Volvo RWD 1800 Forum

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Cowl Vent Questions 1800 1973

I pulled the cowl intake grill off and plastic tray out because there was some of that fiber glass window screen that someone tried to attach to the tray where it dumps air into the heater. It didn't look stock nor was it well-attached. Once the tray was out I could get a good view of the tops of the cabin fresh air regulators. Just inboard of each regulator there is a "pile" of some sort of dumb-dumb that forms a sort of "dam", I guess to keep trapped water from spilling down through the fresh air registers when turning a corner. These dams are about an inch tall (guess). I could see where the PO had added some of his favorite red RTV goop to one of the dams.

Both cowl drains are open and I'm putting new hoses on them.

Questions:

1.) Are those dams OE and are they necessary?
2.) Is there supposed to be some sort of screen other than the one already built into the intake grill?
3.) Are there replaceable seals on the fresh air regulators and is it standard operating procedure to replace them?








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    Cowl Vent Questions 1800 1973

    No to all. The main thing is to make sure the drain holes are open, one on each front corner of the well. If those are free to drain, you cannot get water leaking where it doesn't belong. Sometimes those drain holes are so silted up you can't even see them.








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      Cowl Vent Questions 1800 1973

      Thanks, Phil. It was actually rather clean inside and the drains were open. Of course someone had been in there 20 years and 200 miles ago. Been sitting in the garage immobile that long.








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        Cowl Vent Questions 1800 1973

        If needed, the seals for the fresh air vent assemblies are still available new.



        --
        Eric
        Hi Performance Automotive Service (formerly OVO or Old Volvos Only)
        Torrance, CA 90502








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          Cowl Vent Questions 1800 1973

          I don't have a tray in my fresh air vent cavity. Is that an accessory? Looking down in the cavity it would appear having a tray installed would block the two drain holes.








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            Cowl Vent Questions 1800 1973

            Can anyone post a picture of what my missing tray looks like? Is a replacement available?








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              Cowl Vent Questions 1800 1973

              I will post pictures later and I do have good used plastic inserts for sale for $20.00 plus shipping.

              Do you have the 6 retaining clips? They might still be on the body as I have seen more than one car where they were painted over by uninformed body and paint shops.

              I will post pics of the clips too.
              --
              Eric
              Hi Performance Automotive Service (formerly OVO or Old Volvos Only)
              Torrance, CA 90502








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                Cowl Vent insert 1800 1972

                Planetman,
                I went to your website and tried to order the $20 cowl vent plastic insert to no avail as it is not listed. How do I make it happen?








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                  Cowl Vent insert 1800 1972

                  I have very few used parts on the website.

                  To make arrangements, you can send me a message through my website or you can email me directly at:

                  "e_hamlet" A t hot mail . C o M

                  --
                  Eric
                  Hi Performance Automotive Service (formerly OVO or Old Volvos Only)
                  Torrance, CA 90502
                  hiperformanceautoservice.com or oldvolvosonly.com








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                Plastic insert & retaining clip 1800 1973





                --
                Eric
                Hi Performance Automotive Service (formerly OVO or Old Volvos Only)
                Torrance, CA 90502
                hiperformanceautoservice.com or oldvolvosonly.com








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                  Plastic insert & retaining clip 1800 1973

                  Eric; While your at it...if you have the polished alu cowl outer bezel with screen insert handy, could you post a picture of this, including a close-up of one of the (6) clips on the underside, which retain it into the opening in body...

                  Whale; ...I ask because that clip shown is not the one which must be defeated to remove the cowl.

                  Thanks








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            Cowl Vent Questions 1800 1973

            Whale;

            The screen is the first, and that tray is the second line of defense against biomass clogging the drains (tray is not continuous, so allows airflow), leading to water dripping on your ankles...I'd recommend replacing it...and checking and cleaning it (with a vacuum) annually.

            The rubber gasket which secures (by snap fit of rubber edge) the fresh-air valves into the cowl vent also develops cracks...water can then sneak through these cracks, again dripping onto ankles. You might want to inspect their condition and replace if cracked...I don't know if they're still available, but they might have been repaired with RTV and that's what OP saw...

            ...wishing you dry ankles!








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              Cowl Vent Questions 1800 1973

              What's the procedure for removing the exterior cowl vent trim? After reading this, although I have dry ankles, I thought I'd better check it...or is this a case of "If it ain't broke..."?








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                Cowl Vent Removal Notes 1800 1973

                Dave;

                I'd have a look through the metal grate with a light to see how much flotsam and biomass has accumulated...if you don't see a lot, you might go with the "If it ain't broke..." technique and leave well enough alone, because...

                ...they are secured in-place by spring clips which may/probably, because they are high-carbon spring steel, have developed surface rust, which weakens them...this means that they might break if you are unlucky or force them during removal attempts...also, the force necessary to remove, if applied unevenly, can bend the soft alu cowl frame into a pretzel...another reason not to remove if you don't have to...

                Having given all the reasons I can remember not to remove cowl...as far as removal technique, it's been a while, but from memory, if I had to remove one I'd locate the clips by inspection (I believe there are 2 or 3 X 2 sides), spray a lube (like silicon or thin oil) in the area to encourage clips to pop over the body edge, then use a stiff putty knife (maybe 3...one per clip! on the forward facing side), taped to prevent scratching paint, and slid between the cowl trim and body, to evenly pry at each of the spring-clip locations until they pop over the body edge and release...

                Use this advice with extreme care and caution and at your own risk!...feeling and judgement you used on your first girlfriend is called for here (if you can remember that)!!! If someone can post a better technique with less risk...I'd love to see it!

                Good Hunting!







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