Ford Scorpio Forum - Print Page


    
      
        Ford Scorpio Forum
        (https://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl)
      

        General >> Problems >> slight wiff of ruby
        
(Message started by: ferretmobile on Feb 24^th, 2005, 3:00pm)

Title: slight wiff of ruby
Post by ferretmobile on Feb 24^th, 2005, 3:00pm

Hi guys, when I turn on the heater and it defaults to a.c. I get the mearest smell of curry. It goes as suddenly as it arrives. i have been reading the threads on this forum about the curry smell vis, a leak of coolant fluid\anti-freeze? But my curry smell dissipates very quickly. Is this anything to worry about (in this weather,let sleeping dogs lie) or should I lay in bed at night and worry a lot ::)
I have put my hands over the carpets and cant find any damp there. Could it be a tiny dribble leak in the heater matrix? and if so what to do about it?
ps its more dhansak than vindaloo :D

Title: Re: slight wiff of ruby
Post by Vulcan on Feb 24^th, 2005, 3:16pm

Yeah mine does it too and has for months. No perceptible leak anywhere though. The way I understood was it was a teeny leak which evaporates off the matrix and gives the curry smell.

I'm not losing any sleep about it at the moment... ;D ;D

Title: Re: slight wiff of ruby
Post by TaperOne on Feb 24^th, 2005, 3:21pm

HI,

Are you losing any coolant? I have the same problem which I have traced to a blanking plate at the rear of the head which is unique to the 2.3 engine. If you are losing coolant, try and see if there is any evidence of a leak in the engine bay.

Cheers

Pete H

Title: Re: slight wiff of ruby
Post by scorpio_man on Feb 24^th, 2005, 3:22pm

hi there

i get it too, but only after doing a cc reset ???

did you see the write up (http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/matrix.htm) on the site?

hth

Title: Re: slight wiff of ruby
Post by Eddie on Feb 24^th, 2005, 3:38pm

oops! Sounds like its time to 'Dash off'! ;D

eddie

Title: Re: slight wiff of ruby
Post by Vulcan on Feb 24^th, 2005, 5:10pm

Looked at the write up on the site... :o
remove this, remove that, prise out...move out and down... gulp :o
Ends up with loads of exploded pieces of dash all over the place....

..erm I've started to like my curry smell... ;D ;D

ps. not losing coolant to any great degree...

Title: Re: slight wiff of ruby
Post by David_South_West on Feb 24^th, 2005, 7:33pm

I remember ages ago reading an article about the pollen filters can need changing to get rid of odd smell from air con.You can buy an air freshener especialy designed to remove bacteria from air con systems.Perhaps some one can remember more details from the article.

Title: Re: slight wiff of ruby
Post by scorpio_man on Feb 24^th, 2005, 7:42pm

hi there

might be this (http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/cabinfilters.htm)

hth

Title: Re: slight wiff of ruby
Post by John_Carmon on Feb 24^th, 2005, 8:49pm

Hi guys, this is bactieria in the air con system, had this problem myself, this can make you unwell if not treated,( flu like symtoms etc.). Air conditioning needs treating about once a year with air con. antibactieria treatment.

Title: Re: slight wiff of ruby
Post by ferretmobile on Feb 25^th, 2005, 11:09am

Thanks guys for the great info....however hmm, when the warm weather arrives I will give the pollen filters a look see. 4rds said that they had changed them during my service which was only three weeks ago. lets hope they did >:( As for wrecking the dash and undoing this and that nununu ::) I can live with my wiff (not wife)
I will check the drain tubes though.
cheers ferret.

Title: Re: slight wiff of ruby
Post by Eddie on Feb 25^th, 2005, 4:30pm

The curry smell is caused by a leaking matrix,only takes a pinhole. The air-con pong is a different whiff.

eddie

Title: Re: slight wiff of ruby
Post by ferretmobile on Mar 1^st, 2005, 2:10pm

Thanks Eddie, have you got the same problem? or would you reccomened something like a wee drop of winns or the like. Or leave well alone?
graham

Title: Re: slight wiff of ruby
Post by Ford-Son-Major on Mar 1^st, 2005, 7:53pm

Hi
Replaced my matrix just before Christamas after trying various types of rad-weld sealant.

All to no avail. I still had the dreaded "Curry Smell" and steamy windows.

I inspected the matrix after removing it and found several wet areas on the bottom of the core.

"Warning" If the matrix starts leaking big time it wil leak into the footwells and contamintate the carpets and the insulation with antifreeze which is very difficult to remove along with the smell..

I know it happend in my Audi 100 Quattro and I removed all the carpets and insulation.. Steam cleaned the carpets and replaced the insulation.. Not a Five minute job.. Try drying carpets this time of the year it was difficult!!

Now steamy windows and the only curry smell now is from the "Taj Mahal Take Away"

Regards, Mike in Luton. 8) 8) 8)

Title: Re: slight wiff of ruby
Post by Eddie on Mar 1^st, 2005, 9:06pm

I did have the dreaded vindaloo air freshener,eventually bit the bullet and spent 2 wonderfull days ripping the dash off to replace the matrix. :-/

Daft thing is the matrix only cost £25,imagine have a main dealer do the job,several hundreds of pounds to replace a $25 part.

It did the trick though,and I only had 2 bolts left over when I was finished.

Seriously though,if you do decide to D.I.Y. there is a write up on the main site,be patient and methodical. The biggest apparent problem is disconnecting the feed/return pipes at the bulkhead. Removal of the bulkhead panel makes it a lot easier.

eddie