My 99 Ford Escort has been making sloshy water sounds and whistling sounds on the passenger side of the car when I run the A/C. I have also noticed that the floor is damp on the passenger side only. If I look up under and behind the glove compartment there is a black plastic box that is covered with condensation within a few minutes of running the a/c. Based on what I've read, this problem is probably a blocked drain rather than the heater core (I live in Florida and haven't touched my heater in 6 months :P). Can anyone confirm? The noise has also been getting worse, I noticed the damp floor a week or two ago, but the water noises have only kicked up the past 2 days. Will running the a/c without fixing it permanently damage anything? If I can't locate the drain to unblock and have to take it into the mechanic, how much would I be looking at? Thanks!
It ( might) be a block A/C drain outlet which is on the bottom of the firewall in the engine comp. It should look like the size of your little finger a black piece of rubber. take a piece of wire and try to probe the inside. You say your floor board is wet, check your coolant level in the radiator, if it is low than it could be your heater core is leaking. Coolant will have a smell compared to just plain water.
You are probably correct about the a/c drain tube. If it were the heater core, there would be a coolant smell and your coolant level would drop and by now the engine would be getting hot. It shouldn't cost that much to have someone open the drain tube, but you should be able to do it yourself. Look in the engine compartment on the firewall at approximately the center of the car just a little toward the passenger side of center. There should be a black rubber or plastic tube protruding and pointing down or down and back. You may need a piece of wire to snake up the tube to loosen whatever is clogging it. Be careful with the wire and don't just shove it all up in there. Just through the tube is far enough
Bigrick has it right. But use a coathangar for the wire, and fold it in half. Use the rounded end to snake the drain tube out. That way if you do go too far in or slip or whatever, you won't put a hole in the evaporator core. It is extremely thin for heat transfer, and is easily punctured. The rounded end of a folded coathangar will not damage it in anyway, and is safe. Just watch for the waterfall that will come rushing out!!!!!!
sounds like your rite. also if it where your heater core you would get steam and would smell the anti frez. as for finding the drain try looking in the owners man. or sneak a peek at a chiltons in a parts store.
sounds okorder and see if there are any recalls on that model.want hurt anything and if there is a recall they have to fix it no matter what the year
