Dirt & Dust from A/C

First time really using the A/C in my new to me Taco (2003) and when I went to turn on the A/C I got showered with dirt and dust with my eyes taking the initial burst of debris. I decided to run my HEPA purifier from the house inside the vehicle with the A/C full blast. I managed to collect a decent amount of filth with that...however there seems to be a near limitless supply of debris inside my Taco with the majority that shoots out in the first few seconds everytime I turn on the A/C.
Is there a fix for this? Do I need to get it serviced somewhere? Can I attack my A/C with a can of compressed air and a vacuum cleaner to remedy the problem?

 

I'd like to know the answer too, my ducts are pretty bad too

 

I usually just cycle through all the vent modes on full blast whenever I clean the inside of my truck out, don't think theres really anyway to avoid it because the main vents to pull air are subject to dust

 

Would of been nice if we had a cabin filter on these trucks. At least then you could filter some of the dust coming in. I have to drive down dirt roads all the time here at work and the inside of my truck stays smelling like dust even though I clean it all the time. Have to constantly wipe the dash down.

 

I went nose down into a dune at pismo in my 2002 and had sand comin out the vents for quite some time

 

I read on some other forum where people made a makeshift cabin filter for the 1st gens ( ) and thought that I might be able to clean it up on my own, but evidently I can't figure out where to begin.

 

I dropped squirrel cage and use air. Also can shoot air in vents. In my first gen., most dirt and grime in heater box. Wear a mask,you might be amazed!

 

What's the squirrel cage?

 

On my truck(1st. gen), there are 3 torx screws into bottom of heater box. Located behind glove box. Take them out and a round cage with fins pulls down and out. Usually find greasy dust and occasionally acorn pieces,small sticks,fuzz. If your blower makes vibrating noise,this will fix that also. Not sure if 03 is the same. Maybe someone else will chime in on that.

 

Does anybody or would anybody be willing to take some photos of this next time they do it? Seems like an easy fix, but I just don't want to dismantle anything I'm not suppose to take apart. After dropping the g. box, there was a bracket with 3 screws that I unscrewed, then it looked like some wiring that could be vital to the truck...didn't want to touch that in case it was for the airbag. I did pull and clean a plastic air tube that I'm guessing ran the airflow to either the center console or to the passenger side.

 

I will take a couple for you. I have whole system in garage/shop. Did you take screws out that you could see in front? The 3 torx screws are on bottom. You almost have to be on your back to look up at them.

 

Best I can do. Hope this helps you.
[/url [/url [/url [/url [/url http://www.tacomaworld.com/gallery
/data/500/medium/20140328_131509.jpg Just disconnect wire on bottom of the cage housing.

 

Thanks a million
might see if I can try this now

 

Does that turbine looking part move at all? I get a sound coming from the passenger side of the dash that has me curious. It almost sounds like a multi disc CD player that's changing cd's if you can imagine that. Or like a mouse is messing around in there (it's not a mouse). Definitely something in there that sounds like it's trying to adjust.

 

Oh Wow, it was packed with leaves and debris!
Thanks again for the instructions. I would've taken some photos, but my hands were to filthy to grab my phone.

 

Pretty cool,huh. And to answer trapper. It could be related because there is like a trap door sometimes get held open with crude. You can here it flutter a little even when the blower isn't on . It's super easy to do,try it can't hurt. You can also clip an air freshener in front of housing where felt intake is. You can see it in my pic. It's super dirty looking in pic

 

You can see the felt in second pic in the elbow curve
oh yeah, that turbine spins and blows air threw system.

 

So I was wondering, is there an air intake under the hood where the "fresh" air enters the vehicle? The reason I ask, in my other car I have an air filter that I have cut and bound around the air intake with a dryer clamp that filters out pollen and other debris...and I would like to do the same for the Taco.

 

Take air filter out. Look at intake coming from passenger side. It turns toward back and bolts above plastic over wheel. Thats where the mice get in. I just balled up small piece of 1/4 inch wire to keep critters out of box. I didn't want to restrict air flow.

 

why can't I open the images?