Cabin Filter Housing Repair

[Davisca455]

Couldn't take it anymore and had to repair both of my cabin filter housings.
It appears that prior to my ownership, dealership techs had overtightened the fasteners, like 8 too many times, and "pooped" out the plastic mounting tabs.
I could have just purchased new housings for $181 each from Turner, but then there's the possibility they'd just suffer the same fate if I let other people work on my car.
Can't really argue with the price of a new one though, I certainly couldn't make one for $181, but I'm willing to find the next weak link in the housing with a permanent repair to the tab.

There might be an easier way to do this, but this is what I did.
I cut off the broken plastic tab right at the 90* bend, to leave the maximum amount of the vertical section of the tab (minus the thickness of the new tab).
(I later used the cut off piece of the tab as a rough gauge to give a bend angle to the new aluminum tab.)
After I cut off the horizontal part of the tab, I reinstalled the housing onto the car.
Carefully measured from the face of the vertical part of what was left of the tab, to the center of the threaded mounting hole on the cowl.
I wanted the aluminum to be behind the plastic, so after I made my measurement, I added the thickness of the plastic to my measurement, drilled the hole, radius'd the tip on the belt sander, then bent the aluminum tab to 90*, on the slight angle provided by the cut off part of the tab.
Did a test fit, then trimmed the vertical length and drilled for a pop rivet.
I used .077 aluminum sheet metal, a sheet metal shear, a sheet metal break, a drill, a vertical belt sander and a pop rivet.

[Ajolives]

Looks legit, paint it black and no one would bat an eye at it, unless you wanna admire your work, haha.

[romero1990]

damn just right when I need it. thank you!

[Rabidcat77]

Looks great! I have the same issue on mine, I'm thinking I'll do this over the weekend! Thanks for the idea on how to go about it...

[amrazM]

Next step, timeserts in the windshield cowl as they always strip out.

[chenium]

Long shot since this is so old but do you have an idea of the length of the bracket? Both my covers have broken tabs and I unfortunately don't have the tools to create a bracket. My idea is to use what I can find from Home Depot or Amazon.

Do you think something like this might work? The slotted bolt hole is 5mm so I think the 8mm bolt should work fine. My concern is if the bracket is long enough to reach the bolt hole. Thanks!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09ST91HYG...v_ov_lig_dp_it

Hoping something like this will work, sure beats paying 200+ for each cover.

[Davisca455]

Originally Posted by chenium

Long shot since this is so old but do you have an idea of the length of the bracket? Both my covers have broken tabs and I unfortunately don't have the tools to create a bracket. My idea is to use what I can find from Home Depot or Amazon.

Do you think something like this might work? The slotted bolt hole is 5mm so I think the 8mm bolt should work fine. My concern is if the bracket is long enough to reach the bolt hole. Thanks!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09ST91HYG...v_ov_lig_dp_it

Hoping something like this will work, sure beats paying 200+ for each cover.

They might actually work if you attach them to the front face of the vertical tab, rather the rear face like I did?

[chenium]

Thank you for such precise measurements! I think these have a good shot at working. These measurements should help me find some other ones to try as well. Thanks again!

One more question, does your bolt hole have some padding or does the bolt sit pretty close to that diameter? I may have to widen the bolt slot so it might be better for me to find an alternative solution.

Found another one I think I will try. The bolt hole isn't slotted so i'll have to get pretty lucky for things to line up:

https://www.amazon.com/Eliseo-Bracke...%3D%3D&sr=8-39

[Davisca455]

Originally Posted by chenium

Thank you for such precise measurements! I think these have a good shot at working. These measurements should help me find some other ones to try as well. Thanks again!

One more question, does your bolt hole have some padding or does the bolt sit pretty close to that diameter? I may have to widen the bolt slot so it might be better for me to find an alternative solution.

Found another one I think I will try. The bolt hole isn't slotted so i'll have to get pretty lucky for things to line up:

https://www.amazon.com/Eliseo-Bracke...3D&sr=8-39

Only about .020" clearance.

[dpeete]

Did you find something that worked for you?

Originally Posted by chenium

Thank you for such precise measurements! I think these have a good shot at working. These measurements should help me find some other ones to try as well. Thanks again!

One more question, does your bolt hole have some padding or does the bolt sit pretty close to that diameter? I may have to widen the bolt slot so it might be better for me to find an alternative solution.

Found another one I think I will try. The bolt hole isn't slotted so i'll have to get pretty lucky for things to line up:

https://www.amazon.com/Eliseo-Bracke...%3D%3D&sr=8-39

[chenium]

Originally Posted by dpeete

Did you find something that worked for you?

I didn't find a DIY solution and unfortunately went and bought new covers from FCP. Figured that I could utilize their generous replacement guarantee when they inevitably break again.

[Z K]

Looks legit!

Now if there's a fix for where the housing mounts to the car vents. The two 8mm bolt holes are stripped from over enthusiastic tightening.

[buldogge]

Originally Posted by Z K

Looks legit!

Now if there's a fix for where the housing mounts to the car vents. The two 8mm bolt holes are stripped from over enthusiastic tightening.

Drill and install brass plastic threaded inserts...either the solder iron in type, or the knurled/slotted ones.

These are also useful for the airbox threadings.

https://www.mcmaster.com/brass-inserts/

-Mark in St. Louis

[E90325M]

Thanks for sharing this, I just found my two covers have the same broken issues.

[E90325M]

Originally Posted by amrazM

Next step, timeserts in the windshield cowl as they always strip out.

Yes, I also found both of my two covers have multi cowl strip out. any timeserts tool to recommend to do this or change a larger screws?

[Davisca455]

Originally Posted by E90325M

Yes, I also found both of my two covers have multi cowl strip out. any timeserts tool to recommend to do this or change a larger screws?

I just went with larger screws myself.

[E90325M]

Originally Posted by Davisca455

I just went with larger screws myself.

End up I filled the stripped holes with epoxy and drill a smaller hole after it got dry and it works for me, but don't overtighten the screws this time, airbox don't need much power to hold them, they are not heavy.

[E90325M]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09ST91HYG...v_ov_lig_dp_it

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...e?ie=UTF8&th=1

This solution is really works for me. please do it in a warmer day so the plastic tab won't easy to be broken.

[TboneS54]

I simply used a bigger washer under the screw in order to better capture, and sandwich down, the plastic that remains on that "ear." It works fine. I like the epoxy idea too, but I may not even need to bother with what I've done. You can even find/buy black washers so it doesn't stand out visually.