Dash and heater plenum of a stripped vehicle on a trailer with a…

This shows where leaves build up in '80-96 truck ductwork. If they build up around the resistors (green), the entire truck can catch fire if the motor (yellow) is NOT at full speed all the time.



The red pointer is where the cowl drain boot should be.
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It's easy to remove the evaporator (WITHOUT venting any refrigerant) and wash it out for better airflow, better cooling AND heating, and fewer odors.


To keep leaves out of THIS side and force them to the unused driver's-side drain, add screen at the top, just below the wiper valance:
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To keep leaves out of the ventilation system, add screen inside the cowl by removing the wiper valance & working through the rubber plug under the antenna:


See also:


The S-style upper door hinge spring, ball HVAC vacuum reservoir, and remote blower motor connector indicate that this is an early-80s truck. It also has the rare 3-screw 2-position door mirrors (not visible).

Owner caption July 2003 · Photo 113 of 5000