Manure smell from all vents? SOS!

[_happy_]

2012 Ram 1500 Big Horn 5.7: 60k miles, 4000 hours.
Last week I started smelling a strong "manure" type smell from all air vents. It's like a oil / dog poo / farm smell. It happens on heat, cool, etc. It came on strong within ~ 2 days. Doesn't go away.

No reports of this smell on the Ram forum but the F150 forum has two 90 page threads on "manure smell." (With no resolve)

My evaporator coil is about 50% plugged up with dirt, hair etc. seen via bore scope. The AC is still COLD so don't think it's a freon leak. Air still blows hard. Smells like a funky oil is in the system. It will stay smelly after running on high for long periods. Mold / mildew smell dissipates after a few mins.

Anyone have any ideas?

First garage recommends full replacement. If so I'll do myself but not looking forward...

 

[Units]

Do you have an in cabin air filter? Just a thought.

 

[PolarisCobra]

Could be a dead mouse in there somewhere.

 

[_happy_]

Do you have an in cabin air filter? Just a thought.

Unfortunately this 2012 big horn wasn't shipped with one. I should have installed one years ago :-/

 

[_happy_]

Could be a dead mouse in there somewhere.

U Unfortunately I have too much experience removing dead mice from years as a facility manager. Not that smell.

 

[Daw14]

Could someone have introduced something into your cowl ?

 

[EdGs]

Could someone have introduced something into your cowl ?

I had the same thought. Not sure where the fresh air intake is for the cabin.

 

[huntergreen]

Chemical guys has a video on how to clean and deoderize air vents. Might be worth a look. Also post up in the detailing section, you might get some knowledgeable folks experienced at this sort of issue.

 

[Daw14]

I had the same thought. Not sure where the fresh air intake is for the cabin.

Fresh air is through the cowl ,which is under the wiper arms .
Geno’s garage has filter kits that install over the cowl to act as a pre-filter.
I have been using it since purchasing my 14 , for as dirty as it gets it must be helping .

 

[metalchewy]

Sounds to me like the evaporator had a leak. Before i replaced mine evaporator 3 years ago, it smelled like manure with the fan on. AC stopleak smells like manure. Would explain the dirty evaporator.

 

[Fatbob Frank]

Sure you're just not driving through Jersey?

 

[stormcom]

Get the BG evaporator kit. Did my 2019 in 2019 (1st owner smoked and was from NY) and it lasted til I traded it in May 25.

 

[RamDiver]

I bought one of these Ozone deodorizer devices for freshening up rooms that were closed up for an extended period of time. I've only used it a couple of times, but it seems to be very powerful.

After 15 minutes of runtime in a small room and 30 minutes in a large room, both were completely scent-free, other than a residual ozone smell. Opening windows cleared the after-effects.

https://www.amazon.com/Enerzen-Commercial-Industrial-Deodorizer-Sterilizer/dp/B00JAP7388/ref=sr_1_1?crid=QFBRKGC4Q0JH&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.uuE8PotGc2xjoSurCJgsG0vbC7r5YBZ--RrEDIXJHpOEH5_WcGJP7H1ULULlaQzN.tLiaVNfnEhoEEdk6PWJSh6XK1yU0wib4uWCd7geRcrI&dib_tag=se&keywords=enerzen%2B0-777&qid=1761403102&sprefix=Enerzen%2Caps%2C364&sr=8-1&th=1

To the OP, it sounds like the blower motor action may have sucked in a full mouse house with an expired resident.

Could you pull the blower motor and vacuum out any residual junk?

.

 

[_happy_]

To follow up I'm about to clean the evaporator coil as I found it pretty clogged up. Will cut holes in the airbox, vacuum, foam clean etc, rinse etc. Then Lysol in the intake and ozone treatment as described above.

Last resort is swapping the evap, heater core. Not looking forward to that... Fingers crossed.

 

[Jeepwalker]

Some coolant can smell 'funny' ..not like the sweet smell of the old coolant. So I wonder if it's a heater core leak. Feel the pass floor for moisture ...any hints of moisture or hazy film on the inside of the windshield? I have a Jeep which has a 'starting' h/c leak which I need to deal with in the spring (don't drive in winter).

Or it could be a plugged condensate drain (bugs) and mildew built up down there. But that woul smell more like mildew than poo. Check the drain. I've had bugs build a nest in the actual drain tube.

My money's on the H/C...

 

[_happy_]

Some coolant can smell 'funny' ..not like the sweet smell of the old coolant. So I wonder if it's a heater core leak. Feel the pass floor for moisture ...any hints of moisture or hazy film on the inside of the windshield? I have a Jeep which has a 'starting' h/c leak which I need to deal with in the spring (don't drive in winter).

Or it could be a plugged condensate drain (bugs) and mildew built up down there. But that woul smell more like mildew than poo. Check the drain. I've had bugs build a nest in the actual drain tube.

My money's on the H/C...

I did think about this. As the coolant has a similar smell but not exactly the same. I dont see any leak around the floor. If the heater core is leaking shouldn't a cooling system pressure test show this? or even force it out of the heater core?

 

[Dusty]

U Unfortunately I have too much experience removing dead mice from years as a facility manager. Not that smell. the

Have you made someone unhappy lately?

If you can, get your head over the cowl area to see if you can smell it. If so, someone may have put something down the cowl vent.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33-gallon fuel tank, 18” wheels. Build Date: 3 June 2018. Now at 140841 miles.