Air-box cracked, do I need a new one?

[NickT]

I was doing some work on my car today and on removing my air-box I noticed that the no.6 inlet is cracked! It looks to me like a garage must have glued it together in the past but it has come apart and cracked further. I've owned the car for 4 years and the last time I took the airbox completely off was a few years back now and it wasn't cracked then. The crack stops just over the top of the inlet so it is almost impossible to see with the airbox in place. Is it common for the air-box to split like this?

This is what it looks like:



The ideal solution would be to get a new air-box but I can't afford a ACT one at the moment after some already hefty bills on the car and it looks like standard ones are more expensive than I thought as well (£575!?).

Can I clean up the old glue and Araldite it back together? Is this going to be a problem? I worried about unfiltered air and debris getting into the engine and causing problems (I've read about the rivets on the airbox being a concern so having a gaping hole in the back of the airbox is quite worrying!). Would I also be loosing performance?

I also noticed that the bottom part of the air-box has a couple of holes in it leading just into the engine bay which I wouldn't have expected to see. Is this normal (see photo below with red arrows pointing to holes)?



I've also noticed what looks like oil in my air-filter (see photo below). The rubber around the edge is also splitting on the air-filter. Should I get a new one? I had a 12k service only 5k miles ago and I was billed for a new filter then. Is it worth getting the Pipercross upgraded one available from Racing Green for £40?

[Targarama]

Holes in the back of the airbox are normal. The air filter is very heavily oiled, but yours looks past its sell by date to me - IMHO unless you've just driven around the world I don't think it has been replaced in a while.

Hopefully someone who has replaced their airbox with an ACT one can sell you theirs.

[tail slide]

I was keeping my standard one after replacing with ACT just in case, but if you'd like to PM me an offer, no point it sitting there for years!

[Zippee]

Targarama said:

- IMHO unless you've just driven around the world I don't think it has been replaced in a while.

That would be my impression as well, especially given the deterioration of the rubber edges! I remember a small (but supposedly well respected) indie near me that used to service my old Chim would bill for all parts on a 12k service. Cue an MOT tester during a chat about the car a few months later pointing out a very crusty air filter and an even older (and very clogged) fuel filter.
Needless to say I now go elsewhere!

[tail slide]

Targarama said:

Holes in the back of the airbox are normal.

It was explained to me that the holes are to ensure the engine can keep running slowly if you have to go through deep water, without sucking water up the large pipe.

[BGB autosport]

tail slide said:

Targarama said:

Holes in the back of the airbox are normal.

It was explained to me that the holes are to ensure the engine can keep running slowly if you have to go through deep water, without sucking water up the large pipe.

Mine looked very badly cut so presumed someone cut them to try and increase induction noise, best uncover them as that makes good sense!

[NickT]

BGB autosport said:

tail slide said:

Targarama said:

Holes in the back of the airbox are normal.

It was explained to me that the holes are to ensure the engine can keep running slowly if you have to go through deep water, without sucking water up the large pipe.

Mine looked very badly cut so presumed someone cut them to try and increase induction noise, best uncover them as that makes good sense!

That does make sense, thanks for clearing that up. I've always worried about going through water in the car knowing the air intake is on the underside.

[NickT]

Zippee said:

Targarama said:

- IMHO unless you've just driven around the world I don't think it has been replaced in a while.

That would be my impression as well, especially given the deterioration of the rubber edges! I remember a small (but supposedly well respected) indie near me that used to service my old Chim would bill for all parts on a 12k service. Cue an MOT tester during a chat about the car a few months later pointing out a very crusty air filter and an even older (and very clogged) fuel filter.
Needless to say I now go elsewhere!

I've only done 5k miles since my 12k mile service where the filter was said to be changed but my car has had a lot of work done on it since then. Since the service the car has been off of the road for almost 18 months having bodywork done on it as well as having the engine out for some work as well. The car has had the oil tank removed a number of times and probably more oil changes in the last year or so than most cars get in a lifetime. Could the oil in the filter come from the oil tank breather hose? I've never overfilled the oil but I have been doing airfield driver training days and sprint courses around cones, could this cause enough movement to force oil up the breather hose and into the air filter?

TVR Power carried out the 12k mile service so I'd be suprised if they didn't change it!

[tail slide]

NickT said:

I've never overfilled the oil but I have been doing airfield driver training days and sprint courses around cones, could this cause enough movement to force oil up the breather hose and into the air filter?

Yes that would do it! Unfortunately oil does get sucked out on long corners if right on the limit on track, unless 1/2 full on dipstick or less.

[NickT]

tail slide said:

NickT said:

I've never overfilled the oil but I have been doing airfield driver training days and sprint courses around cones, could this cause enough movement to force oil up the breather hose and into the air filter?

Yes that would do it! Unfortunately oil does get sucked out on long corners if right on the limit on track, unless 1/2 full on dipstick or less.

That may well be my problem then. I have been doing a lot of hard cornering on an airfield and always worried about oil level so it is always on the max mark. Are there baffles in the oil tank which stop the oil moving about under cornering?

I've sent you an email by the way Paul.

[tuscan_al]

tail slide said:

Targarama said:

Holes in the back of the airbox are normal.

It was explained to me that the holes are to ensure the engine can keep running slowly if you have to go through deep water, without sucking water up the large pipe.

I'm laughing my tits off at that, people in here wont even take it out in the wet, let along drive it through a ford. Would need some serious water to get up the 5 inch dia pipe and then its on the dirty side of the filter. Dont have the holes on my one, and am surprised by them to be honest. Will look at some other cars and ask at RG when I'm there this week. If it was the case too, would the nice shiny carbon fibre ones like some holes drilled in them by me

Edited by tuscan_al on Monday 18th May 16:56

[NickT]

tuscan_al said:

tail slide said:

Targarama said:

Holes in the back of the airbox are normal.

It was explained to me that the holes are to ensure the engine can keep running slowly if you have to go through deep water, without sucking water up the large pipe.

I'm laughing my tits off at that, people in here wont even take it out in the wet, let along drive it through a ford. Would need some serious water to get up the 5 inch dia pipe and then its on the dirty side of the filter. Dont have the holes on my one, and am surprised by them to be honest. Will look at some other cars and ask at RG when I'm there this week. If it was the case too, would the nice shiny carbon fibre ones like some holes drilled in them by me

I've hit some deep water in Europe on various trips but no where near deep enough to cover the intake hole. I wonder if you could suck up a small animal if it was in the wrong place at the wrong time I'm guessing the engine would just stall if you were unfortunate enough to have the intake blocked?

[NickT]

I've been cleaning up the old glue on the airbox this evening and slipped breaking a chunk off I'm not sure I'm going to be able to glue it into place now! Damn.

[Fly Boy]

tuscan_al said:

tail slide said:

Targarama said:

Holes in the back of the airbox are normal.

It was explained to me that the holes are to ensure the engine can keep running slowly if you have to go through deep water, without sucking water up the large pipe.

I'm laughing my tits off at that, people in here wont even take it out in the wet, let along drive it through a ford. Would need some serious water to get up the 5 inch dia pipe and then its on the dirty side of the filter. Dont have the holes on my one, and am surprised by them to be honest. Will look at some other cars and ask at RG when I'm there this week. If it was the case too, would the nice shiny carbon fibre ones like some holes drilled in them by me

Edited by tuscan_al on Monday 18th May 16:56

Obviously didn't go to BNG 2006 then
We went white water rafting in convoy- drive 1 was the wettest...linky

[tail slide]

Hi Nick, my airbox went by Parcelforce this pm to you - I'm not near my computer to e-mail you.

[NickT]

Thank you very much!

[NickT]

New air box polished up and fitted. Looks much better and is not split which is the most important thing. Thanks for your help Paul! You saved me a lot of money from having to buy a new one or spend ages with Araldite.

I'm going to also get a new air filter soon to replace the dirty one I have. I'll have to shop around to find the best price for one. I think I'll probably go for a normal one rather than the "uprated" one.

[Zippee]

Hi Nick Glad you've got it sorted. I took mine off the other day and lots of swearing later realised theres a clip hidden behind the box, Doh!!
Std air filters are about £20 each from clever trevor, the pipercross being about £10 more. I asked the question re/ the difference earlier and the one response said there was non barr longer life with the piper filter!

[NickT]

Zippee said:

Hi Nick Glad you've got it sorted. I took mine off the other day and lots of swearing later realised theres a clip hidden behind the box, Doh!!
Std air filters are about £20 each from clever trevor, the pipercross being about £10 more. I asked the question re/ the difference earlier and the one response said there was non barr longer life with the piper filter!

Hi Zippee, I made the same mistake until I remembered about the clip hidden behind the box!

I might stick with the std one as if the new one got covered in oil as mine seems to have done I would have thought you would still need to remove it to clean it up? Probably easier to throw old one away and replace rather than mess about with cleaning.