After hauling stuff - Stink from vents and AC in my truck is overwhelming

do you have a vent filter in your truck?

 

Sounds to me like something has died IN the air intake for your truck HVAC system.

I've had two different cars in the last couple months, with mice finding a way into the housing for the fan that drives air into the passenger compartment. Those suckers brought all sorts of bedding material and leftovers of acorns and etc. in there.

I wouldn't replace the vent filter until the rest of the system was cleaned out by some means or another.

 

The trash cans probably attracted little critters into other parts of your truck and a mouse died in the air vent system.

Pop everything open that you can and reach in there with a small-diameter Shop Vac hose to suck anything out that may be festering in there.

 

At first glance of subject I was expecting that this was about the burning stink that comes from the vents of AC10s!

 

Eat more beans and vodka. That garbage can odor will disappear for sure.

 

Once you've cleaned out the air inlets, I had a friend that used to spray a citrus cleaner into the air inlets under the hood while the ac/heater was blowing just to kill any of the funk that accumulates there.

 

Sounds like you got some slop in the vents on the rear of the cab

 

Those vents in the back of the cab (if equipped) are primarily for air to exit though sometimes they dont seal real tight.

If the vehicle is equipped with a cabin filter, obtain a replacement.

Once removed for replacement, look around for any sign of an intruder. As suggested, it is not uncommon for mice to slip in and create a nest. They really seem to like the cabin filter area and material.

Before installing the new filter, and with the fan on a low speed, spray some odor eliminator in the opening for about 15 seconds, turn off the fan and let it sit for about ten minutes and then repeat.
I recommend odor eliminator because its best not to try to mask with a strong odor. And because most of them are bad too.
I think Ozium is still marketed. Theres also a product called "frigi-fresh" that might be available in auto parts stores.
If the vehicle is not equipped with a cabin air filter, the odor eliminator can also be dispersed via the inlet/cowl area, making sure the recirculation flap is open to outside air. Though this method likely has reduced effectiveness.

Also note that if you find a problem with rodent entry, and your vehicle provides a means, getting in the habit of closing the recirculation door when parked is often a means to reducing that particular problem. They really like the cabin filter and blower/squirrel cage area in my experience and cant get there if the recirculation door is closed.

 

I'm a mechanic. I deal with this multiple times a week. 99% of the time they die in the blower motor itself. In most vehicles this is easily accessible from the passenger side, under the glove box. It looks like a mouse wheel (go figure). They like to nest there, you turn on your blower and they get killed in the process. Usually three screws hold it in place and you can drop it out and find your dead buddy. Depending on the vehicle, it can be much more involved than that, but usually not. It is almost never necessary to clean any ducting.

 

Fyi the inlet to most vents are at the base of the windshield under the hood.

 

I dug one out of a prius once... man, that was a WEIRD experience. fixed it though!

 

Here is a good one that was a mystery to me: someone filled up my washer bottle from a jug kept outside at a garage

Dead snail inside it rotted in the washer bottle and produced the oddest scent. Everyone presumed the moisture from the jet was aggravating the filter

 

I'm filing this for future use, thank you!

 

My old 1994 Saturn was smelling musty, and I sprayed a whole bunch of scented Lysol into the outside air vents as I had the fan on high and doors open. Really seem to help. Killed off whatever fungi was growing in there. Make sure it's not on recirculation when you do this.

 

I'd buy tickets for a band named Dead Snail Washer Fluid.

 

Toyota Tundra here. Had this nasty smoke smell, dusty dirty smell. Buddy came over and asked if I had checked the cabin filter. He takes three parts off and pulls out the filter which apparently had a mouse nesting on the top of it at one time.
New filter, new lease on life for the truck!

 

Are you in a warm climate? In a week or two the maggots will be done with it, no more smell.