Fousty smell

Boxstercol · 4 Oct 2016

Evening All,

Bit of a strange one this....

I'm getting a bit of a fousty smell in the car which only happens after it rains or the car is washed. The smell soon goes if the car is used but is back again if it gets wet. Its quite apparent in that when you open the door you can catch a whiff of it!

Now I know that everyone will say there is obviously some water ingress, but I've checked thoroughly & there is absolutely no evidence of any water in the car. Carpets are dry, sound proofing is dry, under both front seats & behind seatbelts are all dry.

Any ideas as I'm starting to worry now in case I've got an unidentified leak & winters coming.

Cheers.

GT4 · 4 Oct 2016

Check all your drain holes (and rod as required) and the door membranes:

http://www.911uk.com/viewtopic.php?t=105164

deMort · 5 Oct 2016

Do you also get some steaming on the windscreen when left over night ? classic water leaks if so .

You say the carpets are dry , you can lift the rear carpets and put you hand underneath to check them but front carpets you need to remove the bonnet switch panel and the same panel the other side so you can get your hand under the carpets .. reason is the foam is pretty thick and just checking the top of the carpet wont actually tell you if its damp .

As GT4 has said drain holes , also bottom of door cards will be damp if membrains are leaking .

Not sure what Fousty is .. if its more pungent like vomit then an a/c bomb is required .. bacteria on the evaporator .

Boxstercol · 5 Oct 2016

Thanks for your replies chaps.

I've had a good look / feel around...

- I've checked the clamshell liner & no damage. Both drain holes are clear & no water is standing due to any blockages. I fitted the drain covers from a 987.2 18 months or so ago & they seem to do their job at keepng crap out of the drain tubes.

- Front drain tubes clear, at least the ones either side of the battery are, I've not checked the one under the battery but no evidence of standing water.

- I've stuck my hands under the carpet edges near the rear bulkhead & all the sound proofing 'foam' is perfectly dry. Also under both front seats - all dry.

- No evidence of any mold anywhere.

- I had the pasenger door membrane changed by the OPC back in June as I noticed the bottom of the door carpet was wet after washing the car. I tended to regularly check the bottom carpet of the doors after washing due to the known failure of the membrane. Both door carpets are pefectly dry.

- I have noticed that the edges of the plastic scuttle panel, the part the seals against the windscreen & has the wipers in, are starting to lift. Could this let any water in & if so where would the water go?

- Not getting any condensation in the car.

Demort - is it easy to remove the bonnet / boot switch panel & the one on the other side? I have a habit of breaking things when it comes to things like this but would like to have a go at lifting the carpet in the front to feel for any standing water.

In terms of the type of smell - its very similar to cats pee, in fact the first time I smelt it I honestly thought that a cat might have got in the car somehow! I've had an air con bomb done at the OPC about 18 months ago with an air con service. Surely if it was bacteria on the evaporator it would smell all the time & not just when the car is wet?? I dont use the air con a huge amount but when I do there are no smells.

Thanks again for your help.

deMort · 6 Oct 2016

Yep a/c evap smell would probably be there all the time .. just covering bases really

Interesting description .. reminds me of a 996 i had to work in that obviously had a mouse nest in it .. mouse pee is very strong .. probably similar to a cat .. but again smell would be there all the time .

The switch panel panel .. x2 small plastic grommets in the side , finger nail or very small screwdirver to lever out , then with a 5 mm allen key you have to go straight into the hole and try to locate the bolt , its about 2 cm in so a bit of fishing about to locate it .

Undo a couple of turns for each bolt ( you dont need to remove the bolts ) , the panel will then pull up .. a few trim fixings will still hold it but not too hard , plastic trim tools help and will save your finger nails a bit .

Other side is remove the rubber mat inside the umbrella hole and undo the screw , again fixings hold it down but just pull it up .. do this side first .. its the easiest

Panel on the screen .. its normal and wont cause any leak .. have a look behind the battery , foam panel there that mice can get at ..

Need to conform the carpets are wet though really so hand under the front section will say where we go from here

Just a thought .. have a look at your pollen filter .. make sure its reasonably clean.

Boxstercol · 6 Oct 2016

Thanks Demort, thats a great help.

I did try & remove the inner sill covers this afternoon but attempted the drivers one first - my other car was parked a bit close to the passenger side so was easier to get at the drivers side. I managed to get one of the plastic screw covers off but then gave up as I couldn't locate a bolt - then again I was trying with a torx allen key so now I know the size I will have another go. Typical that the passenger side is easier!!

I put the roof into service mode & double checked the drain trays, they're all good so cleaned them & made sure all drain holes clear.

Poured water with watering can over back of car, each door, windscreen scuttle area & finally the roof, each individually & cannot replicate the smell. I think it needs a decent quantity of water before the problem arises.

I will check under carpet & report back tomorrow, would like to have a crack at it tonight but the Mrs is dragging me out to see the Bridget Jones film at cinema now - a whole load of pain....

Thanks again. :thumb:

deMort · 6 Oct 2016

Just try to go straight in with the allen key , you can feel the head of the bolt as if you go to one side you will feel it go in further .. basicaly just twist it .. sometimes i even struggle and i must have done hundreds !

If we can confirm a leak we can move on .. enjoy the film

Fousty smell

Boxstercol

Trainee

GT4

Nordschleife

deMort

Monaco

Boxstercol

Trainee

deMort

Monaco

Boxstercol

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Monaco

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