Who wants to play "What Am I?"

MikeT · Unread post by **MikeT** » 05 Apr 2010, 17:36

I've got the xantia booked in for a free MOT on Wednesday so was doing some prepping today and started the engine to shuffle the car around. While idling, I noticed what looked like smoke coming out of the air vents - obviously being blown out by the blower on low setting.

So what is this "smoke"? It smells like damp boots for want of a better descriptor and definately not the curry smell I've come to associate with a weeping matrix. It was noticed before the temp gauge had reached 60 and showed no signs of clearing or increasing as the temperature rose to ~90 where the fans kicked in.

To recap, the aircon was bypassed many years ago, I have replaced the head gasket and therefore flushed and refilled with a proper mix of blue coolant and water.

What steps would you take to diagnose this?

hirsty · Unread post by **hirsty** » 05 Apr 2010, 17:39

Could it be damp leaves trapped in the air intakes for the heater?
Or check something hasn't crawled in and died

Keith

spider · Unread post by **spider** » 05 Apr 2010, 17:54

Mould build up in the vents maybe ?

You could try one of those aerosols that clean them out (the one you let off in the car and shut the doors quick, having already set it on re-circ) , I used to use these they work well. Meant for a/c equipped and working cars but it won't do any harm to use one if your a/c is awol anyway as the aerosol gas only goes around the air vents.

Make sure your pollen filter is good (I suppose it could rot away if it was really bad)

Not sure what it could be really apart from that.

Xaccers · Unread post by **Xaccers** » 05 Apr 2010, 18:11

I've asked Danielle what the smoke from Juliet's vents smelled like (I'm anosmic so useless in this situation) and she says it definitely didn't smell of curry or cat pee, but possibly like wet boots, with a slight chemical tinge.

MikeT · Unread post by **MikeT** » 05 Apr 2010, 18:18

We've certainly had a lot of rain and damp weather that could have built up somewhere, I'll take a look where access is easiest.

Xac, sounds very close to what I'm experiencing if not exactly the same, have you looked into it at all? I'll check if there's a chemical aroma mixed in next time I start the car. I hope it's not poisonous!

Xaccers · Unread post by **Xaccers** » 05 Apr 2010, 18:29

It was like a mist coming out of the vents.
I hate to say it Mike, but the problem was the heater matrix.
Once we replaced that and dried out the box it sits in, there's been no reccurance.

dnsey · Unread post by **dnsey** » 05 Apr 2010, 19:09

I hope it's not poisonous!

Probably not, but if it does happen to be mould spores, it might be quite dangerous to health.

I'd be inclined to get it sorted sooner rather than later - at least spray some biocide through the system ASAP!

Toby_HDi · Unread post by **Toby_HDi** » 05 Apr 2010, 19:39

Mike, It'll be damp.

After the HDi had its lay up whilst I sorted the cambelt, I was driving up the road, switched the temp to high and instantly this 'smoke' steamed from the vents.

What I'd suggest is running the heater on max temp and the fan on full for a little while and see if it ceases.

Xaccers · Unread post by **Xaccers** » 05 Apr 2010, 19:52

If it is just damp (fingers crossed) then it might be an idea to get one of those aircon cleaner cans just to kill any bugs that could be in the system.

MikeT · Unread post by **MikeT** » 06 Apr 2010, 14:09

I wasn't able to check the intake other than just peer into the scuttle but nothing unusual was spotted. I removed the pollen filter and although filthy dirty and restricted, was dry and odour-free. (Yet more evidence that a so-called "full" or even "golden" service - as this car has had - won't get this filter replaced).

And I'm pleased to report I couldn't repeat yesterdays event of smelly smoke/steam, the vents blew clear with barely a hint of old trainer smell.

So, fingers crossed, it was just damp and the matrix is not the problem.

EDIT: One thing I didn't think to check was the footwells and I just noticed the drivers side is soaking wet while the passenger side is bone dry. What could that be?

Unread post by **citroenxm** » 06 Apr 2010, 15:08

Matrix... matrix.... matrix.....

Sorry, shouldn't laugh! It CANNOT be anything else!, do you know if its been replaced in the past? If not, then it can only be the matrix!

Water on the passenger side can be either Scuttle trim not secured or Matrix, but on the drivers side, it can only be Matrix, theres no other way in, unless you have a Sunroof, and the drain pipe is letting water in..

Is the coolant level going, or been going, or gone down?

Paul

MikeT · Unread post by **MikeT** » 06 Apr 2010, 15:27

So you think it might be the matrix then Paul?

There's no paperwork or other evidence to suggest it's been replaced and I can't tell if I've lost any small amount of coolant - certainly not a large amount. Though the car's not really been driven since the head gasket repair, just shuffled around the car park and run up to temperature mostly just idling.

No sunroof either.

citronut · Unread post by **citronut** » 06 Apr 2010, 19:32

Mike wrote
"I hope it's not poisonous!"

as long as the MOT tester gets the PASS certificate written out and signed before he sniffs it, it will be ok

regards malcolm

Unread post by **Peter.N.** » 06 Apr 2010, 20:54

You can easily tell if its coolant - if you'r not squeamish, dip your finger in and tast it, if its antifreeze it will tast sweet.

Peter

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 06 Apr 2010, 21:02

Peter.N. wrote:dip your finger in and tast it, if its antifreeze it will tast sweet

Either very sweet or it could be very bitter. Recently they've started adding a bittering agent (the same as in the pots of stuff you can buy to stop you biting your nails) to make it unpalatable to children, animals and dodgy winemakers.

Anti-freeze is deadly stuff (it's the ethylene glycol in it) but a taste will not bring any harm...