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Flash down the defrost duct
Hi All
On my recent Central Australia trip I put a flash drive on the top of the dash. Bad move. It got into the air duct that takes defrosting air to the windscreen ("defroster nozzle"). From the manual that seems to mean that it is now sitting in the "adaptor" which is under the defroster nozzle.
I seem to have 2 options:
*try to get in to the top of the adaptor by removing the defroster nozzle. This means dismantling most of the dash!
*try to get into the bottom of the adaptor which means removing the heater and cooler unit which means de-gassing the aircon.
Both of these seem to be a lot of work. (Unfortunately the flash drive has photos on it). Does anyone know a simpler way to get to it?
---
Alex X-740(c)
2002 ST, Auto, Blue, Bash plate, Suspension spacers, Cooper ATR/Dunlop Le Mans
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9/Sep/2009, 12:07 am
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Re: Flash down the defrost duct
See if you can pull one of your other grills (prefrably one that is close to where the flash drive dropped in) and see if you can fish it out through there.
All the ducts are connected and are only controlled at the heater box.
Either way, its still going to be fun.
Good luck.
--- Tony X-891c
2008 T31 St
HERE is my X Trail
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9/Sep/2009, 6:33 am
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Re: Flash down the defrost duct
Mate, as Tony said try and rip the vent cover off . Then I would be getting a short "snake" from your local hardware store or a friendly sparkie, and running it down the vent with some double sided tape or a big blob of blue tack on the end.
If your flash drive is metal try a "magnetic pick-up"
Will be a PIA but gotta be easier than dismantling the whole dash
Otherwise I would write those pics off
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Dave
02/T30 TI (C)
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9/Sep/2009, 7:08 am
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Re: Flash down the defrost duct
Alex,
You first need to determine its exact location and the way to do this is to remove the head-unit and gaining access to the duct adapter, if you're lucky and it is sitting in the middle of the main centre adapter you will have room to fish it out through one of the centre ducts feeding the 2 front air-con outlets, but if not, you gonna have to try and push it from the top to these ducts. You can try using compressed air pressure to push it across, that might be easier than sticking your hand in there.
Last edited by jalalski, 9/Sep/2009, 8:28 am
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9/Sep/2009, 8:27 am
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Re: Flash down the defrost duct
I wouldn't be using a magnet to try to retrieve it, unless you don't mind having a blank/empty flash drive 
I know magnetic media are prone to magnetic fields, but I'm not sure about solid-state media. I wouldn't want to be the one to find out, though!
--- Rich. X-013(c)
'04 S2 ST Auto. Nudge_roofracks_tow_tints_Lightforce_GME_BFG_TBS_home-made-bashplate_50mm-spacer-lift
Click here to see >300MB of photos and videos All For His Glory. |
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9/Sep/2009, 8:12 pm
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Re: Flash down the defrost duct
I once brought a flexible claw thing from super cheap some years ago ,to aid in loosing sockets in the engine bay and it was not magnetic but it sure was great to retrieve the sockets in the hardest of places!
Regards Scot
--- T31 Electric blue X-764(c) Style plates,LED kick plates and more! |
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10/Sep/2009, 9:19 am
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Re: Flash down the defrost duct
Open the clsoest vent and get a semi solid rod... (fibreglass or the like) and drop the big wad of bluetak or gum on it. A piece of smallish fencing wire with a shepards crook on the end is possbily better too, lets you get under it.
That should help fish it out for you. Just don't push it downward when trying to get a grip of it. Push it sideways against or under it.
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X-1316 (c)
Scareyann
Central Qld
2008 TS - Flint
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11/Sep/2009, 7:24 pm
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