jburchill

Hello all, I have a chemical like smell coming through my vents. It doesn't smell like antifreeze. Its not the sweet smell like normal coolant leaks smell like. More acidic and chemical smell.

Originally I thought it was a coolant leak, cuz my radiator cap was leaking. I took the cap off and put it back on tighter and the leak has stopped. And I'm not losing any coolant, haven't had to top it off and nothing on the ground. Don't see any other fluids on the ground either.

I thought it might be the heater core, but the common symptoms aren't there. Foggy windshield or puddling on the floor. But still not ruling this out, but I don't know how to test a heater core. The hoses leading to it are both warm/hot so I don't think its clogged.

I drive a 2004 impala, and not sure what else to check.

sledge.impy

Is this with the heater or AC on? (Sorry, no idea where you are located, in the freezing USA or some where nice and hot).

jburchill

It is with the Heat on. I live in North Dakota and its freezing. I commute 60 miles (1hour) to work everyday. So being in this car isn't good. I've tried fresh air and recirculating the air. Yesterday I thought the recirc was making it worse, but its hard to tell sometimes.

I'm going to have a mechanic look at it. But trying to decide which place to take it to. Not sure if I should take it to a service type place or an exhaust type place.

sledge.impy

Are you parked outside in the rain/snow? Do your hear slushing going on inside the front of the car? Could your hvac drain pipe be clogged and collecting water?

It would be more of a mildew type smell...but I never heard of complaints in the winter time..usually people get filled up in the summer with rain and ac usage.

jburchill

I do park outside in the snow and cold winter. I don't hear any slushing around in the front end.

On my 1 hour commute. it usually starts out with no smell, but then about 20 to 30 minutes into my drive then smell comes in. But also my car doesn't heat up that fast either. I have been told that I have a bad thermostat.

Frank3

jburchhill, what year is your Impala? I had a 2001 Impala that smelled like I had an old oil smell almost like PCV vapors coming in when the heater was on. I had some oil leaking from the engine due to the notorious lower intake manifold gaskets leaking oil onto the hot motor. Even though I had replaced the gaskets, the smell persisted until I washed and degreased the engine.

jburchill

This smell smells like a chlorine type smell. Not sure what burning oil would smell like coming though the vents. But I wouldn't rule it out.


Frank3, could you see the oil leak? Or where it was leaking? Or even a drop in oil level? I don't see any oil leaks on the pavement where I park.

Also how do you go about cleaning/degreasing an engine?

sledge.impy

Is this car new to you? How many miles on it?


I didn't find much in google except some complaints about newer models (2014).

chlorine smell in car vents - Google Search

Frank3

jburchill, I could only see the leak if I were looking for it. I could see oil around the bolts holding the lower intake manifold down and some smaller "dribbles" down the side of the block. The oil did drop, but we were talking about a quart in 2000 miles. I did not see any spots on the pavement either. When cleaning the block, I followed the manufacturers recommendations. I started it up to get it warm but not hot. Sprayed it on to let it soak, then blasted it with a high pressure nozzle from a garden hose - NOT a high pressure power washer. I tried to keep the water directed away from points of entry into the intake and away from the coil packs. Once done, I left the cover over the intake off and started it up. I popped a couple times but came right up to speed and I let it idle to burn off all the extra water.

jburchill

My car has about 220,000 miles on it. It has been my commuting car for the last 4 or 5 years. 120 miles a day minimum. So the end could be near for the car, but its paid off and its been a great car so if I could get more out of the car would be awesome.

Which product did you use to degrease your engine. Being winter I'd probably have to wait until summer or a nice spring day.

I'll have to take a closer look for oil leaks around the engine. Only thing I do notice is where I spilled some power steering fluid. Couldn't have hid that in a better location.