turboawd

I don't know about that. Sorry.

BlueHorse

[QUOTE=turboawd;1538299]pop hood, and there is a micro filter on each side at bottom of windshield. remove them, and then with car running and ac running, you can see the flaps open down in the hole. you can see the evaporator a little. spray a cleaner down there. i actually used scrubbing bubbles bathroom cleaner and just sprayed the heck into each side. foam and all. got rid of the smell for me.QUOTE]

I have 2004 525i. I have been spraying lysol once a month down to the holes where the flaps open, but the foul smell kept coming back after a few days. I am going to try other products that spray foam (instead of Lysol's mist).

1. Is there another location to have a better access to the evaporator coils? Post #2 here "Slam the Stink.pdf" shows drilling a hole in older BMW models in order to access evaporator. Wander if that is just because older models do not allow access to evaporator like E60 through the flaps, or it is a better way to kill the smell.

2. I read about the blower fan is in the way - is that referring to if I try to spray into the AC vent on the dashboard?

3. Are there two evaporator coils (left and right), or just one? Trying to figure out how much foam I should spray in there.

turboawd

to be honest, after spraying the smell left for a while, but slowly came back. i sprayed it last year, but now its back with using the ac so much.
and i'm not sure if there is any other place to get access to spray. you can buy a evaporator spray cleaner from a store like graingers. i think oreillys might even sell something like that.
i wonder if there is more to this smell issue, like maybe a plugged up drain or something.
i did notice that when the car is shut off, the air flaps below the cabin filters close. how is the evaporator suppose to dry out without any air being able to circulate?

Booyaazaa

That's why I turn off my AC a minute or two before I turn off the car. This pushes out all the cooled air in the system thus preventing the smell. It's old school but it works. My AC never has that funky smell.

BlueHorse

I am going to try the foam version. Trying to decide where to spray - through the two flaps, or into the AC vent outlet above the radio.

Are the gray/clay color metal grid behind the two flaps the evaporator, or they are the heating elements for winter AC?

There is a write up on internet to drill a hole next to the foot brake area to access the evaporator. That implies a different location than the two flaps.

turboawd

i dont think you will be too effective spraying in through the vents.
i assume the ac evaporator is whats visible behind the flaps. i could be wrong.
and where is this info about drilling a hole?
i think this is a bad design on bmw's part. the flaps close when the car is off, and any moisture that is left around the evaporator, has nowhere to evaporate...no air flow. would be nice if bmw programmed the car to run the fan for a bit when the car is shutdown.

BlueHorse

Attached is the link to how to drill a hole to spray directly to the evaporator.
Slam the Stink

It is a different BMW model, and its evaporator should be located beneath the CD player around the foot area. That makes me thinking what I see behind the two flaps on my 2004 525i may not be the evaporator.

Anybody knows how to find out exactly where the evaporator based on model and year?

Thanks!