air filter problem

[Matt7084]

Hi

Im replacing the stock air filter on my 86 911 Coupe. Can this be done without dropping the engine??

There are 4 clips on the airbox, 3 of them can be unclipped, theres no way I can reach to the 4th clip, and with only 3 unclipped there isnt really enough room to pull off the one half of the airbox enough to pull out the airfilter and replace it.

Thanks - matt

[Jeff]

Matt, spray your forearm with WD40 and squeeze it in between the hood hinge and the air box.

[goat]

spam works well too.
Seriously it is a tough one to get to, and after you have done it a couple times its not a big deal and can be done by finger tip.

[ChrisBennet]

If you're lucky that rear bottom one will break off freeing from worrying about it in the future.
-Chris

[Wil Ferch]

Mod the box by cutting the front half almost completely off...leaving a "band" that holds the filter in-place.
- mimics the "cup" filter housing
- allows visual and tactile access to all 4 clips.
- cleans up the right side of the engine compartment to get to oil filter and valves covers easier.
- allows easy access to the top adjustment knob of my Koni's

---Wil Ferch

[Matt7084]

ok amazingly enough it did seem to come off, not break, but absolutely forget putting it back on, the three other clamps should do fine (i hope?).

if its an indication as to how big my hands and forearms are, i wear 14 shoes, weigh about 200 and can do 15 pullups.

seems to be in order now though.

As for replacing the fuel filter now, is this easier/best done with the engine dropped? and will gasoline spill everywhere when I pull it? (ok im looking for a reason to drop the engine...just to look at it maybe?)

-matt

[triwave]

I just encountered the same access problem, but between the a/c hoses, oil lines, and hood hinges I can't get my arm far enough back to get to the clip. I have an '86 also and aren't that big a guy - maybe mine is located slightly different but between hinge and box as CUL8TR suggests there is only about an inch ...

... anybody else still have problems or come up with a nifty solution? I've been trying to access the 4th clip by coming up under the airbox.

[jester911]

If you stick your arm in the engine bay on the left side of the fuel injection etc and reach all the way around the back side you can reach it.

Some guys have posted here that they attach a zip tie to the latch to shorten the reach.

[toolman]

I just have my wife stick her little "baby arm" back there to do it.

[triwave]

I guess I'll try the reach around today, getting the wife to help is not a viable option - she hates my car! I think Jerry is suggesting on the top engine bay, to the left of the mass flow sensor section, otherwise from the left side of the engine bay seems a pretty long arm Cheers!

[triwave]

I ended up squeezing and pushing with a slick arm and was able to undo the hook. I added a zip tie after I had it off and managed to get it back on also. Hope I don't put on any weight or this procedure will get alot tougher in the future Thanks for the advice, knowing others had done it this way encouraged me to push and squeeze harder than I originally tried.

[North Coast Cab]

Did you remove the oil filter?

John

[triwave]

No, I left the oil filter in place, but that wasn't really blocking access the way I was trying to get in. I was squeezing my arm between the airbox and the lid hinge, not so close to the fender side.

[juanbenae]

big ol strappein lad eh? you could never get around a SC compartment if the carrera is tough

[Wil Ferch]

Triwave sez

... anybody else still have problems or come up with a nifty solution? I've been trying to access the 4th clip by coming up under the airbox.


__________________

See my post above... a no-brainer....

---Wil