1987 Carrera air box clips - fabrication advice?

Tony Carrera · Tony Carrera's Garage

The plastic on the engine side is broken where the clips go. Any suggestions for fabricating a solution to this rather than spending a ton of money on a new part? The first picture is the worst of the two broken ones, the second picture is what it's supposed to look like, picture three shows the clipping issue and the fourth picture is the box in it's entirety. Thanks for any help you can give.

mkc1962 · mkc1962's Garage

Ive had similar happen in a like situation. I would suggest you find a hard piece of plastic like lexan, using a heat gun bend said piece into a 90 deg angle. or even a small piece of aluminum angle would work. Pop rivet this 90 deg bent piece to where the old hasp holder used to be. As for the back side where the filter seals. Hard to tell unless in hand if it would still seal or not. If not you could use any form of sealer to make up the gap. JB weld, silicone anything that will dry sort of firm and hold in place. IF your finicky about appearance paint the repair work flat black. Hope this helps, worked for me.

Wil Ferch · 02-12-2011, 04:38 PM

I've had poor luck with glues for plastics like this. Maybe post a want-ad for a used piece, as some guys buy cone filters.

You don't say how this happened, but I will guess the awkward access to the clips. Once you fix this to you satisfaction, consider creating a "Cup" lid, by cutting-back and sectioning the lid cover such that only a small band holds the filter in-place. Once you do this, you have plenty of room for clip access.

See my photos in this thread, post #12---> http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/589282-85-carrera-air-filter.html

kanadary · 02-12-2011, 04:58 PM

Wil i was thinking of doing this to my housing as well. i heard the sound of the engine or intake is louder, true?

88911coupe · 02-12-2011, 06:51 PM

I used old coat hanger bent into a hook shape and glued it in with JB Weld. worked like a charm.

Hodgey · Hodgey's Garage

I used an asp from Lowes that is like a hook for a picture frame.......drilled the air box, bolted it up and it's spot on!!!!

dshepp806 · dshepp806's Garage

I'd be very careful adding hardware of nay kind to remedy the situation..be hell to pay should something vibrate loose over time,...then head into the intake.......

I'm gonna replace mine, as she has one broken locking tab. I MAY try the epoxy route first,....see if it holds. Price , even from dealer, with the PCA discount wasn't ALL that insulting.

Doyle

No hardware addition approaches (for me).

Wil Ferch · 02-13-2011, 05:15 AM

Reports say that the "Cup" mod increases inrush of air sound awareness. I guess to a degree that is true but I would say not to any objectionable level. I've run mine so long like that with a modded stock muffler ( 2-out) , that I have more rumble from a number of sources...hard to tell. I would say not an issue.

I agree that the "fix" mod with rivets are such would probably be most effective and sure. Lots of people like JB Weld but I've found it sometimes to come "off" of plastic as a hard sheet.

Hendog · 02-13-2011, 08:30 AM

I have a fix for this. I'll see if I can find pictures I took and get back to you.

Hendog · 02-13-2011, 09:26 AM

I used a Stainless steel rod obtained from a discarded piece of 2way radio antenna whip. A coat hangar rod would be to thick and would rust. I'll let the pictures tell the story.

Tony Carrera · Tony Carrera's Garage

Sorry it took so long to upload these photos to complete this thread. With the help of my dad, I fabricated a hook of sorts out of steel, drilled holes through it and riveted it to the air box. I think the riveting is important since this is a doorway to the inside of the engine. If you use nuts and washers, you're just asking for those to vibrate loose over time and fall into the intake unless you epoxy them or something. This is not a perfect solution, as I'm sure drilling holes in the box makes it loose it's air tightness, but I didn't have enough material to work with to do something like with that metal bar that hendog used. Anyway, things are working just fine for now and it's been nearly a year.

brcorp · brcorp's Garage

Tony,

I did something similar to your fix but failed to take pictures! I used screws, nylock nuts and picture hangers but essentially the same idea. Make sure you pop out heads from the pop rivets in the event they didn't come out when you put them in. You don't want them vibrating out and getting sucked into the engine.

dshepp806 · dshepp806's Garage

Hendog: GREAT FIX,.....way safe, too (no way am I gonna' put ANY metal up there,..Murphy lives nearby). WAY COOL,..gonna have to try that!

I've had repeated attempts FAIL as far as glues or plastic weld...trying to reattach the broken off piece.....just wouldn't stay over the long haul........however, I've not tried JB Weld,..maybe THAT'S the ticket...along with the steel piece......

THANKS!

Doyle

dshepp806 · dshepp806's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony Carrera

Sorry it took so long to upload these photos to complete this thread. With the help of my dad, I fabricated a hook of sorts out of steel, drilled holes through it and riveted it to the air box. I think the riveting is important since this is a doorway to the inside of the engine. If you use nuts and washers, you're just asking for those to vibrate loose over time and fall into the intake unless you epoxy them or something. This is not a perfect solution, as I'm sure drilling holes in the box makes it loose it's air tightness, but I didn't have enough material to work with to do something like with that metal bar that hendog used. Anyway, things are working just fine for now and it's been nearly a year.

that last pic looks OMINOUS!!!!!!!!!!! The dreaded door!!!!!!!!!

My break wasn't as clean as Hendogs but I think I've enough to drill into (although, not much)...looks like JB weld is the ticket,.....I'll be sure to clean/rough up the area...

So simple...great save, Hendog. I just prefer to keep her stock.

Thanks, again.

Doyle