Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

We all know how dangerous carbon monoxide can be, and today I got a little bit of a reminder. I had to switch to a different truck today because mine needed to be sent out for engine repairs at a Cummins dealer. So I did a little more thorough pretrip than I do for a truck I know. Even so, I missed the leak that I found later in the day, actually both leaks. As I was driving south down I-75 in Ohio, I realized that something was wrong. I first noticed a little bit of an exhaust smell in the cab, initially I thought it was another vehicle with bad exhaust. It wasn't to long after that I did a little head bob with a swerve to the right and realized that it was my exhaust in the cab. The head bob was from the carbon monoxide putting me to sleep without my even knowing that it was happening. Once I knew what was going on, I rolled down the windows to vent the cab, and checked for leaks at my fuel stop in Franklin, OH. When I looked for a leak, what I found was the first picture.

After I got to Spring Hill I took another look at the entire truck. Looking for anything that had changed since I looked in the morning, and for anything else that would have required a closer look to notice in the first place. To do this I took a flash light and looked at the dark corners under the truck to see if I found any other surprises, of course there was one.

The second picture shows the leak on the opposite side of the first leak. This leak likely would be missed by any inspection not using a flash light, which is really no excuse since I should have seen it. This one is a major issue because immediately to the left of the leak is the pass through into the cab for the gear shift (the vertical thing to the left of the blackened pipe). Looking at the area near the leak, you can see how much the soot has darkened the underside of the cab, indicating that this has likely been around for a while.

Anyway, after finding this, I decided to go with it. I am now driving with the windows down almost completely to vent any fumes, and found out that the heater only shoots to the floor, not to the vent or the defrost, so another item to write up when I get home. So it will be a very interesting, and chilly, drive home.

Now technically, I should shut myself down because of this and get it repaired immediately. This is a serious safety issue, and if DOT catches it they will shut me down for repairs. However I have already driven this far with it, and knowing about it will allow me to vent the cab to prevent any fumes from building up. Frankly, I don't feel like being stuck at a shop while I wait for this to get repaired. Letting my home terminal take care of it will make everything easier.

I do know that in the future I will be more though and use a flash light to check both sides and the full length of the exhaust system, rather than just the easy parts to see.