Hey folks, brand new to the forum, got my "new" 2003 F250 5.4 crew with only 80k miles and have been cleaning it up, replaced the brake fluid, fixed the tranny oil line leak (and wound up with a new radiator in the process Building my courage to change the 2v spark plugs which just looks like a PITA, stuff like that but I'm stumped with a really stupid problem. The truck smells bad. I mean like mildew bad. I wasn't worried about it when I was doing the basic stuff but now that I'm able to drive it wow. I know it sat on a farm for a while, there was actually moss in places on the poor thing.
SO, I scrubbed the interior top to bottom, rubber floor, no carpeting so that's a plus. I pulled down the glove box, opened up the heater core cover and it smelled ok in there.
Pulled the fan from the vent blower fan from the engine compartment and cleaned out some black water in there.
Pulled the cowel plastics and cleaned under there (driver side mostly, since you can't really get to the passenger side, sprayed lysol in there).
Sprayed deodorizer in all the vents and the defroster vents and..
It smells better but still smells of dirty sneakers.
I can't seem to find the AC evaporator hose. That's about all I have left. I've looked over the forum and hear that it drips on the passenger spring but still can't find it. I need directions. Not, "it's on the firewall" directions but a treasure map, like I'm looking for a G spot or something, detailed as you are willing to give me! I've crawled all over the compartment, looked from the top and bottom and can't see it. Pictures (of the vent not the G spot.. although now that I think of it..) would be hugely appreciated.
THANK YOU!!

 

sounds a lot like my work truck (ranger). it was an old farm truck with a bad water leak and sat for a while after we got it. That and my truck smelled of smoke and oil field. Here is what worked for me...

Wal-mart sells an odor absorber, don't remember the name, but its a white disc about 2 inches high and maybe 5-6 inch diameter. I used the citrus scent, but I think there is a linen one too. Change it out often. These were recommended by a local detail shop after they unsuccessfully tried to clean the carpet to remove the odor.

I also put a dehumidifier in the cab with the doors shut overnight a few times to make sure everything was completely dried out.

Febreeze all over multiple times my personal truck

Ozonium (think that is what its called) from walmart a few times

Kept an open can of coffee grounds in my personal truck for a few weeks

kept one of the fridge/freezer baking soda packs in my personal truck for about 6 months, changed out monthly

My buddy swears by leaving a new tire in the cab for a few weeks, no idea if it works though.

I have heard that leaving a cup of white vinegar works too, but I never tried that.

Thing that made the biggest difference was spraying lysol into the intake with the fan on high, but sounds like you did that already.

Good luck, hope some of that helps.

 

If the source of the smell is still there you can attempt to mask it until you are broke and blue in the face and not achieve anything. A couple of areas I would look at:
1) Did you pull the rubber flooring completely out and scrub/disinfect both the underside of it and the steel flooring?
2)Use something similar to this Eliminate, Clean & Prevent Mold with Concrobium Mold Control
to kill the spores. Spray it into the cold air intake (no, not the engine) and cycle through the vents. I would spray it liberally up under the seats where humidity probably has mildew on the foam.
3)Smell your headliner in various places also.
The entire inside of the truck has been exposed to moisture. Just because it wasn't wet doesn't mean their wasn't enough water in the air to start the mildew process.

 

Look for BG Frigi-Fresh®. LINK >>> https://www.bgprod.com/catalog/clima...g-frigi-fresh/
Follow the directions on the can. It's for the HVAC box but seems to
work well on the inside of the vehicle. They also make a cleaner
for the evap core. I also had a leaking Ranger that SMELLED.
Cleaned it right up.



Sean

 

Is it maybe just the AC?
Ford suggests running the AC frequently, to get rid of the condensation, as it can also stink up the vehicle. My wife's '84 T-Bird was a real stinker, there.

You should start the AC, even in the winter, to clean out the stink.

 

Did you replace the In-cabin air filter during what you've done?


Just stink it up with somethin' better ;o)