As Billy Connolly is famous for his story "What's that f***ing smell" this morning I was met by the same thing as soon as I turned the ignition on and the air from the face level vents hit me. It smelled of a cowshed. After a few second blowing the air coming out was fresh once again. Now I know aircon can get manky (I had that with my Volvo) but this wasn't that.

Now as we had had heavy overnight rain after a long dry hot spell I figured it was water gathered in the fresh air intakes. On my return from the shops I had a look  through the grill in front of the windscreen and there appears to be three sections on either side. The small ones in the centre had water in them. I can see no simple way to get in there so I took a welding rod and poked about in the base of each of these centre sections to see if there was a blocked drain hole, but with no success. I got the watering can out and poured copious amounts of water into both sides and water came out, in copious amounts under the car. Pouring water into the two middle sections just lipped over into the two end sections and drained away.

My questions are: do these middle sections actually have a drain and is there an easy way to get into the plenum to clean it out?

There is no water entering the car.

Sorry don't know about the drainage but posting about air-con servicing earlier makes me think to suggest to check your cabin filter also in case that's wet or damp too (can't remember the Billy Connelly story either).

14 minutes ago, nta16 said:

Sorry don't know about the drainage but posting about air-con servicing earlier makes me think to suggest to check your cabin filter also in case that's wet or damp too.

I would do but I am too infirm to get at it. I'll have to leave that to my mechanic. The Jazz was great, it was in the glove box, but getting up under the dashboard is beyond me these days.

Yes some you seem to need to stand on your head to get at them, my neighbour's (non-VW) was easy enough to get at as it was just behind the glovebox drawer which came out easily, getting the glovebox back in was one of those hit and miss things where some would have it done in a couple of seconds but on the wrong day a bit of fiddling around and a couple of attempts and the wonder why it didn't just drop in.

 

Still doesn't answer your question but just for future reference, according to Mann filters yours looks easy access for the able-bodied and younger owner than you or I.

 

 

 

This recent thread should answer your question, follow to the end for photos of Mk2.-

 

 

I saw that a week or so ago. Too big a job for me. I would just have to put up with the smell. Having said that, went out this morning and there was no smell what so ever on start up. My wife said she had been out early doors this morning and they had been spraying the fields nearby so perhaps that was what we smelt yesterday. I don't know if a smell can be brought down in heavy rain!

I wasn't thinking of you doing the work but the photos show the drain holes to the sides but not middle section IIRC.

 

Well if you're sorted now that was easy. 😄

 

Drove my wife's Mk3 today and this afternoon after start up it got the rough idle from the computer warming the sensor, only put the other day on here it's rough but not misfire rough so Sod's Law this afternoon it was so rough you would perhaps consider it some sort of misfire perhaps but if you wait it settles and then seems a very smooth idle because of what was just experienced.  Imagine telling a perspective buyer "oh, that's nothing wrong, it's supposed to do that.". 😄