My girl says, "A/C on and heard a rumble vibrate and stuff blowing out of vents"!

[ORVietVet]

Her 2002 75k miles TrailBlazer. Turned it on and heard the noise right away and shut off. Immediately had an idea because last summer my landlord's 2018 Suburban did the same thing and I heard the same noise and fixed it. Dropped the panel under the passenger side dash/glove box area. I already knew these vehicles have a slot for a CAF but none in there out of the factory. I dropped the 3 5.5mm screws and the blower dropped down. I cleaned out ALL the debris, reached up where the blend door is and grabbed a bunch more and then dropped the CAF panel and more fell out. I got it all out. I plugged in the blower and ran it and is quiet and no more vibrating/rumble noise. Getting a CAF tomorrow morning and then back together. I did not start on this till 6 pm and was getting dark. I was at my part time service writer job today. I have seen a lot of crap packed in blowers and openings under the dash but this was the worst. You can see the blower pile in the wheel, the stuff I pulled out of the blend door area in the trash can and the stuff I pulled from the CAF area on the p/s floor.

I glued the blower vent tube in for overnight set up and you can see how the cover will go back over it.

Before someone states the obvious, YES, there appears to be a rodent trying to set up "housekeeping" in her dash.

 

[someotherguy]

I mean they look like a hamster wheel, so can you blame the poor thing?

Richard

 

[99Sierra2500]

Mybe she doesn't want to know she's been driving around with a critter.

 

[ORVietVet]

Mybe she doesn't want to know she's been driving around with a critter.

She was there when I dropped the blower and cleaned it all out.

 

[Cadillacmak]

Dang rodents! When my dad had his house in Hawaii he had to deal with things like that.

 

[ORVietVet]

I looked up a CAF and the one at RA crosses to a CAF that is way too big. I measured and what fits in there is a WIX 24805 double stack set. Same as 2002 Avalanche and Silverado. May be other years too but went by measurement and a great Asst. Manager at O'Reilly's named Rob, helped me find it and sold it to me with my shop discount.

Anyway, all cleaned out and is quiet again and no debris thru the vents. My girl is happy again.

 

[ORVietVet]

I just went to park the TrailBlazer and I used the heat and the a/c and at all of the 5 speeds. There is no rumble at #1 but as you go to #2 and up to #5 speed, the slight rumble noise is definitely getting louder. It will likely be ok for quite a while but members that know me, will know I cannot let it go. Just ordered a new blower from RA. At least I know the exact way to get it out and in. No way I am going to put her out in the fall and winter with a blower blowing "rumbling heat".

 

[ORVietVet]

New ACD blower came today and I dropped the OE one that I cleaned out. Gonna install new one. This came out with it. Gonna put some rodent deterrent in the housing and under the cowling.

 

[99Sierra2500]

Wow, that is a lot.

 

[ORVietVet]

Wow, that is a lot.

That is just in a week. I cleaned it all out last Friday.

 

[ORVietVet]

Got a link from a member at TYF about this rodent trap. Made one this morning.

 

[AuroraGirl]

use ozone machine to kill smell and repel any potential current occupant

 

[jfmorris]

Are you sure it's a rodent, and not just that crap off the trees getting sucked into the blower from the fresh air vent there at the back of the hood? That said - that is an insane amount for just one week! Does she park under a tree that drops that kind of stuff, or is it for sure getting put there by a rodent? I would think you would see rodent droppings in the debris if that were the case.

Make her run on recirc only on the blower, so that it doesn't open that fresh air vent to the grill in front of the windshield, and that might help...

 

[ORVietVet]

The debris is "moss" from the front yard. There is no trees above this vehicle, where it parks. There is now rodent deterrent in the housing and in front of the air vent under the cowling. I will know soon enough if it is all working. We also put deterrent on the ground where she parks and in the yard.

 

[ORVietVet]

Well, my home made 5 gallon bucket/water and peanut butter flip over round cardboard rodent trap is done. Had not caught any rodents and this morning a little chipmunk was on the front porch railing and he sat there while I drank coffee and talked to him. Just looked at me. I can't take the chance that the trap would drown him. Just can't. Will see what the rodent deterrent does, that I put under the cowling and in the blower motor housing hole.

 

[AuroraGirl]

Well, my home made 5 gallon bucket/water and peanut butter flip over round cardboard rodent trap is done. Had not caught any rodents and this morning a little chipmunk was on the front porch railing and he sat there while I drank coffee and talked to him. Just looked at me. I can't take the chance that the trap would drown him. Just can't. Will see what the rodent deterrent does, that I put under the cowling and in the blower motor housing hole.



View attachment 4250

Can’t chipmunks swim?

 

[ORVietVet]

Can’t chipmunks swim?

I don't know and there was 4" of water in the bottom and if I took hours to check, they would drown. Couldn't do it.

 

[AuroraGirl]

I don't know and there was 4" of water in the bottom and if I took hours to check, they would drown. Couldn't do it.

you could always do the non water method, and then check the bucket for survivors

If its a mouse, humanely kill it

If its a chipmunk, put a stick in it so he can climb out and run

 

[ORVietVet]

you could always do the non water method, and then check the bucket for survivors

If its a mouse, humanely kill it

If its a chipmunk, put a stick in it so he can climb out and run

The bucket method is fine but......when rains the cardboard gets ruined. Rains a lot here in Oregon. When the vehicle is moved, have to move the bucket. Gonna just find and use the best deterrent we can find. The blower motor removal is very easy to do, to inspect.

 

[AuroraGirl]

The bucket method is fine but......when rains the cardboard gets ruined. Rains a lot here in Oregon. When the vehicle is moved, have to move the bucket. Gonna just find and use the best deterrent we can find. The blower motor removal is very easy to do, to inspect.

i was thinking about the peanut butter on a pop can with a wire run across the top, not the cardboard