archeman Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 I have had a problem as long as I've owned this truck ( ~12 yrs ) that leaves and debris will make it's way into the air ventilation system. So as soon as I kick on the fan, small leaves will blow out usually on the passengers feet. I am sure that I am missing a screen or guard of some kind that is supposed to prevent this but I don't know where to start looking. I have examined the parts breakdown of the HVAC piping but it doesn't appear to highlight the external entrance of air into the system which is the only place the leaves could be coming from. My best guess is in the top of the truck under the sheet metal just behind the back of the hood but I'd like some way to confirm that and then find steps to remove it. Just eyeing it over it looks like I'm into a big job to lift that sheet metal off to go 'hunting' for an entrance that might not be there. Any guidance here would be much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85lebaront2 Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 It does come in through that grille and it was a know issue resulting in a change in 1987 to a "pinhole" style. You can remove the grille carefully (lower windshield trim has to come off) and put some screen under it and reinstall the grille, works quite well and isn't really visible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat in tn Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 It does come in through that grille and it was a know issue resulting in a change in 1987 to a "pinhole" style. You can remove the grille carefully (lower windshield trim has to come off) and put some screen under it and reinstall the grille, works quite well and isn't really visible. the best solution I have ever found for this was to clean out my garage:nabble_head-rotfl-57x22_orig: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archeman Posted February 7, 2022 Author Share Posted February 7, 2022 the best solution I have ever found for this was to clean out my garage:nabble_head-rotfl-57x22_orig: OK --- Thanks for the responses. I was a little bemused to find that it was "supposed to work that way". RE: Getting the grill sheet metal off: I don't think the windshield trim has EVER been removed from this truck. I can tell by the many glass nicks and tiny green shoots that grow out of it every spring. I have removed the blower fan in the engine bay and pulled out a small trashbags worth of leaves and debris sitting in the blower box and up against the AC evaporator. There is more in there I just cannot articulate my arms enough to get it all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 OK --- Thanks for the responses. I was a little bemused to find that it was "supposed to work that way". RE: Getting the grill sheet metal off: I don't think the windshield trim has EVER been removed from this truck. I can tell by the many glass nicks and tiny green shoots that grow out of it every spring. I have removed the blower fan in the engine bay and pulled out a small trashbags worth of leaves and debris sitting in the blower box and up against the AC evaporator. There is more in there I just cannot articulate my arms enough to get it all. Also pull the resistor pack that's there beside the blower motor. You can get more yuk out that way. And, pull the kick panels. That gives access to an area where a lot of the yuk has gone. If you have the vents in the kick panels then pulling the vents gives access. If you don't have the vents then there are blocking plates behind the kick panels and if you pull them you'll have access. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat in tn Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 Also pull the resistor pack that's there beside the blower motor. You can get more yuk out that way. And, pull the kick panels. That gives access to an area where a lot of the yuk has gone. If you have the vents in the kick panels then pulling the vents gives access. If you don't have the vents then there are blocking plates behind the kick panels and if you pull them you'll have access. look up a story i wrote a few weeks back on here. cheech and chong in the title. it will make good sense to you given your current issue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1986F150Six Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 look up a story i wrote a few weeks back on here. cheech and chong in the title. it will make good sense to you given your current issue Search: cheech and chong strike again [12/24/21] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rembrant Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 I have removed the blower fan in the engine bay and pulled out a small trashbags worth of leaves and debris sitting in the blower box and up against the AC evaporator. There is more in there I just cannot articulate my arms enough to get it all. This is what your firewall looks like if you remove the big black heater/AC box.(Credit NC Dave for the pic!) The tall vertical rectangular opening that is farthest to the left is how the leaves, dirt, debris get inside. The dirt travels along the cowl trough in front of the windshield, then falls down the passenger side and gets sucked into the hole, which by the way is right in front of your blower fan. That cavity is deeper than the hole in the firewall, so there's a lot of room in there for dirt to collect and build up. As Gary mentioned above, if you pull the passenger side interior kick panel you can get in there with a shop vac and clean it out. You might have to stir up the Potpurri of leaves with a screwdriver to get everything loosened up. At the bottom of that cavity is a rubber "duck bill" drain for the water (rain). Good idea to make sure it's clear and free as well...you should be able to pour water in there and it will run out from behind the fender. They do get plugged up after 40 years;). Here's the location of the "duck bill": Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 I have removed the blower fan in the engine bay and pulled out a small trashbags worth of leaves and debris sitting in the blower box and up against the AC evaporator. There is more in there I just cannot articulate my arms enough to get it all. This is what your firewall looks like if you remove the big black heater/AC box.(Credit NC Dave for the pic!) The tall vertical rectangular opening that is farthest to the left is how the leaves, dirt, debris get inside. The dirt travels along the cowl trough in front of the windshield, then falls down the passenger side and gets sucked into the hole, which by the way is right in front of your blower fan. That cavity is deeper than the hole in the firewall, so there's a lot of room in there for dirt to collect and build up. As Gary mentioned above, if you pull the passenger side interior kick panel you can get in there with a shop vac and clean it out. You might have to stir up the Potpurri of leaves with a screwdriver to get everything loosened up. At the bottom of that cavity is a rubber "duck bill" drain for the water (rain). Good idea to make sure it's clear and free as well...you should be able to pour water in there and it will run out from behind the fender. They do get plugged up after 40 years;). Here's the location of the "duck bill": Well done, Cory! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archeman Posted February 8, 2022 Author Share Posted February 8, 2022 I have removed the blower fan in the engine bay and pulled out a small trashbags worth of leaves and debris sitting in the blower box and up against the AC evaporator. There is more in there I just cannot articulate my arms enough to get it all. This is what your firewall looks like if you remove the big black heater/AC box.(Credit NC Dave for the pic!) The tall vertical rectangular opening that is farthest to the left is how the leaves, dirt, debris get inside. The dirt travels along the cowl trough in front of the windshield, then falls down the passenger side and gets sucked into the hole, which by the way is right in front of your blower fan. That cavity is deeper than the hole in the firewall, so there's a lot of room in there for dirt to collect and build up. As Gary mentioned above, if you pull the passenger side interior kick panel you can get in there with a shop vac and clean it out. You might have to stir up the Potpurri of leaves with a screwdriver to get everything loosened up. At the bottom of that cavity is a rubber "duck bill" drain for the water (rain). Good idea to make sure it's clear and free as well...you should be able to pour water in there and it will run out from behind the fender. They do get plugged up after 40 years;). Here's the location of the "duck bill": Hey those are great pics of the firewall and it really answers a lot of questions -- thank you. I read the post Cheech & Chong and now I guess I should really tell the "Whole Story" here since that story was so close to the mark and completely explains how I got to investigating the flying leaves. My son had a job interview and wanted to borrow my truck because his car died again. My truck hates this kid. If ever anything is going to go wrong with the truck it always happens to him, strangely never to me. I heard him start it up and then a few moments later (I assume he was looking at his phone) he starts hollering for me. I look out and see him running out of the cab with a line of smoke following him. It didn't take long to figure out that the issue was related to the fan motor but no fuses had blown. I sent him on his way with instructions to avoid the fan. He said he had to go to the interview smelling like a campfire. I disconnected the blower fan and it would spin (no bound bearings) by hand but wouldn't come on when switched on. I replaced the blower motor and then noticed the debris in the blower box. That started me down the actual rabbit hole that is the ventilation system. I saw the plugs that enter wall to the lower right of the blower motor but I didn't know what those were. If I understand you correctly there is a high current resister on the other side that is prone to igniting warm fires to sit and watch your old truck burn down? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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