Vent removal on my 360....

I am looking to remove the tar crap from a couple of vents. My manual disc has gone on the fritz so I don't have any way of looking up how to take them out. Can someone point me in the right direction.

Cheers~

Bill

 

Okay, I'm on it.

Are the clips at 12, 3, 6 and 9 O'clock?

 

Okay, I figured it all out. To remove the vents you must insert a very small, thin screw driver (you'll need at least two) under the vent ring at 11:30, 1:30, 3:30 and 8:30 position. You can see the tabs if you have a flashlight and look closely inside the vent. They actually come off pretty easy and are tougher than they look, but don't blame me if you muscle them into submission and break it. You shouldn't even attempt this task unless you are retarded to begin with, so proceed at YOUR own risk. I planned to buy new ones if they busted anyway so I really didn't care one way or the other, and I suggest you have the same thought process or stick with the sticky.

After removing them, I tried Goof-off, and several other chemicals to no reasonable avail. The only thing that worked, rubbing alcohol, and it worked like damn magic. I sanded down mine as they were really scuffed up and even chipped--I have no idea why. I started with 200, 600 then 1200, then I went to a rotary buffer (the tiny one you see in the pics running on air and some Griot's to get rid of the hairlines). They turned out really nice. I prefer them shiny anyways.

Putting them back in is the real beach. You have to align the vent door (it obstructs the flow of air; either letting it pass or shutting it down completely) with the teeth of the wheel that controls the door (located on the bottom of the vent hole). You must align the teeth with the vent ring and the wheel at the appropriate interval of the door wheel or it will not work (then you remove it and do it again). I strongly suggest marking the vent ring and the dash with some tape so you remember exactly where you took it off. In fact, I'd open it all the way then remove the vent ring so you know where it needs to be. This is a pain in the butt, no question.

Once you remove these, you can do it in your sleep. Pics attached...
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I sure needed it.

 

Thanks guys.

 

Yes, I saw where it can be separated, but didn't need to to get the job done. I prefer leaving it as one piece as it's easier to handle. I was hoping to remove the entire vent mechanism, but it wasn't necessary--again, a want. If I dig into something, I want it all out.

Once they are out, you can paint them any color you like. I just can't see paint holding up to any finger nail slip so chose not to paint. Being polished plastic, it can't be easily scratched or anything melt in the Texas heat. I was hoping to replicate the aluminum ones some time ago, but lost patience with incompetent manufacturers. Strangely, a friend tells me he can make them in Vietnam. Whatever.

I do recommend doing it, but you need some patience, as with anything on these cars.

I am looking to acquire some decals for the arrows and may consider other colors besides white.

 

I'll take a better pic of mine as they turned out really nice. The pic I posted is kinda' bunk.