Dirty Vents

[safety_match]

My air conditioning vents are fairly dusty looking (inside on the louvers) and I would like to remove them so that I can put them in the sink and clean them completely. Is there a reasonably easy process to remove them?
Do they just pull out or are they screwed on behind the dash somehow?

....1990 roadster

thanks, safety

 

[Rabbit]

Unfortunately I can't remember the layout of my 90, brrn quite some time. The drivers vents shud come out with some experimenting, the pass/side? HUmmmm, I recall having to remove the small louver in the center to get to the two screws holding the unit ijn. If that won't work get some q-tips, slightly moistened, that shud remove most the dust, etc.:grinsanta

 

[Ken]

I did that (cleaned 'em) when I re-did my interior a while back. One word of caution here: dis-assembly. Be careful if you decide to take them apart to do a really good job, like I did. They are quite a handful to reassemble after you clean them. :eek

I didn't notice until after much struggling to get them back together, that I had inserted an entire row of louvers upside down. I was NOT about to take it apart again just to fix that screw-up; I'm not that obsessed. :L

_ken

 

[HallenTi]

I will echo Ken's reply...take your time and if you take them apart, do it carefully, as the vanes have tiny moulded plastic pins that are easily broken. Each set of louvers has two Phillips screws like Rabbit said, but they are easy to get at, and once those are removed they come out easily. Tim

 

[RubyDropTop]

Just a possible alternative, but when I want to clean the vents out in my car I break out the Q-tips and distilled water. Just a thought.

 

[safety_match]

Yes, I have thought of Q-tips (and perhaps will use them yet). But with all the vertical and horizontal bars I thought removing the vents entirely would give me the best clean...but this is only if the removal isn't so laborious as to make it not worth while.
Ah well, I have until spring to get around to it...I just removed the plates yesterday for the winter. Being on the mild west coast has allowed me a slightly longer driving season. But the number of dry days has decreased as to make it not worth while anymore.

thanks, Safety

 

[Ken]

Another alternative I forgot to tell you about, which I thought of today because I was in the garage and saw them sitting on my bench, are the plastic swabs used for the computer keyboards and stuff. They're long enough to reach all the way in and the ones I have include a different size tip on each end; one end has more foam material than the other. You might want to check those out.

_ken

 

[safety_match]

All 3 a/c vents have 2 screws each which can be taken out with a Philips screwdriver. These screws are easily accessed through the front of the vents. Then the vents can be removed for cleaning. At this point it is up to the individual how much further he wants to disassemble them for cleaning in the sink. I only disassembled that which was cooperative for fear of breaking the plastic tabs. But it was enough to clean them nicely with a small sponge, q-tips and soap; rinse and dry.
My only problem was the middle of the 3 a/c vents...1 of the sheet metal screws would not come out with the size of Philips I have. This one I will have to clean in place.

 

[The Car Whisperer]

I use a soft paint brush that has been very lightly sprayed with some Armor-All. It works great and gives everything a nice finish. The brush has to be soft and just lightly misted with Armor-All, not wet with it.