Hey everyone -

I figure I'm allowed a noobish question every now and again .

I'm wanting to remove the center AC vents that are above the stereo to work on a custom mount for my PFC Commander. It's not covered in the shop manual, and I don't want to try and he-man pry them out - that's not something you do on an FD interior .

Anyhow, anyone removed them before? Hidden screws? Remove entire dash?

Thanks,
Dale

 

i am also wondering this. i was wondering if anyone has ever put a custom 2 gauge pod there... seems like a perfect spot!

 

Dale, I think you have to behind the dash to get out the piece.. I'll try to take some pics for ya. I have a dash thats out of the car.

 

They are metal clips behind the vent, on top and below, that you have to screw out. Last time I looked, think you have to pull the dash out to take that vent out properly, without breaking anything.
Take out the a/c console and try and look /feel under the vent and you will feel the bottom clips.

 

I can see it now..."careful...careful...*snap* G DAMNIT!"

 

There's a little metal bracket behind the vent. I don't remember but, you may be able to get to it after removing the radio, a/c panel.............Oops, someone beat me to it

 

and to get the ac/radio panel off the gauge hood has to come off right... just two screws underneath to do that?

 

lol! SO true! I think every one of us has been here before!

And the breakage is usually followed by a sort of half-hearted, semi-hopeful "Well....maybe it isn't TOO bad...." which is followed by a sigh of, "Well ****....wonder if Ray has this in stock...?"

 

Dale - it is REALLY disconcerting to us when one of the FD Overlords doesn't know instinctively what to do. It....kind of fucked me up to see your post. I had to rush outside and see if the sun still rose in the east....

 

Dale,
You do need to remove the instrument hood then AC/Radio panel to unscrew the center vent. I have a new vent to install and "discovered" this while I was yanking out my interior to track a short.

 

If I remember correctly, two at the bottom of the instrument cluster (remove steering column plastics so cluster plastic can clear when coming out). Remove a-pillar panel.

 

I did the writeup on removing the instrument cluster and radio surround, so I got that one covered .

Phil, if you get a chance and can take some pics of how it's fastened on the spare dash, I'd REALLY appreciate it.

Hey, I'm allowed newbie questions every now and again . Believe it or not, I'm still learning FD's!

Dale

 

You also have to remove the center channel cover to get access to the top screw. Its a real bitch to get at. I just got pissed off and broke it out of there and bought a new one. When I got the new one I just unscrewed the bracket and slipped it in. I don't know why Mazda had to screw it in when it just sits in there nicely.

R.K.