Funny smell in my truck

Superman TNT · February 27, 2006

Guys,

I have a 04 Chevy 2500HD with the 8.1 and Ally. When I picked it up from the dealer it had that new smell (of course). About 6 months later (3k miles) the first time I turned on the AC I nearly got choked to death by some kind of nasty smell that came out of the vents. I figured it was something that just had to "burn off" and that it was because it was new. It has been a while and just the other day after the truck had been sitting without being run in like 3 weeks, I jumped in and tuned on the heat, defrosters. I got hit by the same smell again. Nasty. Not sure if it is antifreeze I'm smelling or what. truck has like 14k miles now.

Anyone had any experience with this? Any ideas what it is or how to find out where it is coming from?

Thanks,

TNT

dewfpo · February 27, 2006

If you are smelling antifreeze you would probably know it, it has a unique smell.

Do you live in a humid climate and use your AC allot? It sounds like mold. Unfortunately it has become the norm with the newer R134a systems. Not sure why. My older A/C units (R-12) never got that mold smell.

Anyway..... make sure your evaporator drain is not plugged. You can buy off the shelf spray disenfectent that works for a while but it just comes back. The only way that I have been able to avoid the smell is to turn off the A/C or defroster a couple of miles from home so that the evaporator can 'dry' out before I shut it off. If I an running a errands and shut the engine off with the A/C on then after a few stops I start to get the mold smell again.

DEWFPO

J-rod · February 28, 2006

dewfpo had the same idea I had. While I haven't had that problem with my Chevy, I did have it with the Nissan pickup I had before. In fact, the plugged drain ended up causing it to overflow and leak onto the floor soaking the carpet and padding underneath and causing an even more unpleasant smell, haha!

Superman TNT · February 28, 2006

Guys,

Thanks for the suggestion. I really don't think this is a mold issue however. I live in Vermont, way up north. Nightly temps the past two weeks are between -10 and 10. Our day time highs are around 20. Humidity is 0. There isn't anything growing out doors here right now.

Anyway the smell doesn't smell like mold. The smell is highly unique, not like anything I have smelled before. I have smelled burning electronics and wire and it isn't that. However it does kind of have a burnt smell to it. I don't know what anti freeze that is burning smells like so I can not tell if that is what it is. All I can say is that it is highly noticable, it really gages you.

Where is the evaporator drain and how can I check to make sure it isn't plugged?

Is there any way something climed or crawled in the AC or heating system and nested? To tell you the truth it doesn't smell like anything rotting, it has more of a burnt chemical smell to it. I am really at a loss for what to check. It doesn't smell all the time. The more I use the truck the less it smells. It also only seems to smell when it first starts up. After it has had a chance to "burn off" the smell goes away. That makes me think that something is leaking into a motor or hot area and burning off when I start it up.

Any other ideas?

Thanks for the help,

TNT

work'n 8.1 · February 28, 2006

Anyway the smell doesn't smell like mold. The smell is highly unique, not like anything I have smelled before. I have smelled burning electronics and wire and it isn't that. However it does kind of have a burnt smell to it. I don't know what anti freeze that is burning smells like so I can not tell if that is what it is. All I can say is that it is highly noticable, it really gages you.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I can almost say for certain my truck makes the same smell. Its very distinct and I can honestly say I've never smelled it before. Its almost like burning electronics or chemicals but its not. It is a "burning" or "hot" smell I guess you could say. Its not all the time, it comes and goes mostly in the first few minutes after startup. I've searched and can't find what it could be. It doesn't seem to be hurting anything so I've let it slide. My warrenty is out so I don't want to take it to the dealer unless I have to. If someone knows what it is or how to fix it that would be great.

Bryan

Superman TNT · March 2, 2006

Bryan,

You for sure have exactly the same thing going on that I have. The conditions you describe are exactly what I have going on. It really isn't electrical but maybe more like chemical. It is a hot or burning kind of smell. It is not there all the time and I can not pin point what causes it to come and go. My truck is still on warrenty and I will be taking it in to the dealer. The only problem is if it doesn't make that smell when they turn it on they are going to just send me on my way.

What truck size, year, engine, tranny, etc.... do you have? I would like to try and figure out if it is limited to some kind of combination of options.

Like you I really have no clue what this is or how to isolate where it is coming from.

Anyone else have this problem happening or have any idea what it is?

Thanks,

Tom

Shooter_va · March 2, 2006

Mine does the same, it smells only when I start first. It's been doing it over a year now.

work'n 8.1 · March 3, 2006

Bryan,
You for sure have exactly the same thing going on that I have. The conditions you describe are exactly what I have going on. It really isn't electrical but maybe more like chemical. It is a hot or burning kind of smell. It is not there all the time and I can not pin point what causes it to come and go. My truck is still on warrenty and I will be taking it in to the dealer. The only problem is if it doesn't make that smell when they turn it on they are going to just send me on my way.

What truck size, year, engine, tranny, etc.... do you have? I would like to try and figure out if it is limited to some kind of combination of options.

Like you I really have no clue what this is or how to isolate where it is coming from.

Anyone else have this problem happening or have any idea what it is?

Thanks,

Tom

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Mine is a 2003 GMC 2500 HD regular cab with the 8.1 and Allison. If you find out anything from the dealer let me know.

Bryan

JRHDCrew · March 3, 2006

Wow, interesting topic !

I have just started to smell something in my 04 HD 6.0

Though it may have been CO2 or something, it almost smelled exhaust like ....

I noticed it after a long drive...4+ hours, but I was pulling a light trailer.

My 04 has 26k on it, I just put a stinky tree into get by !

John

Superman TNT · March 6, 2006

Hey Crew,

The smell I am smelling is definitely not exhaust or exhaust like. It also only happens when I first start the truck, not after a long drive. So I think the problems are different.

Hey Bryan and Shooter,

I am going to pay much closer attention to this problem. One thing I have noticed is that there are 2 different buttons that turn on the defroster, one on the bottom row that has a little light on it and one that switches between floor, floor/vent, and floor defrost. What is the difference between these buttons? It seem to me that I only recall the smell when I use the bottom defrost of AC button. If I put the defrost on with the other button I don't think I recall smelling it.

Guys, pay attention to when exactly you smell it and what the settings are for the heating/cooling controls. I think this will help debug this. Mine is going to go into the dealers soon, if not this week next.

Thanks,

Tom

odoh · March 12, 2006

Do you overnite it outside? Mice have been known to squeeze in there and not find their way out. In time, the smell should diminish as the carcass dehydrates and perhaps come back when humidity hydrates it again. Just a posssibility.

Beer Belly · March 12, 2006

I thought I read on this website something about a slight coolant leak on cold start up causing odors, till the vehicle warms up.

sucker4chev · March 13, 2006

smell only when the temp seems to be above o'c I HAVE NOTICED WHAT SMELLS LIKE A DECAYING RODENT, 2003 CHEV 2500hD 8.1 REG CAB ALSO INTERESTED IN A COMMON CONCLUSION.

HEATHN · March 16, 2006

ONE TEMP. FIX I FOUND WAS TO GET A SPRAY BOTTLE WITH A 1/2 BLEACH 1/2 WATER MIXTURE. START YOUR TRUCK WITH THE A/C ON HIGH, TURN OFF REC., AND SPRAY INTO THE CLEAN AIR INLET ON THE CAWL UNDER WINDSHIELD. I SPRAY IT DOWN GO AND LET THE A/C RUN FOR ABOUT 5-10 MIN. THAT KILLS THE MOLD SMELL FOR SEVERAL WEEKS. AND I LIVE IN THE MOST HUMID PLACE IN US. HOU, TX.

torx · March 16, 2006

Guys,
I have a 04 Chevy 2500HD with the 8.1 and Ally. When I picked it up from the dealer it had that new smell (of course). About 6 months later (3k miles) the first time I turned on the AC I nearly got choked to death by some kind of nasty smell that came out of the vents. I figured it was something that just had to "burn off" and that it was because it was new. It has been a while and just the other day after the truck had been sitting without being run in like 3 weeks, I jumped in and tuned on the heat, defrosters. I got hit by the same smell again. Nasty. Not sure if it is antifreeze I'm smelling or what. truck has like 14k miles now.

Anyone had any experience with this? Any ideas what it is or how to find out where it is coming from?

Thanks,

TNT

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

http://www.bgfindashop.com/carkillers/index.html check out #9

http://www.bgfindashop.com/bgservices/climate.htm

They used to list all the products they sell but they have taken them down. Call a local shop from the find a shop page and ask for frigiclean which will clean out the a/c evaporator