Cheers

Dom

mosquitocoils Veteran

mosquitocoils

Posted
Posted

I was also thinking cat piss hahahaha..... there are a few types of deoderiser you can get, but you may have to actually replace the piping in behind the dash if they don't help... :)

GTR-N1 Grand Master

GTR-N1

Posted
Posted

According to the R34 Owner's Manual (-yes there IS a genuine one in English)

...the "Air Ventilation Filter" is to be replaced every 20,000Km.

How to get at it, is in the R34 Workshop Manual (on SAU here via 'search' or on disk).

The_Scroop Enthusiast

The_Scroop

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I'm going to try take the filter out to see if it is the problem, but can someone please tell me how to actually get to it?

I looked in the r34 workshop manual but it only says how to take the filter out....not where it actually is and i have no idea.

thanks

Moodles2 Grand Master

Moodles2

Posted
Posted
I'm going to try take the filter out to see if it is the problem, but can someone please tell me how to actually get to it?

I looked in the r34 workshop manual but it only says how to take the filter out....not where it actually is and i have no idea.

thanks

Behind the glovebox I beleive

  • 2 weeks later...
BASHO Mentor

BASHO

Posted
Posted
thanks for that, will check it out tomorrow =]

I want to check mine out also but the service manual looses me with the first removal instruction---

1/"remove the instrument lower assist panel"--i would absolutely love to --if only I knew WTF it actualy is .

2/"remove the clip and remove the cover" I still aint got past 1/

3/"Remove the deodorizing clean filter assembly from the blower and cooling unit"---farkit, I'm goling for a drink---.

how did you go with yours ? :)

The_Scroop Enthusiast

The_Scroop

Posted
  • Author
Posted
I want to check mine out also but the service manual looses me with the first removal instruction---

1/"remove the instrument lower assist panel"--i would absolutely love to --if only I knew WTF it actualy is .

2/"remove the clip and remove the cover" I still aint got past 1/

3/"Remove the deodorizing clean filter assembly from the blower and cooling unit"---farkit, I'm goling for a drink---.

how did you go with yours ? :)

haha yeah I was like that at first, but eventually worked it out.

1. remove glove box. There are 2 sliding clips at the bottom of the box (stick head into the foot well to see them), you slide them and pull them out, that will let you take the glove box out. There is a retracting cable that is attached to the right hand side of the glove box, that needs to be slid off to let you remove the whole box.

2. remove all the screws behind the glove box, including the clip that the box grabs to in order to stay shut. Can't remember how many, probably 4 or so. This lets you take the whole panel off and reveals the aircon blower and filters.

3. locate the rectangle white plastic thing. there is a metal clip on the bottom, take that off. then slide the whole plastic thing up and that allows you to take if off.

4. now the white plastic rectangle thing is off, the filters are revealed.

unfortunately they weren't the source of my urine smelling heater :bunny:

BASHO Mentor

BASHO

Posted
Posted (edited)
haha yeah I was like that at first, but eventually worked it out.

unfortunately they weren't the source of my urine smelling heater :)

Thanks very much for that.

Mine smells like an oriental knocking shop , quite pleasant actualy , so I'm guessing that the filters were new in Japan before it was imported or were renewed by the dealer prior to it going on the yard, so it may have formally been a cats piss percy . What was the stinko with yours anyhew ?

How much were the replacement filters ? -if you don't mind me asking.

You could try spraying Glen 20 into the intake with the fan on full, if its fungal/bacterial thingo that may get it ? just a thought.

Edited by BASHO
  • 2 weeks later...
Calvz86 Enthusiast

Calvz86

Posted
Posted

Hi, my mums car had the same prob.. I don't think it's bacteria problem n doubt it really is cat piss! It's the heater core, most likely leaking n will affect electricals too like cd player and etc.. Mist change asap before problem branches out. What ur smelling is actually the burning smell of leaves that actually got into ur engine bay which prob contains animals piss.. Let me guess, ull find it hard to get rid of mist from ur windscreen too? If yes then u r experiencing the same problem. Anyway I could b wrong but get it checked out soon..

The_Scroop Enthusiast

The_Scroop

Posted
  • Author
Posted

So turns out that the source of the smell wasnt the filters and there isnt a problem with the heater core from what I can tell....this mystery continues =/

If i were to try and spray in some sort of glen 20 or disinfectant, where would I spray this? Maybe that will solve it...worth a try since we always have that stuff hanging around the house

BASHO Mentor

BASHO

Posted
Posted
So turns out that the source of the smell wasnt the filters and there isnt a problem with the heater core from what I can tell....this mystery continues =/

If i were to try and spray in some sort of glen 20 or disinfectant, where would I spray this? Maybe that will solve it...worth a try since we always have that stuff hanging around the house

Just guessin but you could maybe try taking out the filters, running the fan full tilt and spray the Glen 20 in the hole where the filters should be, I'd only be giving it a bit of a hit at a time just in case theres wireing / electricals that might not like getting soaked.

:(

Dorifta Collaborator

Dorifta

Posted
Posted

Hey Dom, you spray ur disinfectant or scented spray in and around the intake vents on the scuttle panel, which is located at the bottom of the windsreen, below wiper arms

If that doesnt work, You can also try what they call an AC Bomb, which is a can of disinfectant which u place on the passenger floor mat and release the valve while having the car running with ac on recirc for 10mins or so. As the heater and ac use the same ducts. I t will kill any bacteria or smell in car, After the process has been done is has a sterilised clean smell.

some_cs_student Veteran

some_cs_student

Posted
Posted

A little random but does it go away after a while? I had a similar issue in the Ford and its actually something weird that someone put in the washer bottle that goes off, after using the washer on the windscreen a terrible smell comes through the vents of the car for ~5-10minutes then goes away.

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