Fatman

OK, I know this has been mentioned before (like here and here), but I'm having problems refitting the airbox after changing the air filter. Any tips, please?

I thought it would be a 5-min job. Well, I ran out of daylight and had to give up for the night.

I just don't seem to be able to get the airbox back on neatly with the filter in place. It fits back fine without the filter in place ( ), and I understand where the lower mounting clips are. But can I get the thing to re-mount with filter in place? (insert much swearing).

Any tips on getting the thing re-installed? I've removed the MAF plug, and have removed the rubber air hose (engine side), so the air box is free to move. Suggestions gratefully received.

Perhaps this is an obvious point, but I'll ask anyway. The mesh/logo side of the ITG is the engine side (i.e. the foam is outside). Right?

tweenierob

Mesh/logo should be facing upwards mate (lid side)
The sponge should be inserted into the airbox, the rubber seal on the filter should slot into the base of the airbox and the lid should then clamp down easily.

Rob

Turbo_Steve

Yup...foam on 'outside' facing down.
Mesh on the top.

is the rubber seal at the edge of the ITG all nice and snug up against the plastic of the bottom half of the airbox. So that it sits 'inside' the lip, with the plastic higher than the airfilter? If you see what I mean?

Fatman

Steve - yes I see exactly what you mean (well not see - it's dark out ) . Actually, the filter is not in the box. It's more on it. The filter doesn't seem to easily fit into the airbox. Should it fully be enclosed within the lower airbox? i.e. with the upper edge of the airbox higher than the upper surface (established to be mesh/logo side - thanks! ) of the filter ?

If that is the case - and the filter was simply not far enough into the airbox, that would explain the problem. I wouldn't have been able to refit the lid 'cos the filter itself was getting in the way. Does that sound about right?

[Edited by Fatman - 3/31/2003 9:46:36 PM]

ozzy

The filter overlaps the lower part of the air box. It's the lid that then overlaps that and makes the air-tight seal. If you take the lid off completely, you'll find the filter fits perfectly into that (mesh inside the top cover with the foam pointing out).

Have you remove the large air intake hose? It's much easier with that well out your way. Bugger to put back on, but it's worthwhile knowing the air box is on tight.

The air box cover has a row of clips along it's bottom (furthest part down towards engine), which need to be clipped in-place first before clipping the lid securely.

Stefan

Fatman

ozzy - yes, I did see that the filter fits neatly inside the lid. That's why I initially doubted that the filter would fit inside the airbox itself (since the lid fits over the airbox, it must be bigger). Are you saying that the filter fits partially within the airbox, or that it sits on it?

Yes, I have the engine-side hoses removed.

ozzy

From what I remember it's sits on the lip of the bottom cover, then the top fits snuggly over it. As long as the lid is secured tightly it won't be a problem.

The hassle is the ITG isn't perfectly rectangular compared to the OEM paper filter and makes it awkward to fit.

Stefan

Fatman

Yes, it's more awkward than the original paper filter 'cos it doesn't have a rigid frame.

Anyway - I'm pretty sure I tried fitting the filter as described (i.e. resting on lower airbox, mesh-side upwards), but w/o success. Whenever the upper edge was able to be clipped into place, the lower edge wouldn't be located properly.

I'll try again in the morning. Cheers for the tips!

ozzy

You need to make sure the bottom edge is clipped in first. Hook the bottom onto the clips, then tilt it 45 degrees and it should snap down in place ready for the metal clips.

The ITG will try to lift out when you push down the lower end, but just force the issue and it'll all lock in-place. One the top lid's on, the ITG will fit snugly in the top lid - just like you noticed.

Once you get the kanck, it's a piece of pi$$; trust me

Stefan

Fatman

Yeah, I'm sure once I've done it one time it'll be trivial to do again (in three years, or someone else's Scoob!).

Just like the parking lights (!). I changed the bulbs in the sidelights/parking lights last weekend. After unscrewing the mount on the headlight, getting out the lense on the first light was a complete ar$e. I didn't know else how it was mounted. Turned out to be a ball/socket mount. If only I'd known that before starting! The second bulb change took only 30 seconds. I'm sure any subsequent air filter change would be similar!

Perhaps I just wasn't being brutal enough forcing the filter into place between the airbox and lid. I was very concious of the reputation MAFs have for being fragile, so I was perhaps being too timid with applying force.

ozzy

So, now wouldn't be a good time to direct you to my sidelight fitting instructions on my website?

If you get the bottom clipped on first, then it'll just pivot and snap the top down in-place. I found the rubber rim on the ITG stuck out a little, but just coax in in a little and it'll close fine.

A little coaxing is all it needs. Don't reach for the 20lb mallet just yet

Cheers,
Stefan

[Edited by ozzy - 3/31/2003 10:50:28 PM]

Fatman

Er, no... it's OK I can see the funny side of that escapade now . Now, if I get the ITG sorted tomorrow morning - that'll be a prefect cue for someone else to come online and say "oh, I've got it all documented with pics HERE" (insert link).

Are you here already...? The soon-to-be-announced holder of the ITG Guide Website... lurking in the shadows of a corner of this thread? </chuckle>

There should be a FAQ section with a thread of links to decent guides to this sort of job. Simple jobs - y'know, once you've done it once it's easy. But getting it sorted the 1st time can be frustrating as h3ll.

Anyway - where's this guide of yours. I'd be interested to have a butcher's.

ozzy

My website

don't have pics uploaded yet though. I've got some brighter, whiter Philips bulbs in there, but my Dealer thought I'd want one yellow one back when it blew during it's service

Took some pics when I replaced it last week, but haven't added them to the site yet.

Stefan

Fatman

<off-topic>
I was disappointed with the Blue Vision bulbs. They still look too yellow (in the context of HID Morettes). You mention that the glass of the lenses is coloured. Do you know is clear/crystal sidelight lenses are available?
</off-topic>

ozzy

No, I haven't found any yet. There was a bit of discussion about this months back. As far as everyone knew, no-one makes these. Paul & TSL said he would look into the cost of doing a small production run, but nothing came of it.

If you could make them cheaply, I think they'd sell pretty well. Match them to some morettes and they sell like hot cakes.

To be honest, when I had one bluevision and one nasty yellow OEM one, it looked as white as snow in comparison. I think I wrote that after I changed them both and just couldn't compare the two next to each other.

Stefan

[Edited by ozzy - 3/31/2003 11:16:34 PM]

Fatman

It is strange that nobody does clear sidelight lenses. After all, clear indicators and side repeaters are very popular. Then again - those probably sell in greater volumes. To appreciate a sidelight modification, you'd have to already have done an expensive headlight mod. Indicators/side-repeaters are somewhat cheaper!

If crystal clear sidelights were available - I'd have some. Ditto dual-HID Morettes. Why isn't the main-beam lamp HID as well?

[Edited by Fatman - 3/31/2003 11:31:56 PM]

Fatman

Sorted! Thanks to Ozzy, Steve and Rob - plus Jon on the other thread.

All it took was some tips off Scoobynet and some daylight, and it was done'n'dusted inside of 2 minutes.