Cowl vent flap spring

[davepl]

My AC truck has the fresh air damper under the cowl, the one driven by a vacuum solenoid.

In order to assist with returning to the non-vacuum position, it has a spring. There are a number of threads on the spring itself, because its out in the weather and rusts and dies.

Anyway, I'm trying to figure out where the OTHER end of the spring hooks up. It's obvious on the flap itself, but where does it get anchored?

The shop manual doesn't even make sense - they show it basically pulling the door sideways. And I can't find the pinhole they imagine anyway.

I doubt anyone can get a photo, since its under the cowl, but if anyone knows, please give me a hint!

- Dave

[FirstOwner69]

There should be a small hole (maybe 3/32") in the piece that bridges the cowl that the right wiper mounts to. It's about midway between the wiper mount stud and where the windshield nozzle is mounted near the edge closest to the flap where the "bridge" curves. Here's a picture of the area I'm describing, but the hole is really hard to see. As I recall, the long leg of the spring goes in this hole. It would help if I could figure out how to circle it.

Do you have the correct spring? I've also attached a picture for reference for those who may be interested..

Jim

Edit: It's near the hole for a wiper stud on right-hand drive trucks. Not used on our trucks.

[bollybib]

The last two pics in this post might help

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...&postcount=160

[FirstOwner69]

I found a better picture with the spring attached...

[LockDoc]

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I lightened the pic up a little....

LockDoc

[69chevytrucker]

is this what you are looking for

[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by LockDoc

-
I lightened the pic up a little....

LockDoc

Thanks Leon!

[69chevytrucker]

i have the factory assembly instruction manual shows everything even where all the spot welds go if it wrong let me know i will find the right pic book has no table of contents have to flip through in order truck is assembled lol

[davepl]

That last photo is actually the kick panel vent (which I'm working on now). Since I did not have the original spring I had to drill another hole basically just a little closer than the original factory one you see used in the photos above (thanks!).

I've cycled it a number of times with a hand vacuum pump and it works fine both directions. Takes a surprising amount of spring tension to close it, but the vacuum easily overcomes it.

The hardest part turned out to be finding a push-nut to lock the rod into the solenoid. Of course OReily's shows them in stock, when you get there it's special order (for a nut!). They had a big "box of crap you might need one day" and it had one, so I wound up buying their assortment just to get the one....

[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by davepl

Takes a surprising amount of spring tension to close it, but the vacuum easily overcomes it.

The spring is very "stout" for its size. I have a part number (obsolete) for the spring lost someplace in my files. I've even given some thought of having a local spring company make some, and I'd sell them here. I'm sure almost everyone with factory A/C could use one since they are so prone to failure. I hate to guess what the minimum run would be and what it would cost.

Glad you got it to work.

Jim