My girl's breath smells. How do i approach this sensitive subject.

[alfagtv100 (Biggus)]

16 months into a wonderful relationship with my beautiful and sexy Giulia, but she stinks - bad!
A mouldy smell is being emitted from the ventilation system.  A stale, mouldy odour probably caused by an accumulation of mould - duh. Especially so upon starting the car in the morning.
I assume this is due to the automated climate control system's overuse of (computer controlled) recirculating air.
Driving, if you can call it that, in Jakarta's Melbourne's awful traffic on a daily basis, the inherent pollution in the air (from thousands of cars sitting around doing essentially nothing enjoyable) detected by Giulia, would logically make her elect to use the marginally cleaner air in the cabin (mostly comprised of farts), rather than the poison on the other side of the windscreen.
Manually selecting the 'fresh' air (indicator light off) mode and turning off the aircon for a few minutes does help clear the stink.
Repeating this process daily for extended periods (15-30 minutes) seems to keep the problem under control.  However, i suspect it will return once I hand over management to the car's computer again.
A friend who purchased his Giulia 3 weeks after me, tells me his car started doing the same at more or less the same time (16 months).
This is not a problem unique to the Giulia or Alfa Romeo (thanks Google).
She is up for her second service, so I will mention it to the dealer.  I look forward to their empathy and promise to rectify the problem. 

Still, awesome car.

[bazzbazz]

Get them to change the cabin filter and check the AC water drain is not blocked.

[kaleuclint]

Pick a cool day so that you can run the engine at idle for some time.  Do that with a/c on and set to recirculating.

Empty a can of Glen 20 into the passenger footwell.  Run the car for about 15 minutes.

This is not as simple as it might appear.  You are in the car!!  You might need to hop out...

In effect this is the same as using Autoglym's vent cleaner but without the lock down mechanism.  Taping down the Glen 20 nozzle and chucking it in the footwell achieves a superior result for less than half the price.

[bazzbazz]

So, kind of like "pulling the pin" and then bailing out? 

[Citroënbender]

I'm thinking of all those stories about US Marines recruits and pine cones. 

[kaleuclint]

Bazz, one of my party tricks used to be pulling the pin out of the M26 Gren Frag and then giving the "it won't arm until the handle comes off anyway" talk to the assembled nervous troops. And it won't...

Trust me with the Glen 20 and don't try to do this with you in the car.  I gather the stuff won't make you sick (given its purpose) but breathing in quantities of the stuff is overpowering.  A rubber band would do the job nicely.  This is a yearly ritual to clear out the mould from the ducts.

[bazzbazz]

Bazz, one of my party tricks used to be pulling the pin out of the M26 Gren Frag and then giving the "it won't arm until the handle comes off anyway" talk to the assembled nervous troops. And it won't...

Yes, that's quite right, and of course no one has EVER dropped/fumbled/tripped with one while carrying out such party trick . . .  . have they!   

(Yes they have, I've seen the photos, and so have you  )



As for the Glen 20, if you own a Giulietta, drop it in the drivers foot well, Air filter is on drivers side.

[alfagtv100 (Biggus)]

Pick a cool day so that you can run the engine at idle for some time.  Do that with a/c on and set to recirculating.

Empty a can of Glen 20 into the passenger footwell.  Run the car for about 15 minutes.

This is not as simple as it might appear.  You are in the car!!  You might need to hop out...

In effect this is the same as using Autoglym's vent cleaner but without the lock down mechanism.  Taping down the Glen 20 nozzle and chucking it in the footwell achieves a superior result for less than half the price.

Thanks for the tip mate.

[alfagtv100 (Biggus)]

Hi all,
My Giulia recently went for her 2nd service.
Included was a cabin (pollen) filter replacement.
This cured her bad breath.