Hello,

Been having some musty odor build-up in the car (worse in summer, minimal in winter) and want to make sure the AC condensation is properly draining before next summer and doesn't have mold build up anywhere. Looked carefully around the bottom of the evap box inside the engine compartment - couldn't find a tube coming out there... Also removed the lower dash panel and heater core box cover - again no joy.

Spent a little time searching the forums and found few references to the condensation drain (inside car?) but not precisely where it is located ...

Can someone give me a point in the right direction of where the AC condensation drain / tube is on these cars? (mine is an 84 Firebird)

 

I went out just now and took one more look... with the heater box cover off under the dash, the heater core is on the left and there is an 'open area' on the right of the box. Looking at the inside bottom of the box between these two 'halves' I see a depressed 'gutter' that opens up towards the back heading towards the firewall. I'm 'thinking' that might be it but I can't figure where it goes from there. Basically on the firewall side it is covered up by the evap coil box so I can't see where it goes...? Tried looking with a mirror - couldn't see any obvious exit (and it's way too cool and dry to try and get any condensation with the AC on)...

LMK if this is possibly where it starts at and if so where does it exit at?

thanks

 

Yup, that's it; no "tube", just a sort of slot down there at the bottom of the evap housing.

You'll find that it's MUCH easier to remove the ENTIRE thing all at once, than to try to disassemble it in place; housing, evap, blower motor, and all. Only about 6 or 7 screws hold it in. They're bigger than the ones that hold it together, and they are all exactly perpendicular to the firewall. About 4 of them are across the top on the engine side, the others are across the bottom, under the top edge of the carpet, in the interior. Then once you have it out in the open, you'll see much more clearly what you need to do next. Since you already have the interior half out, you can literally take the entire thing to the car wash and STERILIZE it all, just like brand new; and fix the crumbling part right above the exhaust manifold, which might actually already have holes in it, as they usually do.

 

OK but what I found is actually on the heater box (inside interior under dash) half that I"m seeing it - not in the evap box (inside the engine bay). Are we talking the same thing?

Since it sounds like you've been in there - Q: where does the water passage EXIT drain / exit at the bottom of the car? ?

 

OUTSIDE the car, under the hood, where the evap housing meets the firewall. The goal being, the condensate stays exclusively OUTSIDE the car, where it has no chance of leaking IN. (except of course if the drain is blocked)

Yes, I've been there...

One time, I needed an evap housing. (mine had the exh man deterioration problem, beyond repair) Walked into the junkyard at 4:55, closing time at 5. I walked out onto the yard, found a car, and yanked the whole thing out of it. Had it sitting on the man's counter at 5:00. That's how quick and eeeeeeezie it is to pull.