Duct cleaning

[Dylan88]

Hey guys I recently picked up a 88 silverado regular cab was sitting for years in a field. The ducts have mice nest in them I can see when I look down the defrost and its not blowing assuming its plugged. Whats the best quickest way to get it all cleaned out?

 

[Dropped88]

Not the easiest but best way is pull dash and pull HVAC box. Pieces will be all in the box and will probably smell nasty and random junk blow out if not completely pulled apart and cleaned

 

[Dylan88]

Any tutorials?

 

[Dropped88]

I believe they are some on the forum.

And can try to explain it but I don't really have any pics of the procedure.

But 88-94 you drop the steering column, unbolt the pass through electrical connector on drive side of firewall.

You have a 13mm bolt at bottom edge of dash right above the kick panel, 3 bolt at defrost vent and one in corner under each speaker grille.

Then the dash will swing down and at that point you have a few electrical connectors to mess with just be easy

 

[Jeepwalker]

Youtube has tutorials. I don't have the specific links, but a simple search... Or search this forum.

The one big piece of advice I can offer is to use the following formula and wash the parts. The following formula is known to neutralize mice pee smell. Soap alone won't do it. This came from a Mythbusters show where they were challenged to come up with a product. I've used it and it works. You can search it out on google too. It also works for cats. I would put some 1/4" wire mesh over the defrost and lower ducts if you think the mice might come back. It won't affect airflow but will keep them out:

Mice Urine Smell Neutralize Formula:
Mix a solution of 1 quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide mixed with ¼ cup of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of mild dishwashing liquid.

Formula 2:
Equal Parts white vinegar and water ...a few drops of dish soap

 

[xXxPARAGONxXx]

That sounds like same kind of formula a couple use to clean their dog when it gets sprayed by a skunk. It works, too.

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[Erik the Awful]

Complete dash disassembly. Probably quite a bit further than you need.

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HVAC box disassembly/reassembly.

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[Dylan88]

Thanks alot should help. Do the 88s just have 1 temp sensor beside the thermostat?

 

[Schurkey]

I pulled the dash down on my '88 K1500. The '88 service manual has the WRONG procedure; which I didn't figure out until I looked in the Service Manual Supplement.

REPLACE ALL THE FOAM GASKETS. The foam turns to jelly as it deteriorates, and I can pretty-much guarantee that it's deteriorated.

My dash came down specifically to replace the foam gaskets. I used ordinary hardware-store weatherstripping foam with the adhesive back.

EXPECT the heater core and A/C evaporator to be a filthy mess. You'll spend most of your time picking pine-needles, leaves, cottonwood fluff, pigeons, and mice out of the cores. If the cores are bad enough, you may have to replace them. (Heater core tends to be worse, it's the first one in the airflow path.)

Pay attention to Hantavirus. Nasty stuff.

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Consider replacing all the HVAC actuators (little grand-piano-shaped deals that move the air doors) while you're in there. The ones you have are probably past their service life--I'm told the internal gears get brittle with age.

I have used a commercially-available cleaning solution (Odoban) for jobs like this.

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No doubt you can find a one-gallon source somewhere.