larrysb

I just got finished replacing my throttle body. This required removing the complete air cleaner box, which I have to say, is puzzlingly difficult, required a lot of force to maneuver it out of the engine compartment. The top cover comes off pretty easily, but the lower part requires a lot of shoving and squeezing.

Unfortunately, the rubber grommets that it is supposed to be riding in are missing from the holes in the body sheet metal underneath. Had to order them, so it will have to come out again.

What the heck is the proper procedure to remove the complete air box? Does the factory intend for the bumper cover to come off? What the heck am I missing here?

Presto

I can remove the air box real easy. One 10mm bolt holding it in the middle near where the engine lid latches on towards the bumper. Unplug the vacuum hoses on he right. Remove the plastic pipe that connects air box to throttle body.thats it.just lift air box out.

larrysb

What bolt?

i know about the vacuum line and plug on the right. But there are no bolts on mine not shown in the parts manual. There’s a rubber grommet on the air cleaner that sits on a plastic post near the hood latch. Nothing seems to hold it in. It’s just riding loose in the body grommets.

Maneuvering it out is the problem. I haven’t been able to get the duct off prior to removing the air cleaner. Partly because the clamp screw on the air box side was pointed the wrong way and not accessible. I flipped the clamp around so I can loosen it easily now.

Not sure the duct will come off easily but maybe that’s the secret sauce I was missing.

Bruce In Philly

2009 C2S 138K miles

If you have an S, there is an air valve snapped to the right side of the box, First remove this... tricky, you have to lift the tab and then it pops out. Can't describe it as its too weird. It is almost impossible to remove the vacuum lines to this valve (mine appeared cemented), so I put a small table (trash can) next to the bumper to swing the airbox out and set it there. I did remove my vacuum lines one time but had to cut the hose. But then the hose is not long enough... so I ordered some rubber hose pieces from Porsche and made and extension to get it all back together.

Remove the eight screws holding the lid. Push the MAF cable attached to the airbox lid down... it just snaps in. Remove the lid.

Unplug the MAF. You don't have to do this but given I am taking it all out, I will remove, spray and clean the MAF. I take the MAF out when after the box is removed.

Loosen the jubilee clip at the throttle body. I have done either end of the hose but the hose at the air box has some internal knubs and it makes it real fiddly to get back on properly without an air leak. With the jubilee clip loose at the throttle body, pull the strap away towards the rear and up the hose... get it out of the way as it prevents you from deforming the hose end. Then pull the top of the hose back away from the throttle body. Then work the hose down the sides and pull it away from the bottom of the throttle body. You may try using a plastic trim tool... a screwdriver may tear the rubber.

Now lift the forward end of the airbox out. Pull up on the hose. I can't remember but you may want to lift the box out of the pin holes first to get another inch or so... but I don't think you need to do this. So lift the hose up towards you and the airbox will roll back, lift out. Once out, check to ensure the grommets are in place on the chassis. If they lifted out and stuck on the underside of the airbox, remove them and insert them into the chassis as there will be less change they will pop out and get lost.

If you have an S with that air valve on the side, you must swing the box out and support it on a stand. Put a towel over the bumper to avoid scratches.

There is no bolt on a 997.2.

Peace
Bruce in Philly

larrysb

I got all the steps (I do have an S with the changeover valve on the right side), except the duct to the throttle body. I loosened the jubilee clamps, but didn't think there was enough room to get the flexible duct out of the way. I just pushed the airbox and duct together against the throttle body to squeeze it down and maneuver the airbox bottom out of the engine compartment.

Since new grommets are on the way, I'll try getting the duct out or at least off the T.B. first.

larrysb

Revisited this last night. Got some new grommets from Pelican parts. I ordered both the original "donut" grommet and the improved "air box bushing". I recommend the latter, part number 999-703-267-40. Cheap too.

When I last installed the air box, I flipped the jubilee clamp on the airbox side of the flexible duct to make the screw accessible. So I loosened both clamps, air box and throttle body side, then worked the flexible duct out.

With the duct out, the entire airbox is easily removed from the vehicle. No need to separate the cover at all, just undo the MAF connector and wire clips, then the vacuum tube and connector from the valve (3.8S) on the right side. The entire box then easily lifts out of the vehicle. Just up and rotate it a little forward and it comes right out.

After putting in the new rubber bushings, I test fit it without the duct and it was pretty easy to get the entire airbox in place.

So I tried it with the duct attached to the airbox and it was quite a struggle getting it to clear the throttle body. Easier with the throttle body electrical connector removed. But for whatever reason, I had a bear of a time trying to get the duct onto the throttle body.

Pulled it all back out, and put the box in without the duct, then tried various angles of getting the duct on. Turns out, the easiest way for me was to work the duct onto the throttle body first, then onto the airbox. But the hard part was being sure the bottom part of the duct was properly over the flange. It's really hard to tell that it is on correctly, in part because there's a notch cut out of the duct and airbox flange right at the bottom, so you can't feel it underneath nor really see it. Eventually, I convinced myself that it was on correctly and buttoned it all up, went for a test drive and no CEL, so all good.

I have a suspicion as to why it was so hard, and I think that my engine mounts are sagging a little. I think as little as a few milimeters of sag in the engine mounts make this a lot harder than it should be. Just a suspicion, but being that it is a 2011 with 65k miles, I would guess the mounts to probably have some sag at this point.

Just my theory, but I think it is likely. Looks like a fairly easy job.

docdrs

I just removed my c4s airbox in about 5 mins.........1. on right side remove vac hose and wire connector. 2. Remove MAF sensor cable and pull out of airbox slots 3. Loosen large oval airbox to TB clamp and slide to TB. Push rubber airbox/TB rubber hose off airbox toward TB until you can lift the air-box up and out. There is one rear center right rubber grommet and 2 front rubber grommets that airbox guides slip into. Replacement is reverse,just take your time and it will slip back into the grommets. Take care to keep hatch release wires and vac and MAF hoses and wires from getting trapped or pinched during replacement.

No need to remove and lose or drop the 7or 8 little screws holding the top of airbox on.

myronf

I had my airbox out the other day in my 997.2s so that I could clean the maf sensor, and let me tell you I had a bear of a time reinstalling the flexible duct. Finally I jacked the engine just a bit and it made it MUCH easier. I have 50K mi on the car, and think that the motor mounts are still ok.

slicky rick

exactly!

arcadia234

Here is a video (just did my mounts so its fresh in my mind) that walks through removing the box from a C2S. The box removal starts at 1:24. I have had mine out a few times and while I didn't refer to a video to get 'er out, this may be helpful.