heat/AC air routing question, trying to locate source of bad smell

[slowride]

Im getting a smell of mouse piss through the vents of my 06 Tahoe only when using heat settings, no smell at all when using the AC. I let this vehicle sit for about a year outside at a storage place and I think mice might have built a nest in there somewhere and Im trying to figure out how the HVAC system works so I know where to look. Do the heat and AC have different routing? I was thinking if there was a mouse nest or whatever in the outside air inlet or the blower motor area I would get the smell out the vents either way with heat or AC on but as I said I only get the smell when its turned to heat. Thanks for your help

 

[OR VietVet]

First, I had no idea anyone could tell the difference between mouse piss and cat piss and dog piss and rat piss and any varmint piss......that is amazing.

So that I understand completely, do you have rear a/c and heat? I have a 2005 Tahoe and I can find the pics in my alldatadiy.com platform.

http://www.alldatadiy.com/alldatadi...4853741/34865608/34866121/114932359/114932476

http://www.alldatadiy.com/alldatadi...4853741/34865608/34866121/114932359/114932478

http://www.alldatadiy.com/alldatadi...4853741/34865608/34866121/114932359/114932480

http://www.alldatadiy.com/alldatadi...4853741/34865608/34866121/114932359/114932492

http://www.alldatadiy.com/alldatadi...4853741/34865608/34866121/114932359/114932494

http://www.alldatadiy.com/alldatadi...4853741/34865608/34866121/114932359/114932502

http://www.alldatadiy.com/alldatadi...4853741/34865608/34866121/114932359/114932504

 

[PG01]

Yeah, mouse piss has that distinctive smell. Go up under the dash on the passenger side and pull down the kick plate... 5-6 screws. Youll see the blower motor and filter cover ( if installed) I’d start there. They prob have the nest right under the kick plate.

 

[PG01]

Here’s some pics

 

[slowride]

Thanks for the pics, will take a look in there. The Tahoe has rear heat and AC as well but the smell only comes out when running front heat. Yeah unfortunately I have enough experience dealing with mice that I have learned their smells

 

[OR VietVet]

What @Galante posted is the likely source of your problem.

 

[slowride]

pulled the fan, didnt find anything

 

[OR VietVet]

What about where the cabin filter is?

 

[slowride]

I dont see where the cabin filter is but feel free to educate me. I was trying to see how I could access the area to the left of the blower, towards the driver side, to check in there but I couldnt find anything online other than instructions for removing the dash to change the heater core.

 

[Fjs0001]

2005 didn't have a cabin filter. Mine had a bad smell and I sprayed an entire can of lysol into the AC air intake to kill the bacteria.