55.2-59 Air Vent Passages

[2001convertable]

I decided to change out my air vent seals. The truck had been restored and the person who did the restoration didn't replace the seals.After taking out the door on the drivers side I noticed that behind the door in the passage was not painted. I reach inside and down to see if I can feel anything and I couldn't believe it. There was a massive bunch of dirt. My vacuum couldn't get in there so I got some tubing and reduced the hose to an inch. After I thought I got it all I reached down to find more packed in. I couldn't get to it. I noticed that some of the dirt had come out the bottom of the truck in the wheel well against the driver foot area. I noticed a small plate covering a passage way but not totally. I tried to get the screw out of the bottom of the plate and it was frozen. I cut it off and bent back the plate up to expose the passage way up into the cavity where I was at

above. Well I must have gotten out about a gallon and a half of dirt and decomposed animals. Ok, heres the question of the day. Does that plate I bent up belong there and is that passage way supposed to be open of closed. Also where does the air flow for the vent come from? Does it come from the vents above the hood or some place else. Im going to attach two pictures one of the vent passage in the truck and one of the wheel well passage plate which I don't know if it belongs there. Please if anyone can answer this question that would be great. thank you

[MD2020]

Yes above the hood (the cowl vent) and it goes to each side into a balloon looking cavity behind the vent in picture 1 and a drain at the bottom picture 2.
And yes it catches lots of leave and stuff.
There is a Thread on here about shaving the cowl vent to keep everything out.

[2001convertable]

Thank you. Does that little piece of metal over the drain that I peeled up in the wheel well on bottom picture supposed to be there or can I cut it off? Does anyone have a picture of this area on there truck?

[MD2020]

I does't matter.
Your picture looks better than mine would

[2001convertable]

So it would be ok to remove that little piece of metal leaving the bottom open? Was that little metal piece original to the truck?

[MD2020]

if you are going to use the vents for air conditioner then bend it back in place

[2001convertable]

So, they were original?

[sack54]

Originally Posted by 2001convertable

So it would be ok to remove that little piece of metal leaving the bottom open? Was that little metal piece original to the truck?

That little piece of metal is to divert the water on the way out.And also to keep road muck out so it can drain properly.
Clean out real good with garden hose and coat hanger. Hose on inside use hanger on outside. Clean water no more dirt or leave muck.let dry or use heat gun then paint. Good for another 60 plus years.

[_Ogre]

i'd reinstall the screw, it's a drain for the cowl vent
all that gunk in there is the main reason our trucks rust out the front cab corners, hinge pockets and inner cowl
there's a shelf above the vent that probably has gunk on top of it that you need to clean off
like sak54 said, after cleaning out all the junk run a hose down thru the cowl vent
don't worry about the water, happens anytime you drive in the rain

[2001convertable]

Thank you sounds good. Im going to do that.

[hogfarm]

Originally Posted by MD2020

Yes above the hood (the cowl vent) and it goes to each side into a balloon looking cavity behind the vent in picture 1 and a drain at the bottom picture 2.
And yes it catches lots of leave and stuff.
There is a Thread on here about shaving the cowl vent to keep everything out.

It's been so long on my truck that I forgot at one time there was a cowl vent LOL

[_Ogre]

this is also why, when modifying a truck, i suggest shaving the cowl vent
it is probably the most rust prone area on tf trucks

your truck is stock, just keep it cleaned out

[sack54]

When your all done and cleaned out,put some fine screen under cowl vent. It will stay cleaner longer.

[57tailgater]

If that "flap" you bent back had a screw in it to pull it back that is incorrect. It should have been open to allow items to drain/fall out. But as people have said, this is an area that often gets blocked with something from above and rots. Yours looks ok but makes me wonder where water that came into the cowl went. It has to drain or collect somewhere.

[dsraven]

here is a pic with the cowl removed. it shows the little trough above the vent opening.
you can see how debris would be able to enter the vent grille in front of the windshield, follow down the plenum and enter the side cowl area (above the trough) and start to fill the side cowl with leaves or needles or whatever because it wouldn't take much to plug the hole at the bottom of the side cowl, the one with the little metal flap you talk about. then when a good rain come through the side cowls fill with water up to the point where it runs out on the floor, inside the truck, through the vents doors. then it can sit under the floor mat and rust away the door pillars, cab mounts, steps and rockers, floor panels etc.

[dsraven]

sorry, shouldda mentioned, mine looks a little different because the firewall has been cut out. some of the area around the outside edge may look different.