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What is that SMELL ?

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by jammer910Z, Sep 22, 2017.

Page 1 of 3
  1. Sep 22, 2017 #1
    jammer910Z

    jammer910Z Road Train Member

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    Wasn't certain where to post this , so I went here hoping for the best.
    Has anyone with a newer DEF equipped truck experienced strong smells inside the cab ?
    Mine started yesterday. I left a hotel room and came out to the truck and when I got in, I thought " what in the world us that smell?".
    Strong in the cab. Faint outside. But it's slight around the underside of the frame and where the DEF fill is under the drivers door. No leaks on ground.
    Came out of room a 2nd time this morning and AGAIN. Smells like rotten egg/sulfur.... but it's IN the cab. Barely, if any, outside is noticeable.

    Rolling down the road... I smell nothing.
    At a stop.. it creeps in.
    What is odd is that the smell comes into the cab with the engine off over a 12-16 hr period.

    Anyone ??

    2016 Cascadia. 240,000 miles
    Detroit
     
    jammer910Z, Sep 22, 2017
    jammer910Z, Sep 22, 2017
    #1
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  3. Sep 22, 2017 #2
    zigstar

    zigstar Light Load Member

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    Check your batteries, they might be boiling.
     
    zigstar, Sep 22, 2017
    zigstar, Sep 22, 2017
    #2
    Nostalgic, Grubby, fargonaz and 7 others Thank this.
  4. Sep 22, 2017 #3
    STexan

    STexan Road Train Member

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    Do you have an espar or webasto cab heater that wants to run needlessly and is perhaps malfunctioning?
     
    STexan, Sep 22, 2017
    STexan, Sep 22, 2017
    #3
  5. Sep 22, 2017 #4
    jammer910Z

    jammer910Z Road Train Member

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    That's it! I had a dead battery this morning !!! Thank you.
     
    jammer910Z, Sep 22, 2017
    jammer910Z, Sep 22, 2017
    #4
    Justrucking2, Grubby and Logan76 Thank this.
  7. Sep 22, 2017 #5
    jammer910Z

    jammer910Z Road Train Member

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    Heading to the shop now for a battery ... or 2... Thank you so much.

    I was thinking Regen issues. Should have known the dead batt this morning was my clue. No reason to have had one at all. I left nothing on.

    Thanks again.
     
    jammer910Z, Sep 22, 2017
    jammer910Z, Sep 22, 2017
    #5
  8. Sep 22, 2017 #6
    Snailexpress

    Snailexpress Road Train Member

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    Replace all batteries or new will be killed by weak old. At bottom line it cheaper.
     
    Snailexpress, Sep 22, 2017
    Snailexpress, Sep 22, 2017
    #6
    Oldironfan, Justrucking2, Grubby and 4 others Thank this.
  9. Sep 22, 2017 #7
    AModelCat

    AModelCat Road Train Member

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    Unless all your batteries are only like a month or less old, replace the entire set. New battery will only have the capacity of the weakest battery in the set when hooked together.
     
    AModelCat, Sep 22, 2017
    AModelCat, Sep 22, 2017
    #7
    Grubby, MACK E-6, FullMetalJacket and 1 other person Thank this.
  10. Sep 22, 2017 #8
    Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    Yep, that smell is usually a battery or plugged drain in the air conditioner which causes the trapped water to grow mold.
     
    Chinatown, Sep 22, 2017
    Chinatown, Sep 22, 2017
    #8
  11. Sep 22, 2017 #9
    jammer910Z

    jammer910Z Road Train Member

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    Yeah.. I'm gonna replace them all. It was down to 12.8 and after a jump it took almost 4hrs to get them to 14.2

    They're all tainted and I'd only be asking for trouble if I didn't get a new set.

    Great advice on here.
     
    jammer910Z, Sep 22, 2017
    jammer910Z, Sep 22, 2017
    #9
    ncmickey and Justrucking2 Thank this.
  12. Sep 22, 2017 #10
    tscottme

    tscottme Road Train Member

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    Burning DEF smells a bit like burning rubber or hair and produces white smoke. I had a truck with a DEF leak and after a hard braking the DEF would spill onto something hot and produce the smoke & smell, It could come into the cab from the AC vents, in my case.
     
    tscottme, Sep 22, 2017
    tscottme, Sep 22, 2017
    #10
    jammer910Z Thanks this.
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