Have the same issue again with hvac.

[BlackHawkZ71]

Well 2 weeks ago i had my ac system replaced (filter, fan housing, seal kit) whole dash came off. Got the truck back Saturday. A week goes by no issues ( i used the blower motor often) was at dads all weekend fired my truck up today and i got the exact same noise as before. So shut the truck off, told dad we spent a hr looking at sure enough same thing as last time. Right now running filter-less so the noise isnt as bad.

 

Before i had the dealership look at it and fix it (they claim roadent damage) that took a big chunk of money plus it didn't say about replacing the fan, which has spots on it

 

Ok i got a question how could the filter get sucked into the fan

2. Can one of yall post some pics of the filter setup so i can see what got torn up?

3. Whats the best course of action i need to do (pics will come soon) i just started a new job and cant take off work.

4. When we took the filter out there is an arrow pointing down is this correct.

 

I apologize for my post if its not easy to understand i am doing this on my phone.

[BlackHawkZ71]

Old pics..

 

New pics

[wuznme]

Looks like rodent to me, isn't that poop on the filter?

[O_J_Simpson]

Insurance claim time.

[BlackHawkZ71]

Looks like rodent to me, isn't that poop on the filter?

Nope, new one had plastic shavings on the filter

 

And both had the same marks (torn in center)

[BlackHawkZ71]

Check this out its a brand new 16 close to a year old, with less then 10k on her.

[Silverado Steve]

It takes a lot for the filter to get sucked in the fan. You sure you dont have another rodent problem?

[DirtyMarcus]

I'd say you got a rodent too. Those fans don't create enough suction to pull a filter into it and chew it up. Plus I think most "fans" are actually squirrel cages so they won't chop up the filter like that anyhow.

[BlackHawkZ71]

I am not trying to point fingers, etc or blame game just want some facts because for this to happen within a week Plus out of all my vehicles never had problems like this.

 

I am pretty sure its not rodent, not sure if my location matters but its central texas so we dont get snow or super cold weather. What's funny mom and dad doesn't have an issue, (both times i was at dads house) and they don't really drive on the weekend depending on what's going on.

 

the first filter had cut marks from the fan which is squirrel caged it also had marks on each of the blades as well. Based off my dad's knowledge a rodent will not eat each blade and with perfect cut lines

 

Second filter we pulled out had fan with arrow down (never moved it), and plastic (pieces, yes it wasnt rodent droppings all 3 of us had seen those before.)

 

Would it be worth calling my dealership that did the work or take old pieces with me and go to a different one. If the truck is at falt here i got hurt big time.

[Garykk]

That sure looks like rat damage to me. Those small pieces of plastic look like a rat chewing on the plastic. Do you park the truck outside? Out here folks do not leave their vehicles outside unless they leave the hood up or a bright light under the vehicle.

[BlackHawkZ71]

Yes truck gets parked outside,

[Silverado Steve]

There's about 2 inches of clearance between the filter and the fan if I remember right, and as someone mentioned a few posts up, the fan is a cage design, not a bladed fan like a ceiling fan. Second, the filter had hardened rails on it, so unless their is weight coming in from outside, it's pretty hard for the filter element to collapse. Just because you live in Central Texas doesn't mean you are immune to field mice, don't you have snakes out in your area? If you had rodents before and you park your truck outside, they are more inclined to come back. Replace the filter and duct tape a couple fresh dryer sheets to the underside of the hood and the plastic engine cover and see if anything changes. Dryer sheets are a nice deterrent to rodents, might even be worth adding one to the top side of your cabin filter, plus your car will have that fresh out of the dryer scent.

[BlackHawkZ71]

There's about 2 inches of clearance between the filter and the fan if I remember right, and as someone mentioned a few posts up, the fan is a cage design, not a bladed fan like a ceiling fan. Second, the filter had hardened rails on it, so unless their is weight coming in from outside, it's pretty hard for the filter element to collapse. Just because you live in Central Texas doesn't mean you are immune to field mice, don't you have snakes out in your area? If you had rodents before and you park your truck outside, they are more inclined to come back. Replace the filter and duct tape a couple fresh dryer sheets to the underside of the hood and the plastic engine cover and see if anything changes. Dryer sheets are a nice deterrent to rodents, might even be worth adding one to the top side of your cabin filter, plus your car will have that fresh out of the dryer scent.

See i posted it was squirrel caged im my post, I doubt it was rodents before, figued someone would be nice enough to post a nice filter box that isnt messed up all the rodent damage i heard about is barn kept never driven, or colder climates. And i just googled rodents will chew in random places and leave pills, the one in my new filter was plastic, also if rodent did spend that (friday-sunday) wouldn't it leave stuff that isn't plastic? plus my fan is worn down even on that back side. Cant tell if the whole fan is that way.

 

And both filters are the same way, torn up worse in the center,

 

Whats below the squirrel cage? I dont have access to a snake camera and doubt a phone will help, but i am missing a bar that goes across the top of the filter

 

Also have appt Saturday with dealership,

 

One more thing if rodents did use bathroom in my hvac wouldn't i smell it? I know for a fact i my air freshener has lost its smell. Been that way for a long time now.

[Silverado Steve]

Have you tried removing the housing cover under your dash to get to the fan. I think the fan is a twist in styles, so for it to be misaligned and working its way up into the filter housing, you would heard a very audible plastic grinding sound. I think you are underestimating the will power and ability of mice. They can burrow down into your winshield cowl and whenyour truck is park, work their way back into the hvac system and contiune chewing away.

 

Again, i really cant see how all of this could be attriubtuted to a misassembled hvac system. The system is bolted and clipped together. It would be very hard to either the fan to make contact with the filter and vice versa without there being obvious banging noises. There are probably plastic pieces and pieces of the filter that have fallen into the fan housing causing the noise you hear. I would pull the fan put from under the dash if you havent already.

 

See i posted it was squirrel caged im my post, I doubt it was rodents before, figued someone would be nice enough to post a nice filter box that isnt messed up all the rodent damage i heard about is barn kept never driven, or colder climates. And i just googled rodents will chew in random places and leave pills, the one in my new filter was plastic, also if rodent did spend that (friday-sunday) wouldn't it leave stuff that isn't plastic? plus my fan is worn down even on that back side. Cant tell if the whole fan is that way.

And both filters are the same way, torn up worse in the center,

Whats below the squirrel cage? I dont have access to a snake camera and doubt a phone will help, but i am missing a bar that goes across the top of the filter

Also have appt Saturday with dealership,

One more thing if rodents did use bathroom in my hvac wouldn't i smell it? I know for a fact i my air freshener has lost its smell. Been that way for a long time now.

[tnchevy]

I am also pretty sure that is rodent damage. I don't have problems with field mice because I leave the snakes be around my home but my company has a large fleet of trucks and we have dealt with similar rodent damage in the past. It does not take them long to do damage and once they find a home it is difficult to get them to go away. It is even worse when they die in the hvac system, that smell will last for years! I know you don't want to acknowledge it is rodent damage but that is what makes the most sense so I would start there.