Vents smell like piss

[K5Rob]

Hey guys, this truck is pretty new to me as in I just started driving it after doing a bunch of work. When I turn on the defroster or any vent I get this stale piss type smell. Worried it’s a mouse nest. I removed the blower motor, also under the dash i removed some of the lower duct work and also another piece of duct that was somewhat accessible to the left of the glove box. Looking around with a mirror I cant see anything in the vents. Really dont want to remove the entire dash. Do you guys have any ideas or have you experienced this before?

 

[HotRodPC]

Try flushing them out with some strawberry douche. I wouldn't use something like morning blossum or it might smell a bit flowery and that might be a bit gay like.

On a serious note... Nope never had that, just the typcial musty smell. But if it's that bad, I'd think you likely have the right idea with a rodent's nest. Chances are it would be in the air handler itself, probably right near the heater core under or behind the glove box. What some guys do to replace the heater core, is they cut the air handler box, then put the cut off piece back and use black duct tape or expoxy and seal it back so that it's not eye sore where they cut but they save a ton of labor doing it that way. You might consider cutting you an inspection hole, but then if it's back there, you'd hve to cut it even bigger to have access to clean it out.

 

[K5Rob]

Thats a good idea, are you talking about the inside of the cab? I dont have an issue cutting an inspection window. Where exactly should I do it? Are you saying behind the heater core?

 

[goldpack]

in 2017 I had a mouse living in the roof of one of my cars,...(had a moon roof so thick in the ceiling over the front seats).

could hear the little bastard scratching over my head occasionally, and pissing into the head liner.

I bought one of these (a little ozone machine generator)

https://amzn.to/4pGQGRQ

put it on the passenger floor, ran the cord through the passenger window, sealed the window with fancy 3m masking tape.
ran it off and on for a few days ...so about 16 hours of running, with as many hours sitting with the ozone air in the car. so 4 hours on, 4 hours off, (locked the doors, put a sign on it that ozone machine running,...as it displaces oxygen and will kill you).

mouse vacated the car. did not die in the car. no more piss smell at all as the bacteria was killed, drove the car for a few days with the windows open to get the ozone smell out of the seats / head liner.

single family house story (just me in the house on that day)

I had a dead mouse in a bathroom wall a few months ago. I was prepared to leave the house to run it. I put it in the bathroom, turned it on and ran a extension cord unplugged. closed the door and taped it up with fancy masking tape. plugged it in. and stood 2 rooms away and listen to it come on. after about 5 minutes I could smell it, ...hence the need to vacate the whole building. so I unplugged it, opened the windows and vent the ozone,

I was preparing to run it again, and go to the grocery store while I did.
however, I could no longer smell the dead mouse, ...so I did not run it again.

this is great for mildew stink in old cars too. like in seats/ carpets that you can't use a spray or powder to get rid of. run the machine to kill the mildew bacteria, vent off the ozone stink.

the concentration is basically confined to the car, but cars are not air tight so, be sure to keep clear, leave the car outside or in a well vented garage.

but what is great: I never removed or lowered the headliner or any trim work in that car,...and I did not remove any drywall for that dead mouse....or put up with the dead mouse stink for months.

and yep, its fall, time to start setting traps.

 

[Sad Sack]

Like @HotRodPC said, some scented vinegar, inspection of air box and duct cleaning.

 

[K5Rob]

Like @HotRodPC said, some scented vinegar, inspection of air box and duct cleaning.

Sad sack could you make a suggestion where to drill a few inspection holes? I am not familiar with the box routing or where nests could accumulate

 

[goldpack]

look at the bright side:

one of my dodge buddies had a double cab and a giant rottweiler.
...driving on a 4 lane. the dog suddenly jumped into the front passenger seat and started to cry.

before the guy got the truck stopped, and the door opened the dog had put his butt-hole to a vent in the dash and had projectile diarrhea-ed into it.

this was a like new truck in 2004...(now needing the vents pried open, hosed down / dehumidified, vacuumed, ... fumigated)....weeks of fun.

 

[Sad Sack]

Sad sack could you make a suggestion where to drill a few inspection holes? I am not familiar with the box routing or where nests could accumulate

Not much experience in the air boxes other than just removing them for heater core access. Does your truck have A/C?

 

[K5Rob]

Not much experience in the air boxes other than just removing them for heater core access. Does your truck have A/C?

It does have the ac box

 

[Grit dog]

Thats a good idea, are you talking about the inside of the cab? I dont have an issue cutting an inspection window. Where exactly should I do it? Are you saying behind the heater core?

FFS, just take out the heater AC box. If that’s too difficult or too much work, an old vehicle ain’t for you.

 

[Sad Sack]

It does have the ac box

Things just got a lot more complicated. Does the A/C work?

The air box is best accessed like this:

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[squaredeal91]

I always start by pulling the fan motor to see if maybe you can just clean it out from there. Does your fan sound normal or imbalanced?

 

[K5Rob]

I always start by pulling the fan motor to see if maybe you can just clean it out from there. Does your fan sound normal or imbalanced?

Yes thats where i started as well, clean in there

 

[K5Rob]

FFS, just take out the heater AC box. If that’s too difficult or too much work, an old vehicle ain’t for you.

Yeah thats kind of a lot of work to look for something that might not even be in there. Kind of why i made the post. Oh well time to sell the truck i guess. ???

 

[squaredeal91]

Recently I got a 17 tacoma in and customer said there was a snake in there vent and it comes out to sun bathe on the dash and goes back in the vent before they can grab it lol.