Exhaust leak in cab

Get a carbon monoxide detector (as another poster suggested) for your own peace of mind.

 

If its a 2011 or newer truck the exhaust is supposedly cleaner than the air going into the engine.

 

Wow, so the trucking industry should lobby Washington for tax credits in exchange for filtering harmful compounds from the air as the trucks are driven.

 

Ditto the suggested CO detector. I bought one from Walmart long ago, and had it go off several times due to buildup (often from someone idling beside me with a weedburner exhaust). My latest cheapo detector (from Walmart) features battery power, and digital readout showing PPM (current and peak in memory). Even if you get your problems fixed, (and good luck with that battle), the CO detector is a better warning device than a splitting headache.

As for the cleanliness of newer engines, they may be in terms of particulate/soot/oxides of nitrogen, but carbon monoxide can't be filtered out. You can't see it, you can't smell it, and it can kill you without you realising you're about to die.

 

What engine? Take pics of the engine compartment where the exhaust manifold is and post it. Everyone wants to see this.

 

Carbon monoxide poisoning is a very low risk with diesel engines because diesel engines produce significantly less CO than other form of internal combustion engines. For example, gasoline engines produce approximately 30 times more CO than diesel engines. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exhaust_gas)

Any headaches you may be experiencing are more likely from oxygen being displaced and/or other pollutants in the diesel exhaust.

 

They're going to assign this truck to another driver???

Do the other unsuspecting guy a favor and if you can, fill him in on the problem. At least that way, he can hang a CO2 detector inside the cab to monitor the levels.

Make sure you keep everything documented including the trip to your doc. Paper trails come in handy when or if someone decides to hang you out to dry.