|
|
|
|
| Author |
|
|
Registered
|
Airbox cracked, what is the best way to fix it?
The air box on my 1984 Targa is cracked, what is the best way to repair?
It looks like the PO tried to repair it, but it did not last....  
Last edited by ErrorMargin; 01-14-2023 at 08:38 PM.. |
||
01-14-2023, 08:34 PM
|
|
|
PCA Member since 1988
|
That's why you should replace it. And make sure it has the pop-off valve installed.
__________________
1973.5 911T with RoW 1980 SC CIS stroked to 3.2, 10:1 Mahle Sport p/c's, TBC exhaust ports, M1 cams, SSI's. RSR bushings & adj spring plates, Koni Sports, 21/26mm T-bars, stock swaybars, 16x7 Fuchs w Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+, 205/55-16 at all 4 corners. Cars are for driving. If you want art, get something you can hang on the wall! |
||
|
01-14-2023, 08:42 PM
|
|
|
Diss Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: SC - (Aiken in the 'other' SC)
Posts: 5,020
|
Quote:
You can't reliably glue/bond a butt joint crack. And the plastic of the airbox appeases to be a glass reinforced plastic. You need to drill the end of the crack to stop it and then taper grind each side of the crack to increase the surface area for any bond and to make the bond loaded in shear instead of in tension. When you find an bonding agent that works with the plastic that the airbox is made from, I'd reinforce the joint with fiberglass. When working with structural fiberglass repair (as an example) the standard method is to grind a very very wide 'valley' so you are gradually transferring the load from the original material to the patching adhesive. The rule of thumb is a 10 to 1 or 12 to 1 slope. So fore example if you are working with an 1/8" thick part you would taper it over 1.25" to 1.5". (10/8ths to 12/8ths) I think this is probably overkill for the airbox as the stresses there are vibration and the simple load of the latch clamps. I think that simply thinning it over the width of your thumb, wetting it with adhesive, laying in some fine fiberglass cloth tape, and then wetting and covering it should do the job. The big job: Find out exactly what flavor of plastic it's made of and select something designed to bond specifically with it. Simply selecting a "plastic glue" will not cut it. You can make a pretty good estimation of what type of plastic it is with a really good soldering iron that has good temperature control. Finding out exactly what the melting point of the plastic will zero you in on what it is.
__________________
- "Speed kills! How fast do you want to go?" - anon. - "If More is better then Too Much is just right!!!" - Mad Mac Durgeloh -- Wayne - 87 Carrera coupe -> The pooch. |
||
|
01-14-2023, 09:22 PM
|
|
84 Targa
Lemons Race Car
