The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Help, Cowl ventilator is stuck!

My truck's ventilator is stuck. I have reason to believe that it has something to do with the handle/lever as when I pushed on the ventilator from the bottom it tried to go up. Anyone have any ideas?

Jordan,
I would guess ya got corrosion,First I would spray all the linkage pivot points with PB Blaster an let em soak.
You may have to pry the thing open as the gasket may be rotted and along with rust has glued itself shut, you might want to get a helper to run the lever in the cab while you gently work around the perimeter of the vent on the outside cowl with a flat tip screwdriver till it pops open.
Once ya get it to pop open you will see what you are dealin with under there, I would bet you will need to remove it and clean all the years of crap outta the channel it seats in.
When I first tried to open mine when I got the truck it was like you stated it tried to open but wouldnt,I found the PO had siliconed it shut the gasket was gone and must have been leaking so they just glued it shut.
Hope this helps
Tim

Thanks. Hopefully, and this is a possibility since it wanted to come open(the vent was flexing but the linkage wouldn't let it open) the linkage is the problem.

JDL,
On mine since cleaning,painting,new gasket etc..once i release the lever from its locked position mine will pop open abought a 1/4 inch on its own, the linkage dosnt exsert a lot of pressure to open the vent it is a pretty easy push to open it fully.
that is what makes me think the vent itself is stuck to it seat somewhere around its perimeter.(flexes but will not open)

Does the vent have hinges? If it doesn't, then I think the back may be stuck.

there are pivot points (hinges) on each end you will have to shine a light up under your dash to see em as they are pretty tight to the cowl, they could be corroded to the point they wont move I just looked at mine again,
there are 2 screws that make up the pivot, maybe you can get some PB on em an try to remove em?

Yep, they're pretty corroded. I don't know. I'll see about it tomorrow as it's getting late. It's been dark for 5 hours, but it's probably been darker since you live East of me.

I added my 2 cents in the other thread. Please try to do just one question per thread.

swradial thanks i'd never put more than a little pressure on handle just figured they were stuck didn't realize there was a lock position.

My 38 doesn't have a "lock" position. Just four detents from full closed to full open.

How do you unlock it?

I think one of the pins are already broke.

Just exercise plenty of patience, and a lot of soaking with your spray. When you get in a hurry is when things break--especially old rusty stuff.
As mentioned, when you do get it open, you'll for sure need a new gasket, as I can just about guarantee it will leak!

Rich, I didn't break it, if that's what you're thinking! And about it leaking, that's the least of my problems. When it rains, it comes through the gasket on my middle rear window and gets everything on the floor wet.

JDL,
You have a PM

JDL,
mine was completely stuck at first too. I ended up removing the vent and the linkage separately. I was only able to free up the handle on the shop floor by using a propane torch. Now of course the whole thing works properly, detents and all. I used brass bolts and nuts to assemble it to avoid problems in the future.

Now, how do you unlock it, since that may be the problem, or part of it.

there's no "lock" as such JD, it's an 'over center' type of mechanism, once the vent is fully closed, the handle goes further ['over center'] to keep it tight - if it's stuck you need to get under there with some penetrant and hose it all good, and apply some gentle persuasion with the BFH - more penetrant, repeat

Bill

Ok.

Jordan:
Do you have this link: http://chevy.tocmp.com/shop/1954truck/index.html
It is the 1954 chevy shop manual. It will help answer a lot of questions you have now and will have down the road, so to speak...

Yes! I believe that at least 10 people have given me that link, and when it gets here, I should have a shop manual to look at thanks to a friendly 'Bolter.

I'm not sure if it's the same as the one in my '50, but a couple good whacks from a hammer got mine to open right up. I kept opening and closing it for a bit afterward, and now it works great!