Dust Sealing

[TheRandyMan]

Is there a good way to keep dust out? When I drive down powdery roads I get clouds of dust rolling around the cab, even with all windows shut and the vents closed. I think a lot of it comes through the rear hatch.

 

[jgue467]

More likely than the rear hatch is the 'breather' at the rear, drivers side. It's a flap designed to open momentarily to let the doors close easily when all windows are up. That hatch has most likely got stuck open allowing the dust in freely. Luck. :cowboy:

 

[TheRandyMan]

More likely than the rear hatch is the 'breather' at the rear, drivers side. It's a flap designed to open momentarily to let the doors close easily when all windows are up. That hatch has most likely got stuck open allowing the dust in freely. Luck. :cowboy:

Thanks, I'll check that out. Should I access it from inside or do I have to take the bumper off?

 

[TonyB66]

If that is the culprit, and it sounds quite reasonable, it's accessible from the interior, behind the driver side rear panel as I recall...

EDIT/ADD:

 

[phattyduck]

You have to remove the rear driver's corner section of the bumper to remove it. It looks like this from the outside:

The '01/'02 part is yellow and has an opening for the trailer wiring harness.

-Charlie

 

[sogoood]

i stuffed vent filters for homes down there. there was a write up on it somewhere

 

[pluton]

I plugged the left rear vent, and still get a small amount of dust through the back door bottoms. Put new door seal rubber in not that long ago. ?

 

[repo]

Thanks, I'll check that out. Should I access it from inside or do I have to take the bumper off?

I replaced mine a couple weeks ago and I've noticed a good difference, I dont smell the aggregate dust anymore from the gravel roads.

You have to take off the drive side section of the rear bumper, the plastic lip thing on top of the bumper to access one of the bolts. I also had to take off the interior trim to clean huge amounts of dust out behind there and to clip the sunroof drain hose back in to the new vent. That was what took the most time. You can probably skip the interior trim and reach through the vent to unclip/clip the drain hose.

 

[Wedgy]

I had the same problem, sealed it off, no more problem.
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I just got my 1998 from a tow yard lien sale for $1,500 and as I got deeper & deeper into it I found the source of the dirt ; the vent thing on the drivers side. The sunroof drain goes into it but it looks like it should have some foam or something to keep dirt out. The compartment had 4" of dirt in it, so much I just used my hand to scoop it out before I used the shop vac. The fine dust is deep inside every body panel, door pillar, and dust comes out of the headliner when you slam the door. I have totally gutted the interior at this point and hosed it out, am washing the carpets, headliner, etc. and sound/insulating everything before I put it back.
What is this filter looking thing for on the drivers rear panel ?

 

[phattyduck]

If the flap is in place, no dirt should ever come inside. Just replace it. No more dirt in the cabin unless it comes in from the base of the windshield.

The tube/cavity on the back of the plastic panel is for noise reduction in the cabin (driving down the road with the HVAC on external air, the vent will open and let air out and thus let sound from the rear tire back in, the padding in the tube absorbs the sound but lets air out from the cabin).

-Charlie

 

[firemanj92]

Is there a good way to keep dust out? When I drive down powdery roads I get clouds of dust rolling around the cab, even with all windows shut and the vents closed. I think a lot of it comes through the rear hatch.

If that is the culprit, and it sounds quite reasonable, it's accessible from the interior, behind the driver side rear panel as I recall...

EDIT/ADD:

You have to remove the rear driver's corner section of the bumper to remove it. It looks like this from the outside:

The '01/'02 part is yellow and has an opening for the trailer wiring harness.

-Charlie

I had the same problem, sealed it off, no more problem.
-------------------------------------------------------------
I just got my 1998 from a tow yard lien sale for $1,500 and as I got deeper & deeper into it I found the source of the dirt ; the vent thing on the drivers side. The sunroof drain goes into it but it looks like it should have some foam or something to keep dirt out. The compartment had 4" of dirt in it, so much I just used my hand to scoop it out before I used the shop vac. The fine dust is deep inside every body panel, door pillar, and dust comes out of the headliner when you slam the door. I have totally gutted the interior at this point and hosed it out, am washing the carpets, headliner, etc. and sound/insulating everything before I put it back.
What is this filter looking thing for on the drivers rear panel ?

Just adding my 2 cents. It's Toyota Quarter Panel Vent part #6294035010 for pre-01'

 

[TheRandyMan]

Just adding my 2 cents. It's Toyota Quarter Panel Vent part #6294035010 for pre-01'

Perfect, thanks.

Thanks all for the input, I will put in a new one!

 

[Mark_BC]

Can you just buy the rubber flap? The whole assembly is pretty pricey.

 

[pluton]

The original rubber flap is what fails. I thought of buying a thicker piece of EPDM rubber sheet and creating my own, 'heavier duty' flap. But it was easier and more conclusive to seal it off forever.

 

[Mark_BC]

The original rubber flap is what fails. I thought of buying a thicker piece of EPDM rubber sheet and creating my own, 'heavier duty' flap. But it was easier and more conclusive to seal it off forever.

What happens when you slam the doors or turn the blower up? Where does the air escape?

 

[pluton]

What happens when you slam the doors or turn the blower up? Where does the air escape?

I don't know. I can feel a bit of momentary pressure when shutting a door with all the windows up, and a very slight reduction in the airflow (on fresh, not recirculate) when I shut all the windows while driving. I figure that all air seals around doors are imperfect. I still get a small amount of dust through the back seat door bottoms.

 

[Mark_BC]

I don't know. I can feel a bit of momentary pressure when shutting a door with all the windows up, and a very slight reduction in the airflow (on fresh, not recirculate) when I shut all the windows while driving. I figure that all air seals around doors are imperfect. I still get a small amount of dust through the back seat door bottoms.

There is an opening from the front engine bay through the fender into the cabin so that should allow for air release.