RussToy
New member
X2....I never would have thought about cleaning this out. After 12 years, I'm sure it needs cleaned. Going to do this tomorrow! Thanks again for the write up and bump!
Cleaning the blower fan write-up
- Thread starter Millerad1651
- Start date
X2....I never would have thought about cleaning this out. After 12 years, I'm sure it needs cleaned. Going to do this tomorrow! Thanks again for the write up and bump!
That's a lot cheaper than I expected... good to know in the future.
Thanks! I figured as much but wanted to make sure before I started pulling it apart.
griplimited
Member
I did the Blower Fan clean up exactly as described. Additionally, wiped down the internals from the opening within far reach by hand using a wet nap. Then went on a drive on the hwy with all open windows, rear hatch and moon roof, blasting the system on HIGH for 15mins between hot/cold, recirc/fresh, on/off AC between all vent systems. I was getting major dust everytime swapping between recirc/fresh, that was borderline unhealthy.
I still get a hint of odor, so next step is Lysol or the Toyota brand cleaner kit. Anyone ever clean/flush the entire vent system out from the 15+ years of dust?
I still get a hint of odor, so next step is Lysol or the Toyota brand cleaner kit. Anyone ever clean/flush the entire vent system out from the 15+ years of dust?
griplimited
Member
Lysol smelled good and saw more dust kick out from the vents afterwards. But didn't last long.
Ordered 2x the Toyota cleaner kit. Plan to do the foam cycle process and repeat a couple weeks after. Going for thorough clean
Ordered 2x the Toyota cleaner kit. Plan to do the foam cycle process and repeat a couple weeks after. Going for thorough clean
01thunder
New member
same thing here! the freakin shaft broke through. it still works, but really noisy! yea, me too. i should have left it alone. 12 years running great and i F it up.
out:
TheDurk
Elite Member
Just did this. My fan started make a deep thrumming like the jet engines on a big Airbus on takeoff roll. A few comments:
There is NO reason I can see to remove the glovebox.
You do need to pull the kick panel. No one has explained how, so here goes.
1. Remove two forward screws from the plastic trim along the door opening, and lift the front edge away from the bottom of the kick panel.
2. Pull the kick panel BACKWARDS about two inches, which is all it easily goes. Then raise the bottom sideways towards the center console until it is loose.
3. Ideal implement for removal of the three screws is a 1/4" ratchet, short extension, and a T25 bit. It looks like an 8mm hex would work, but the Torx #25 works great.
Here were the culprits causing my noise:
There is NO reason I can see to remove the glovebox.
You do need to pull the kick panel. No one has explained how, so here goes.
1. Remove two forward screws from the plastic trim along the door opening, and lift the front edge away from the bottom of the kick panel.
2. Pull the kick panel BACKWARDS about two inches, which is all it easily goes. Then raise the bottom sideways towards the center console until it is loose.
3. Ideal implement for removal of the three screws is a 1/4" ratchet, short extension, and a T25 bit. It looks like an 8mm hex would work, but the Torx #25 works great.
Here were the culprits causing my noise:
4eigner
New member
Just did this. My fan started make a deep thrumming like the jet engines on a big Airbus on takeoff roll. A few comments:
There is NO reason I can see to remove the glovebox.
You do need to pull the kick panel. No one has explained how, so here goes.
1. Remove two forward screws from the plastic trim along the door opening, and lift the front edge away from the bottom of the kick panel.
2. Pull the kick panel BACKWARDS about two inches, which is all it easily goes. Then raise the bottom sideways towards the center console until it is loose.
3. Ideal implement for removal of the three screws is a 1/4" ratchet, short extension, and a T25 bit. It looks like an 8mm hex would work, but the Torx #25 works great.
Here were the culprits causing my noise:
Nice little writeup. My question is how can something that large make it into the blower motor? The only inlet for the fresh air for the hvac system is just below the wipers, which is already screened off right?
brian4t
New member
Since this got bumped I wanted to tell everyone there was a squirrel in mine, believed to be a flying one. Acorns and a nice little nest. Left the truck parked for two days turned on the heater and crap flew out of the vents and there was a horrible thumping coming from the blower motor. Needless to say I cleaned it all out. Point is watch out when you take the motor off, give it some distance and let it fall out to the floorboard and inspect from a far. In case your wondering the squirrel made a break for it before I got the motor out.
Also, the little bugger burred nuts throughout the truck. 8 acorns in the rear bumper. There are two holes just big enough to fit the acorns through and he stashed a lot of them. It tools me 6 months to locate them. I thought they were in the headliner, every time I drove around a corner they would roll to one side or the other. It drove me NUTS! no pun intended.
Also, the little bugger burred nuts throughout the truck. 8 acorns in the rear bumper. There are two holes just big enough to fit the acorns through and he stashed a lot of them. It tools me 6 months to locate them. I thought they were in the headliner, every time I drove around a corner they would roll to one side or the other. It drove me NUTS! no pun intended.
TheDurk
Elite Member
Acorn husks--whats left of the acorn after the squirrel gets through with them. No idea how they got in there for the first time in 15 years. There are always a lot of those things around my driveway. I have several pin oaks and a LOT of squirrels. I think [MENTION=49442]thekid[/MENTION] or someone had his airbox full of these things once.
Today I am going to attack the intake screen with my ShopVac and see if there are more trying to get in.
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TheDurk
Elite Member
I went and cleaned off the screen. It is intact and tight. I do find those things inside the truck in the seat rails, the console holes and on the floor so they are blowing around out there when I park under the pin oak with the windows open. I do NOT have squirrels living in the truck, I am almost positive.
Since theoretically, the outlet side should not let you get to the inside of the fan cage, I think they got sucked in during recirc mode from the inside of the truck. The inside intake is not screened. The other possibility is the defrost holes (which are JUST large enough), and maybe there is a short-circuit during mode change from heat to A/C or from outside air to inside that would let them get to the inside of the fan cage from the outlet side. The noise started the first warm day when I ran the A/C for the first time.
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nevada
Senior Member
ive found acorns in my squirrel cage before. no idea how they fit down in there. the upper screen was still intact.
usually its just leaves and small twigs, which I can see getting through, but the acorns? wtf? do they drop in when small, and keep growing somehow? it makes no sense...
as to getting the cage off the motor, I usually soak it good with penetrating oil. then as mentioned above, hold the wheel, and tap the shaft. it usually doesn't take too much to get it off.
usually its just leaves and small twigs, which I can see getting through, but the acorns? wtf? do they drop in when small, and keep growing somehow? it makes no sense...
as to getting the cage off the motor, I usually soak it good with penetrating oil. then as mentioned above, hold the wheel, and tap the shaft. it usually doesn't take too much to get it off.
MONTYMTB
New member
I think I remember hearing/reading that the 3rd gens don't have a cabin filter.
TheDurk
Elite Member
No cabin filter in 3rd Gen.
4eigner
New member
Where are the defrost holes and inlet for the recirculating system?
TheDurk
Elite Member
The defrost holes are all along the base of the windshield and the inside air inlet is on the left side of the blower case.
Jimmy6string
New member
Thanks for the great write up Millerad, just did this today. I couldn't get the fan off either but it was caked with crud and I got that off so def an improvement. Hoping this helps get rid of the cigarette smell from the former owner(s).
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