My AC always leaked a little freon out every year but I could never find the leak. Always vac'd it, re added freon and we were good to go. This summer it quit cooling and the compressor was cycling on and off signifying that the freon was low. Then all of a sudden, I noticed a bad smell coming through the vents into the cab when the ac was on. I assume the compressor finally took a crap but doesn't make sense why I should smell the stink through the vents in the cab. Do you think the evaporator coil in the cab developed a leak or can a bad compressor cause this to stink up the cab in some way from sucking air into the cab from the engine compartment while the ac is on?

 

DD800, my best guess would be that the evaporator is leaking but it isn't impossible for the smell of something self-destructing in the engine bay to get into the cab. If you pop the hood when you smell the bad smell, can you smell it in the engine bay?

 

I smelled the stink in the cab very strongly when I turned the ac on and then after that it has went away but it there is still a slight trace of the smell while the compressor is running. I guess all I need to do is vac it down and see if it holds vaccum. I just assumed the compressor finally let go. I dont see any oily residue around the compressor at all.

 

[QUOTE="Dieseldog800;3213234"]I smelled the stink in the cab very strongly when I turned the ac on and then after that it has went away but it there is still a slight trace of the smell while the compressor is running. I guess all I need to do is vac it down and see if it holds vaccum. I just assumed the compressor finally let go. I dont see any oily residue around the compressor at all.[

 

This sounds like the evaporator has a perforation in it. You can introduce dye into the system in order to pinpoint the problem component. The local Dodge technician informed me that the evaporator is a common issue with the second gens. I have experienced this failure with a few of our 01 CTD's several years ago.

 

http://dodgeram.info/tsb/1997/24-11-97.htm

http://dodgeram.org/tech/repair/HVAC/AC_Odor.htm