With so much rodent infestation, it's almost a sure bet that they've been chewing on the wiring some place or other.
Rodents in HVAC
Thread Starter
7th Gear
Joined: Jan 2025
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Rodents in HVAC
It's a sad day to start 2025. I collected my C6 from storage a few days ago after 6 years, and find that mice have been using it as a home for some extended portion of that time. I've been cleaning up the mess in the interior and engine bay, and thinking maybe it was so bad, but I just pulled thr cabin air filter and the box behind it was(is) full of shredded carpet padding and some red fiber material. I've looked at some links from this forum on removing the dash, and some assembly drawing on GMPartsDirect.com, but am still trying to figure out what I need to do to clear all debris from thr cabin air & hvac system. Thankfully, the ignition has ony been on long enough to get the windows re-indexed, and the climate control/fans have not run at all. I tried to search this topic, but didn’t find anything. If anyone can point me to a thread, or YouTube video, or provide any other guidance, it would be greatly appreciated.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 2,516
Likes: 1,167
From: Northern Wisconsin
Maybe all you need to do to clean this mess up is remove the HVAC fan. Once the fan is out you should have pretty good access. It's a good place to start, anyway. I have never removed the fan, but understand it is a very easy job. If you search around here and on YouTube, you should be able to find info on how to do it.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,492
Likes: 808
From: West coast CA
It's a sad day to start 2025. I collected my C6 from storage a few days ago after 6 years, and find that mice have been using it as a home for some extended portion of that time. I've been cleaning up the mess in the interior and engine bay, and thinking maybe it was so bad, but I just pulled thr cabin air filter and the box behind it was(is) full of shredded carpet padding and some red fiber material. I've looked at some links from this forum on removing the dash, and some assembly drawing on GMPartsDirect.com, but am still trying to figure out what I need to do to clear all debris from thr cabin air & hvac system. Thankfully, the ignition has ony been on long enough to get the windows re-indexed, and the climate control/fans have not run at all. I tried to search this topic, but didn’t find anything. If anyone can point me to a thread, or YouTube video, or provide any other guidance, it would be greatly appreciated.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 3,029
Likes: 794
From: Tollesboro Kentucky
I would do as suggested above.Should be limited to the fan motor and surrounding area.I would clean everything I could and then use a shop vac to reach all points possible before trying it.Shouldn't be anything past the heater and evaporator core so I wouldn't think about removing the dash yet.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 1,775
Likes: 669
Mice can cause tremendous damage, especially to wiring.
Retired & lovin' it!
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 4,475
Likes: 549
From: Jackson NJ
Thread Starter
7th Gear
Joined: Jan 2025
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
The car was in a warehouse that used to have cats and people working - not many people these days and I have no idea how long it has been without the cats. No sign or wiring damage yet - ignition on is good, lights, doors, windows, radio work, and I fired the engine for.a couple of revs. The HVAC has not been on yet.
You were right, there was a ton of debris from the cowl and cabin filter down to the fan basket. I think I have this all cleaned up. There was some dust and smaller debris like seeds that got through the fan basket. I was able to clean this up around the bottom surface of the blower housing. But, the blower exit duct had a little dust and debris - it heads towards the car centerline and a little bit down hill. I grabbed a bore scope with video head to snake in there this afternoon and see what it looks like. I am also going to pick up some small diameter shop vac hose to try and snake in there. I do have a few questions though - as ussual, any ideas would be appreciated!
1. Other than fan housing exit duct that I am working on, are there any other passages upstream of the fan that mice could have gotten into? I now know the housing above the blower is the recirculation chamber - are there any ducts here to be worried about? I am hoping the fan exit duxt is the only passage and there isn't a mess somewhere else in the system.
2. Does the fan exit duct just lead to the face of the heater core? Is the AC core in series with heater core, or is it also fed directly from the fan exit? I am hoping that whatever debris have gone down the fan exit that I can't get out won't be a problem living in the bottom row of the heater core for eternity.... i.e. no roasting mouse poop everytime the heat is on.
2. I have the GM workshop service manual and the parts BOM, but wondering if there are any diagrams of how the air is ducted through the system. If there is, please send me a link.
You were right, there was a ton of debris from the cowl and cabin filter down to the fan basket. I think I have this all cleaned up. There was some dust and smaller debris like seeds that got through the fan basket. I was able to clean this up around the bottom surface of the blower housing. But, the blower exit duct had a little dust and debris - it heads towards the car centerline and a little bit down hill. I grabbed a bore scope with video head to snake in there this afternoon and see what it looks like. I am also going to pick up some small diameter shop vac hose to try and snake in there. I do have a few questions though - as ussual, any ideas would be appreciated!
1. Other than fan housing exit duct that I am working on, are there any other passages upstream of the fan that mice could have gotten into? I now know the housing above the blower is the recirculation chamber - are there any ducts here to be worried about? I am hoping the fan exit duxt is the only passage and there isn't a mess somewhere else in the system.
2. Does the fan exit duct just lead to the face of the heater core? Is the AC core in series with heater core, or is it also fed directly from the fan exit? I am hoping that whatever debris have gone down the fan exit that I can't get out won't be a problem living in the bottom row of the heater core for eternity.... i.e. no roasting mouse poop everytime the heat is on.
2. I have the GM workshop service manual and the parts BOM, but wondering if there are any diagrams of how the air is ducted through the system. If there is, please send me a link.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,492
Likes: 808
From: West coast CA
The car was in a warehouse that used to have cats and people working - not many people these days and I have no idea how long it has been without the cats. No sign or wiring damage yet - ignition on is good, lights, doors, windows, radio work, and I fired the engine for.a couple of revs. The HVAC has not been on yet.
You were right, there was a ton of debris from the cowl and cabin filter down to the fan basket. I think I have this all cleaned up. There was some dust and smaller debris like seeds that got through the fan basket. I was able to clean this up around the bottom surface of the blower housing. But, the blower exit duct had a little dust and debris - it heads towards the car centerline and a little bit down hill. I grabbed a bore scope with video head to snake in there this afternoon and see what it looks like. I am also going to pick up some small diameter shop vac hose to try and snake in there. I do have a few questions though - as ussual, any ideas would be appreciated!
1. Other than fan housing exit duct that I am working on, are there any other passages upstream of the fan that mice could have gotten into? I now know the housing above the blower is the recirculation chamber - are there any ducts here to be worried about? I am hoping the fan exit duxt is the only passage and there isn't a mess somewhere else in the system.
2. Does the fan exit duct just lead to the face of the heater core? Is the AC core in series with heater core, or is it also fed directly from the fan exit? I am hoping that whatever debris have gone down the fan exit that I can't get out won't be a problem living in the bottom row of the heater core for eternity.... i.e. no roasting mouse poop everytime the heat is on.
2. I have the GM workshop service manual and the parts BOM, but wondering if there are any diagrams of how the air is ducted through the system. If there is, please send me a link.
You were right, there was a ton of debris from the cowl and cabin filter down to the fan basket. I think I have this all cleaned up. There was some dust and smaller debris like seeds that got through the fan basket. I was able to clean this up around the bottom surface of the blower housing. But, the blower exit duct had a little dust and debris - it heads towards the car centerline and a little bit down hill. I grabbed a bore scope with video head to snake in there this afternoon and see what it looks like. I am also going to pick up some small diameter shop vac hose to try and snake in there. I do have a few questions though - as ussual, any ideas would be appreciated!
1. Other than fan housing exit duct that I am working on, are there any other passages upstream of the fan that mice could have gotten into? I now know the housing above the blower is the recirculation chamber - are there any ducts here to be worried about? I am hoping the fan exit duxt is the only passage and there isn't a mess somewhere else in the system.
2. Does the fan exit duct just lead to the face of the heater core? Is the AC core in series with heater core, or is it also fed directly from the fan exit? I am hoping that whatever debris have gone down the fan exit that I can't get out won't be a problem living in the bottom row of the heater core for eternity.... i.e. no roasting mouse poop everytime the heat is on.
2. I have the GM workshop service manual and the parts BOM, but wondering if there are any diagrams of how the air is ducted through the system. If there is, please send me a link.
You should be good if you can clean up the space between the fan and the evaporator.
