Engine bay smell.

[laloquera]

Recently, I just started to notice this issue and don't know how to go about it. I turn my vents on to have fresh air to come in to the cabin from the exterior and I can smell the engine bay smell. Its not carbon exhaust smell, thank god. I do plan to wash my engine bay in the near future, my last major job was two months ago, I swap out my rack and pinion, no leaks yet.
Anyone else have or has had this issue in the past?
Thanks.

[Quashish]

It's a 22+ year old car. Who knows where it's been sitting throughout its life. If it smells like raccoon piss then you know, Wouldnt be suprized if a raccoon liked being under the car or something.

Can't hurt to wash the bay. We don't have cabin filters. If you really want you can take the dash apart and clean all the ac junk back there.

[laloquera]

Dang! That's a harsh picture to sale. Anyways, I am planning on wash the entire engine bay this weekend. Maybe some day I will clean out the ac vents, but its time consuming and this car is my commuter car everyday.
Thanks

[bobbycos]

i had a car that had an unpleasant smell back when i lived in cali and what i did was just open the windows

didn't have the car long

[markj]

There's some spray you can get at auto parts stores that you shoot into the air intake at the bottom of the windshield, with recirculate off and the fan on high. I used some lemon scent spray on my Infiniti after it sat under a tree for 3 years and the air started smelling fresh. Changed the cabin filter too, of course. But we don't have those.

[RyanD]

You can also use lysol

[illinois_erik]

throw a bag of this crap under your seat or in the trunk.

ATP - Zero Trap - ODOR ELIMINATOR


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Place Under the Seat or in the Trunk — wherever odors exist.
Price: $13.99

[laloquera]

I had to come back to this post. Nailed my issues. I replaced my oil seals when I did my timing belt, and burp my power steering fluid when I swap out my differential and then pressured washed my entire engine bay. Done deal and nailed this issue.