Burnt smell on AC. Need a good shop.

[kablitz]

Sharing my experience with EDS Car Aircon:

Last January, I brought my '09 Honda City to EDS because it was highly recommended here. My blower was replaced and I had my AC cleaned as well. The whole thing took about 4 hours. I forgot how much I paid, maybe 4k or 5k.

I left the shop. I was driving down Mindanao Ave. and noticed a slight plastic smell from the vents. I figured it was just because of the "new plastic smell" from the blower and it'll pass.

Maybe i got used to the slight plastic smell so I wasn't bothered everyday, but from time to time I do notice it again. Fast forward a month, the smell got worse, like burnt plastic.

Some observations:
-The smell is only there when the AC is on.
-If I let the fans running while the AC is off, the smell seems to build up somewhere. When i finally turn the AC on again, the built-up smell will get unleashed.
-Sometimes the smell is there, sometimes not. Or maybe I get used to it so I don't notice. I'm not sure.

Yesterday, I brought my car to Honda SPA for a PMS and also had them check the weird smell. The Honda SA told me they did not see any burnt wires or anything weird. His recommendation was to have the AC cleaned and to replace the filter. I declined because my AC was just cleaned and my filter is still relatively clean. We tested the AC again but the smell wasn't there. We agreed to do an experiment and remove the filters and see if the smell persists and I'll come back another day.

Later that night, the smell was there again. So maybe the smell is only present when the car is moving? I'm not sure. What do you guys recommend as my next step?

I'm thinking of going back to EDS because this all started when they cleaned my AC and replaced my blower. Do I still have warranty, considering it's been more than a month? Any other good shops around Marikina, QC or Pasig?

[RomeoAlpha]

Sir, ilang buwan na po ba? Baka reconditioned ung motor ng blower yan ang amoy ng insulation.

Try mo ibilad sa araw then on ac ng nakapatay compressor para matuyo ng husto ung insulation ng winding. Kasi king electrical yan at sa blower, hindi na gagana yan.

[dr. d]

was it clear before, on what motor was going to be used as replacement? new or reconditioned?

[kablitz]

*RomeoAlpha
One month palang yung new blower.

Sorry, I'm not very car-savvy. Anong ibibilad ko sa araw? Also, don't know how to turn off the compressor.

*dr. d
I assumed the blower was new since wala sila binanggit if new or reconditioned and medyo mahal ang singil sakin.

[RomeoAlpha]

Sir kablitz, ano po bang tsikot niyo?

Nakapatay compressor normally sa kotse may a/c switch dapat nakapatay lang then blower lanh nakaon para matuyo agad ung insulation, if my assumption is correct na reconditioned fan blower binigay sayo.

[kablitz]

'09 Honda City.

Ah I see. So compressor == blower/fan? Sige, try ko yun. Kung refurbished binigay sakin na blower, ano pwede kong gawin? Balik ko sa EDS?

[RomeoAlpha]

Well kung refurbished siya, mangangamoy plastic nga iyan, tapos malamig na hangin pa kaya hindi mabilis mawala amoy, try mo ibilad sa araw then blower on sir kahit mga 30 to 45 minutes. Then leave it or gamitin mo na.

[kablitz]

I'll do that.

Hanap nalang ako guide on how to remove the blower. Thanks for the tip!

[RomeoAlpha]

No need to remove the blower paps, painitin mo lang ng husto mawawala amoy niyan.

[bakamaka2long]

Sharing my experience with EDS Car Aircon:

Last January, I brought my '09 Honda City to EDS because it was highly recommended here. My blower was replaced and I had my AC cleaned as well. The whole thing took about 4 hours. I forgot how much I paid, maybe 4k or 5k.

I left the shop. I was driving down Mindanao Ave. and noticed a slight plastic smell from the vents. I figured it was just because of the "new plastic smell" from the blower and it'll pass.

Maybe i got used to the slight plastic smell so I wasn't bothered everyday, but from time to time I do notice it again. Fast forward a month, the smell got worse, like burnt plastic.

Some observations:
-The smell is only there when the AC is on.
-If I let the fans running while the AC is off, the smell seems to build up somewhere. When i finally turn the AC on again, the built-up smell will get unleashed.
-Sometimes the smell is there, sometimes not. Or maybe I get used to it so I don't notice. I'm not sure.

Yesterday, I brought my car to Honda SPA for a PMS and also had them check the weird smell. The Honda SA told me they did not see any burnt wires or anything weird. His recommendation was to have the AC cleaned and to replace the filter. I declined because my AC was just cleaned and my filter is still relatively clean. We tested the AC again but the smell wasn't there. We agreed to do an experiment and remove the filters and see if the smell persists and I'll come back another day.

Later that night, the smell was there again. So maybe the smell is only present when the car is moving? I'm not sure. What do you guys recommend as my next step?

I'm thinking of going back to EDS because this all started when they cleaned my AC and replaced my blower. Do I still have warranty, considering it's been more than a month? Any other good shops around Marikina, QC or Pasig?

sir pnalitan ba lahat ng blower mo pati ung blade?
pede kasi sumasayad yan pg umiikot hindi maaus ang lagay,,..

[RomeoAlpha]

^^^maingay kung sumasayad.

[dr. d]

No need to remove the blower paps, painitin mo lang ng husto mawawala amoy niyan.

in other words, just use it and hope that the heat generated will gradually drive away the odor..
this is actually i would have done, if i were me..

[RomeoAlpha]

You are correct, sir dr. D.

[oj88]

Don't ignore the smell for two things:

1. It could be toxic enough to affect you or somebody else's health
2. Think: Burning dashboard

Check if the burnt smell is coming from the blower speed controller (aka. blower power resistor). This is usually located downstream between the blower and the evaporator. Any burnt smell coming from this module will be carried by the airflow out the vents.

If the replacement blower does not have the same or lower spec as the original, it might overload and overheat the speed controller.

Does the odor disappear when you put the blower speed at the highest setting? Does it smell the strongest on any particular blower speed?

Check also if this part was installed correctly and that no foreign contaminants are on it that could have the possibility of melting.

This is what it looks like on a similar model year Jazz/Fit, of which the City shares a lot of parts with. The perforated metal portion is hidden and inserted into the A/C ducting. The resistor network naturally produces heat when the blower speed setting is set to other than OFF or HIGH. The resistor elements are cooled by the flowing air inside the A/C duct:

[bakamaka2long]

^^^maingay kung sumasayad.

uu nga pero kung naubos na ung sumasayad nangangamoy sunog din kasi un.. sa resistor block naman halos lahat meron un eh.. d naman kaya galing sa labas ang amoy pede kasi nagalaw ang vent nun eh..

[RomeoAlpha]

^^^kung ubos na yung sumayad, wala na mangangamoy wala na din ingay. hehehehe

[RomeoAlpha]

Don't ignore the smell for two things:

1. It could be toxic enough to affect you or somebody else's health
2. Think: Burning dashboard

Check if the burnt smell is coming from the blower speed controller (aka. blower power resistor). This is usually located downstream between the blower and the evaporator. Any burnt smell coming from this module will be carried by the airflow out the vents.

If the replacement blower does not have the same or lower spec as the original, it might overload and overheat the speed controller.

Does the odor disappear when you put the blower speed at the highest setting? Does it smell the strongest on any particular blower speed?

Check also if this part was installed correctly and that no foreign contaminants are on it that could have the possibility of melting.

This is what it looks like on a similar model year Jazz/Fit, of which the City shares a lot of parts with. The perforated metal portion is hidden and inserted into the A/C ducting. The resistor network naturally produces heat when the blower speed setting is set to other than OFF or HIGH. The resistor elements are cooled by the flowing air inside the A/C duct:

pagkakaintindi ko running capacitor po ito. tama rin si sir OJ88, pero kung gumagana pa blower mo until now, ibig sabihin hindi pa sumisingaw ung capacitor.pero kung deads na, malamang ito din isang problema.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Don't ignore the smell for two things:

1. It could be toxic enough to affect you or somebody else's health
2. Think: Burning dashboard

Check if the burnt smell is coming from the blower speed controller (aka. blower power resistor). This is usually located downstream between the blower and the evaporator. Any burnt smell coming from this module will be carried by the airflow out the vents.

If the replacement blower does not have the same or lower spec as the original, it might overload and overheat the speed controller.

Does the odor disappear when you put the blower speed at the highest setting? Does it smell the strongest on any particular blower speed?

Check also if this part was installed correctly and that no foreign contaminants are on it that could have the possibility of melting.

This is what it looks like on a similar model year Jazz/Fit, of which the City shares a lot of parts with. The perforated metal portion is hidden and inserted into the A/C ducting. The resistor network naturally produces heat when the blower speed setting is set to other than OFF or HIGH. The resistor elements are cooled by the flowing air inside the A/C duct:

pagkakaintindi ko running capacitor po ito. tama rin si sir OJ88, pero kung gumagana pa blower mo until now, ibig sabihin hindi pa sumisingaw ung capacitor.pero kung deads na, malamang ito din isang problema.

[bakamaka2long]

^^^kung ubos na yung sumayad, wala na mangangamoy wala na din ingay. hehehehe

tama.. pero ung amoy di basta basta nawawala agad eh,, obserbahan mo lang muna sir.. mahirap kasi jan wiring ang nasusunog,.,

[12vdc]

Running cap is for AC motor. Speed control of DC motor is thru limiting the current using a resistor.

+1 on resistor. Replacement motor might have outside tolerance the resistor could not take. Extra current is heating up the resistor cooking up the insulator..

[kablitz]

*RomeoAlpha
I removed the blower and blew hot air on it for 30 mins, the smell did not go away. Even if nabilad na sa araw auto ko, it's still there. And it's been more than a month, if the fan just needed to be broken-in, I think one month is more than enough.

Also, my blower is still functioning properly.

*oj88
I haven't noticed if the smell changes depending on the blower speed. I'll try it out later. These are my observations:

-If I'm only running the fans with the AC off (no cold air) there's no smell.
-If I let the fans running for a minute while the AC is off, the smell seems to build up somewhere. So when I finally turn the AC on, the built-up smell is worse.

I saw something odd when I removed the blower though: there's still a small metal clip (looks like a big staple wire) attached to one of the fins of the blower. I already removed it.

I appreciate the troubleshooting tips here, guys. But I'm not really car-savvy and can only do the simpler stuff. So I think I should bring my car to a shop. Do you think I should bring my car back to EDS? Or do you guys have a trusted shop I can go to?