RockyGryphon
Member
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2013
- Posts
- 36
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Wyoming
- First Name
- Jonathan
- Truck Year
- 1985
- Truck Model
- K10
- Engine Size
- 6.2L Diesel
That flap is designed in such a way that, even when fully closed, there is always a certain amount of outside air allowed to be drawn in by the HVAC blower and enter the cab.
I hate this despite my own safety! It's what lets in the stench of stockyards and refineries!
This feature provides a constant exchange of the atmosphere within the cabin - that is a good thing.
I don't expect the cab to ever be airtight enough that my eardrums will rupture when I open the door, only from the distortion in my stereo speakers.
It helps maintain a low level of moisture which greatly increases the efficiency of the defroster system.
With all the duct tape, brand new blower motor with the long squirrel cage and all the door flaps pointing at the defrost duct, I think it's plenty efficient enough now!
It clears the interior atmosphere of unwanted odors and smoke from cigarettes.
There is no smoking in my cab and I take showers often enough, except today I'm waiting 'til next year.
But, most importantly, a constant flow through of fresh air ensures that carbon monoxide levels are kept below the point where they are harmful to your health.
I expect a constant flow of air no matter what (rust hole vents, etc.), and plan to crack the window, manual vent window if my electric ones stop working, rear sliding window, if I have to. Ok, but seriously for a moment, the most important reason I want to close the outside air inlet flap is because it sucks exhaust gas from the engine compartment from a badly sealed header pipe (not to mention other fumes ?EGR) most likely through the cowl and from under the bed where the tail pipes have been replaced by downspouts, especially while stopped with no wind. It doesn't hurt to eliminate outside fumes once in a while either.
I understand the warning about falling asleep on a long drive breathing my own bad breath (carbond dioxide, mixed with carbone monoxide exhaust fumes) with the windshield fogging up again despite my best efforts, but I plan on leaving the lower door vents open to suck out cold air and pull in fresh air from the door rust holes and other areas aside from the stinking engine compartment when I need to. That's why I was planning on putting a slider on those lower door vents so they only have to be closed when I fix the A/C with propane and want to keep the cold air at the bottom inside the cab.
Anyway, if I can seal the cab, I can go James Bond and use it as a flotation device after sealing all the other vulnerable parts and tricking out the wheels with fan blade rims and after driving into water, making the wheels pop out to clear the fender, and flip 90 degrees so I can put it in 4x4 and propel the truck like a submarine with a snorkel like one of those jeeps.
Happy New Year!
I read somewhere that there's putty under the cowl. It looks like too big a job for me to close the outside air flap anyway. I'll end up wanting to do the whole vacuum system. Maybe even fix the exhaust! That's like fixing the A/C in winter!