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Old 09-19-2022, 08:53 AM   #1
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Angry Sewage Smell When Running Chassis AC (Boldt)

I have a 2021 Boldt BL that has an odor issue when running the chassis AC while driving. I'm pretty sure it's somehow drawing air through the blank tank or something connected to the black tank. It's pretty unbearable (to me at least). Anyone have a similar experience? Any ideas?
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Old 09-19-2022, 10:27 AM   #2
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By chassis AC, do you mean the dash AC? Just trying to clarify and confirm.
If yes, go to, check under hood for dead animals, bird or flying insect nests, other items that might be contributing to your issue.
I would suggest it's extremely unlikely the air intake for the cabin is in any way connected to the sewage system in back, but my famiiarity with the Boldt is limited.
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Old 09-19-2022, 10:41 AM   #3
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Yep - I'm referring to the dash AC. That's a good theory but it seems that we don't have this issue when the black tank is thoroughly rinsed.
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Old 09-19-2022, 10:50 AM   #4
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There is a really good interactive parts section where we can look at all the parts and turn them over and around to get a good look at what we have:
https://catalog3d.winnebagoind.com/menu/Parts.htm
Click these snips to get a better view or go direct?
I used the drawings for models with early serial number of 1 as 7th digit??
Going to plumbing and drainage, we see this:
Click image for larger version

Name:	bolt1 copy.jpg
Views:	43
Size:	53.7 KB
ID:	184183

It shows three vents to outside but they appear to vent with fumes going to the back while driving and outside, so I feel not likely suspects. Grey and black fumes are often confused so I look at both as suspects and I numbered three in the order which I think most likely.

Click image for larger version

Name:	bolt2.jpg
Views:	39
Size:	47.7 KB
ID:	184184

This is a "waterless trap" gizmo which I'm not fully trusting and we do hear of them giving problems with not sealing well or not passing the water when they should, so I might want to make sure it is fully closing and keeping the fumes from coming up and in when the blower recirculates air in the cabin?
Maybe a nose to the drain might tell if it is coming up and in there?

Second but easier to check is that the stool is adjusted to hold just a bit of water after flushing so that water acts as a seal for the fumes coming in from the black tank? Tossup which I suspect more!!

Third might be to ask if there might be some small leaks that create a bad odor which you only smell when running the air?? This pump is above floor level and might be given a look for anything there if it is behind a panel for access?
Click image for larger version

Name:	bolt3.jpg
Views:	42
Size:	38.2 KB
ID:	184185

Smells are a hard one and not always easy to find , so this is my best shot without much warrenty!
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Old 09-19-2022, 11:25 AM   #5
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Your Dash AC throws me, if anything that would help because it would just recirculate existing air flow, or the fresh air from outside based in setting.

I am gonna reply based on this assumption.

You can smell sewer when driving.

If so; I had the same issue. It drove me nuts. If someone flushed the toilet while moving or at a rest stop and we start back driving; the smell was well not so good.

I fixed it by buying two 360 Siphons. They were cheap and easy to install on Black & Gray tanks. It is amazing the engineering; because they worked. I have NEVER had the smell since.

I think what was happening was the OEM vents could not properly vent while at certain speeds, so fumes were force to escape elsewhere while driving. The design of the 360 Siphon actually helps pull the fumes out while driving

Google 360 Siphon and watch the you tube videos. Unless you got a dead rat in your chassis vent, I think this is your problem
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Old 09-19-2022, 11:33 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Morich View Post
There is a really good interactive parts section where we can look at all the parts and turn them over and around to get a good look at what we have:
https://catalog3d.winnebagoind.com/menu/Parts.htm
Click these snips to get a better view or go direct?
I used the drawings for models with early serial number of 1 as 7th digit??
Going to plumbing and drainage, we see this:
Attachment 184183

It shows three vents to outside but they appear to vent with fumes going to the back while driving and outside, so I feel not likely suspects. Grey and black fumes are often confused so I look at both as suspects and I numbered three in the order which I think most likely.

Attachment 184184

This is a "waterless trap" gizmo which I'm not fully trusting and we do hear of them giving problems with not sealing well or not passing the water when they should, so I might want to make sure it is fully closing and keeping the fumes from coming up and in when the blower recirculates air in the cabin?
Maybe a nose to the drain might tell if it is coming up and in there?

Second but easier to check is that the stool is adjusted to hold just a bit of water after flushing so that water acts as a seal for the fumes coming in from the black tank? Tossup which I suspect more!!

Third might be to ask if there might be some small leaks that create a bad odor which you only smell when running the air?? This pump is above floor level and might be given a look for anything there if it is behind a panel for access?
Attachment 184185

Smells are a hard one and not always easy to find , so this is my best shot without much warranty!


Ole Wise One, another Poster on another thread is trying to get Winnebago drawings but she has a Minnie Trailers; not a motorhome, does Winnebago have special site for Travel Trailers Owners to get these types of drawings?

https://www.winnieowners.com/forums/...ml#post3926176
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Old 09-19-2022, 01:45 PM   #7
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Trailers are not well supported online and I know of no sites for them!

But on this question, we never really knowwhere and how smellsget in but my thoughts were that once they got outside on the vents and being so far back from the cab,they were less likely to get back in whilemoving. They get left on the road behind?

So if they were not coming back in, the points that I looked at were where I thought they might come inside and into the cab area. I find little difference in black and grey smell, so looked for suspects in both.

AARG! I may have been doing too much guessing! I went with the early year and now looking at the later year, there is a totally rebuild/redesigned later model on the holding tanks!

If the 7th digit of the serial is 2,this is the correct layout for holding tanks and venting and it may be a totally different idea on the smell. The small basin in the stool area will also dump intot he black tank!!
That makes the trap at the basin a major suspect.
So some real close checking may be needed as we can mislead our self at times and jump the wrong way!

Question carefully if it is in fact only when the tank is not well rinsed or if it might be a timing thing that is really caused by the water in that small basin drying out so that there is no seal for odors?

This drawing instead of the first group!!!
Click image for larger version

Name:	black.jpg
Views:	33
Size:	56.8 KB
ID:	184186

If the trap is dry, there is direct access to the inside from the black tank. Rinsed or not may be more a level of smell, perhaps?
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Old 09-19-2022, 02:59 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Morich View Post
There is a really good interactive parts section where we can look at all the parts and turn them over and around to get a good look at what we have:
https://catalog3d.winnebagoind.com/menu/Parts.htm
Click these snips to get a better view or go direct?
I used the drawings for models with early serial number of 1 as 7th digit??
Going to plumbing and drainage, we see this:
Attachment 184183

It shows three vents to outside but they appear to vent with fumes going to the back while driving and outside, so I feel not likely suspects. Grey and black fumes are often confused so I look at both as suspects and I numbered three in the order which I think most likely.

Attachment 184184

This is a "waterless trap" gizmo which I'm not fully trusting and we do hear of them giving problems with not sealing well or not passing the water when they should, so I might want to make sure it is fully closing and keeping the fumes from coming up and in when the blower recirculates air in the cabin?
Maybe a nose to the drain might tell if it is coming up and in there?

Second but easier to check is that the stool is adjusted to hold just a bit of water after flushing so that water acts as a seal for the fumes coming in from the black tank? Tossup which I suspect more!!

Third might be to ask if there might be some small leaks that create a bad odor which you only smell when running the air?? This pump is above floor level and might be given a look for anything there if it is behind a panel for access?
Attachment 184185

Smells are a hard one and not always easy to find , so this is my best shot without much warrenty!
Thank you for an amazingly thorough response! I'm going to check all of these.
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Old 09-19-2022, 03:07 PM   #9
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This first diagram looks more accurate. The 7th digit is a "1".
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Old 09-26-2022, 10:28 PM   #10
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Do you use your dash AC a lot? I would check to make sure your dash AC is draining properly. It is my understanding if the drainage hole gets clogged, the condensation will back up and create a musty smell. When I am done using my dash AC after a trip, I turn the AC off and run the dash vent/fan for a few minutes to vent the AC system.
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Old 09-27-2022, 08:32 AM   #11
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One more thought if the strong smell occurs when using dash air is the catalytic converter. I had a Chevy 6.0 that would occasionally stink real bad thru the AC vents, it was coming from the cat, a strong Sulphur smell.
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Old 09-27-2022, 09:02 AM   #12
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What might seem a small point might be useful for finding the cause?
Smells are hard to pin down because we may not notice them when they are there at a low level and only notice when they build up.
Black water smell seems difficult if it is not the seal in the stool or the one right at the bottom. Just not too many places for it to get inside?

But if we move from it being a black tank smell, how we are using the air conditioner may help sort things. Does the smell come when we are running it on the setting to use outside air, inside recirculated air or both?
My thinking might be that if it happens on both, the problem may more likely be in the airflow of the front AC. What happens if you switch to heated air, so that the air may go through different passages? Smelling it when using what should be fresh outside air makes it seem far more likely in the air conditioner?
Maybe a chipmunk died in the air intake? They chewed a hole in one for me, way back and stuffed it full of acorns!
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