fresh air in cowl rust issue (1 Viewer)

[BluewaltFJ60]

Well, it just keeps going....I am so close, took the whole hvac system out, re-foam, replace heater core and tubes and I am poking around...$%#@$%....has anyone dealt with this issue? Of course it is the side near the firewall so I can't get to it from the wiper motor opening. Are these things welded in? or just held in place with body caulk? Recommendations? btw I am not a big fan of the "just squeeze a big gob of junk in there" solution

 

[bluehawk]

I think that they are spot welded in place and then seam sealer around the edges. Take a look at the last page on my thread and see how I'm dealing with rust in cowling area.

 

[BluewaltFJ60]

thanks Bluehawk, I got to figure this is a pretty common problem and that it has been hashed out with some good solutions

 

[BluewaltFJ60]

I took a look at your "root beer" thread, thanks, what a job. I am closing in on a the end of my restoration, new paint everything, just about to run the motor for the first time in 9 years so I can't take the cowl off at this point. I will have to try and pry/cut it out, weld a patch, a little POR15 and then bolt in or rivet with plenty of sealer. What a PITA.

BTW, I was looking at your tranny mount issue. Looks like you figured it out. I have an 86 with a pre 11/84 frame, and a H55, I did find a post 84 cross-member recently and welded new brackets in, etc. It was the "last" fix (I thought) I had to do!

 

[Landpimp]

I dont really see any rust in that pic, my guess is that what rust you see is some condensation from the air

 

[Wile E Coyote]

I dont really see any rust in that pic, my guess is that what rust you see is some condensation from the air

Yeah, it looks like fuzz from the jute/insulation to me.

 

[BluewaltFJ60]

see hole the size of my pinky in the center of the photo....my guess is that whole corner is not in great shape. I know you don't see the rust bubbles...and this didn't look like anything until I put my finger through it!

 

[Wile E Coyote]

see hole the size of my pinky in the center of the photo....my guess is that whole corner is not in great shape. I know you don't see the rust bubbles...and this didn't look like anything until I put my finger through it!

Uh, well sure I saw that, I was just testing you...yeah, just testing.

That's gonna be a PIA to properly fix...wouldn't the cowl have to come off (spot weld cutter, anyone) or a big hole cut into it to access the outside of that area?

 

[Landpimp]

I missed the hole.......doh!

 

[bluehawk]

Hey Bluewalt, you might be able to see the spot welds from under the dash if you have everything out. May need to do some sanding to find them. If so, think about drilling them out and then push the whole thing up so you can cut it apart and pull it out a piece at a time. Then fab up some kinda mesh and or something and rivet it in place. Just an idea

 

[BluewaltFJ60]

It just looked like a bit of black caulk! Between access from underneath and through the wiper motor hole I am hoping that I can get a good job done. Not my preference at this point but I have way to much work done, no indoor space and cold weather closing in fast, basically 95% done with my restoration and kicking myself that I did not see this or take care of it a long time ago.

Truth is a torch...indeed

 

[BluewaltFJ60]

yes, usually you can see the spots but having a hard time seeing them from underneath. I hadn't even thought about trying to pull that piece out to work on it if I get it separated.

 

[bluehawk]

Well the more I think about it, that may not work out. You will have to find some way to keep the water out. That is why Toyota made it the way they did. It does suck that you have it all back together. Not sure if you would have enough room if you cut the two side panels off of the cowl to give you a little more room to work underneath the cowl. Just another idea. There are a lot of spot welds to cut out on just those two pieces.

 

[BluewaltFJ60]

well, 15 minutes and a long german wood chisel....compress the screen so it comes out the wiper motor hole, ezpz. Weld in a patch, POR the s### out of it, caulk and rivets should do it. I guess this is good news.

 

[Joe_E]

Here's what mine looked like when i pulled the wiper motor...

It had some surface rust starting around the edges.
I wire brushed it where i could reach, wiped it down, and slathered on rustoleum around it.
Although i never reached around back to check for holes.

 

[BluewaltFJ60]

that's about what my evap core looked like when I got all the components out the other day, see my last picture on the FJ60 dash R & R thread
https://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wagons/771116-86-fj60-dash-r-r.html

 

[KLF]

That hole is why I pull my cowl cover annually and carefully hose out that cavity, it's shocking how much crap gets caught in there. The factory paint is very thin inside there. I actually just slathered the entire inside of that cavity on my mini cab just last night with Rustoleum. Re-installing the wiper linkages and motor tonight.

 

[BluewaltFJ60]

Good idea. Cowl cover? Do you mean the two black covers and the wiper motor? When my fenders came off the two plastic tubes down the sides were clogged with stuff.

Fresh air vent held by four small tack welds, two of which were not really there anymore. Planning on using 3M 5200 marine sealant when it goes back on.

 

[BluewaltFJ60]

Fabrication and welding done this afternoon, first coat of POR, then another and then all the heat a/c stuff, then the dash, then I can get back to trying to start the truck again...sticky valve or lifter.