The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Frustrating Cowl Vent

Spent an “interesting” evening installing and trying to adjust this vent. Those 4 carriage bolts are a bear and and the main control arm only complicates the thing. The shop manual gives directions but it doesn’t offer suggestions how to avoid the frustration however!!!!!
Tried using some colorful language AND that seemed to help a little. Somehow the body doesn’t want to contort like it used to so I can squeeze my body between the seat, floor, and floor shift. Geez, if they only would have designed the radio grill larger it would make it easier for a guy to fit his hands and arms in easily.

I’ll return later today, turn up the heat, make sure there is cold golden nectar in the refrigerator and tweak the “monster in the cowl.”

I know there is saved here a posted link that pictorially shows how to........WITHOUT bad words....adjust the vent. Just gotta find it now.

After that rant I feel much better!,,,,,,👍. 😇

Here is the cab manual from '48 maybe it will help.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/advance-design_parts_co/albums/72157641244124604

Brad,
Thanks for posting that link. Lots of good info.

Thank you Brad. That is the page I was searching for! Had seen it before so I knew it existed. It is extremely helpful to see original factory how-to-do info. Now for the "Do" part!

Thanks Brad.

I should try that ... I gave up trying to get mine perfectly adjusted. But here's how I fixed the leak ...

I thought you were going to show us a picture of duct tape, John. That's the way we would do it up in Alaska.

I made the mistake on my 49 with buying gaskets from UNK, the only good ones come from Steele Rubber Products..........

LOL

I keep mine from leaking my not going out in the rain. My 39's cowl vent worked great after I put a new seal in.

I battled a "cowl vent" leak for 5 years on my '50, (an older restoration), only to discover a small rust hole in the front of the groove where the seal is. It was too high to be sealed by the seal and would only be visible from a helicopter's view. I discovered it recently while stripping paint and removing rust to stop further deterioration of metal in that area.

I have had the same leak problem. It has turned out to be actually two problems. One is the seal. The adjustment has cured that problem. I took the glovebox out to give me access without lying under the dash and used a quarter-drive ratchet, a long extension and a 3/8" socket. I was able to get enough squeeze on the new seal.

The other problem was that the drain hose that comes out the bottom was leaking between the rubber the metal where it joins the drain. The leak would soak my right pant leg and my right shoe. This leak was because of rust on the metal. It's in a nearly impossible place to do anything about the rust so I smeared a little RTV silicone sealer on the inside of the hose and slipped it on -- not without some effort though. Hopefully the RTV will keep water from further rusting the metal of the drain. I have since quit driving it in winter because our state has started using calcium chloride as a de-icer but in Western Washington it rains in summer too. Now on to getting the windshield to not leak.