Is there any trick to removing the entire dash pad on a '96? A mouse or something bigger (!) decided to die behind it and I've got to go in a bleach the $#@%^@%$ out of it so I can get rid of the smell. So far I have the radio removed, the inst cluster bezel (but not the cluster itself) and the thin pad over the passenger side, along with the glove box. I see some screws in the defroster ducts that blow up onto the windshield so I assume they come out next. Where to from there? TIA
Roger

 

If you mean the whole plastic dash unit, it's a real pain. It's easier to take it out with all the ductwork attached.
I'd take out the instruments, heater controls, ash tray, glove box, and see if you can find the offending critter.
Could the smell be coming from the heater box? You could take out the heater core to get in there...

 

If you really want to take out the dash assembly, there are several screws connecting it to the cast aluminum steering column support. One of them can only be accessed by dropping the column. There's a screw at each end, by the doors. Remove the kick panel trim to access those. The screws that you see in the defroster ducts by the windshield come out, and right next to each of those are screws going straight down that hold the defroster ductwork to the plastic dash. If you're taking the ductwork out with the dash, leave those in. The heater box in the cab is bolted to the blower box in the engine compartment, with the firewall in-between. There are 6 bolts to disconnect them, along with a lot of adhesive. 2 of those bolts are accessed behind a panel on the passenger side kick panel. The heater core has to be disconnected, as well as several vacuum lines and the blend door cable from the heater control. A lot of wiring supports have to be disconnected, and probably a bunch of other stuff I'm forgetting right now...

If you really want to leave the ductwork in place, then the other screws in the defroster ducts have to come out, several screws behind the small padded dash panel. You can see those in the bottom of the recesses once the padded panel is off. In the bottom of one of the recesses you'll see the wrong end of a screw. That one connects the plastic dash assembly to the heater box from the inside. To get at that one, you need to take the blower box in the engine compartment off. Then you can get to it through the firewall...

 

WoW...You weren't kidding when you said it was a PITA! I don't think I'm gonna go that route just to check for something that might not be there...I will say this-when I pulled the radio out, there was a MUCH stronger smell from right behind it. I washed as much as I could and the smell was a little better but certainly not gone. The I pulled the inst cluster bezel off and it seems to be located right behind there. The smell is really strong when I put my nose there. It got dark out when I was about to pull the actual cluster so I'll do that in the morning. Who knows what I'll find behind there but I hope its something. I know it isn't coming from the heater core b/c when I blast the fan, either hot or cold, there is no smell coming from the vents. So I'm inclined to say it is not in the ductwork or heater core plenum. What a pain this is...this truck used to smell new (never smoked in, never even ate food in it, for Pete's sake!) and now it smells like a septic tank. I really hope I find whatever it is tomorrow~
Thanks for the tutorial on dashpad removal, though. Man is that ever involved!
Roger