Stock SS airbox removal
08-20-2011, 11:34 AM
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: 07-01-2011
Location: El Paso, TX
Posts: 144
This is a good tip, but still having probs... I have been soaking the back grommet (drivers side) for over 2 hrs. with soapy water and it still will not budge! 
I don't want to pry to much as I'm afraid to break the air box...
Of course I don't have a T25 torx wrench to get in there and remove the mounting post. I think that is my only option here. Gotta get this thing back together!
I certainly would advise any other SS owners to take there box off before you get to many miles and heat on there, or those grommets bond like glue!
Also, that connention of the air intake on the pass side is a bear to get off! I heated it slightly with a hair dryer to warm the plastic... so I could gently pry the top retainer clip off with a skinny screwdriver. Found that the bottom clip had already been broken off, probably at dealer when they worked on my thottle wiring harness some time back...
I don't want to pry to much as I'm afraid to break the air box...Of course I don't have a T25 torx wrench to get in there and remove the mounting post. I think that is my only option here. Gotta get this thing back together!
I certainly would advise any other SS owners to take there box off before you get to many miles and heat on there, or those grommets bond like glue!
Also, that connention of the air intake on the pass side is a bear to get off! I heated it slightly with a hair dryer to warm the plastic... so I could gently pry the top retainer clip off with a skinny screwdriver. Found that the bottom clip had already been broken off, probably at dealer when they worked on my thottle wiring harness some time back...
08-20-2011, 01:26 PM
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: 04-12-2008
Location: Cedarburg, WI
Posts: 527
Thanks Alex, that is what I did eventually did a few minutes after I posted last. What finally happened is the rear grommet actually seperated into two pieces as the airbox launched in the air from me pulling on it! I just put it back in place over the old one as I'll get a replacement grommet sometime... As Batman said it really isn't taking any load, just needs to be held in position.
In looking at the design though, and it is so typical of a GM fastener. It's all about how easily it goes on at the factory... not how is the consumer going to get it off. I work in consumer product development and this is a critical thing on our products where it is envisioned that the consumer will have to have access at some time.
Thanks for the part number Mroney, I'll order one next time I pick up some parts at the dealer.
In looking at the design though, and it is so typical of a GM fastener. It's all about how easily it goes on at the factory... not how is the consumer going to get it off. I work in consumer product development and this is a critical thing on our products where it is envisioned that the consumer will have to have access at some time.
Thanks for the part number Mroney, I'll order one next time I pick up some parts at the dealer.
03-12-2012, 07:54 AM
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: 06-07-2011
Location: SE Mich
Posts: 2,180
Don't let those torque screws fool you. I admit, it did me at first. I got aggravated and then "OHHHH Damn"!!! Ok, the box just pulls straight up. Yes, those screws just slide threw the rubber graumets/washers. Don't mess with the screws AT ALL. First, pull air duct tubing from the box (intake,MAF tubing). Then carefully pull upwards. I use a small pry bar and kind of help it up while using my opposite hand. You should be good to go. "Oh yeah, just use needle nose pliers to pull those little metal clips from the screws; they should just slide out towards the radiator."
So now it looks like I have an easy job getting at the last one. I still find this to be an insane piece of engineering. Why couldn't it be made more intuitively???
03-12-2012, 12:56 PM
#14
New Member
Join Date: 02-05-2012
Location: santa clarita, ca
Posts: 17
Be somewhat gentle with it. About to go fight with the dealership to replace mine. Picked the car up from them a week ago and was under the hood looking at how the box comes off when I noticed the right front support/leg was cracked an on its way to breaking completely the next time someone tried to pull it off. That and they left nice big tool mark gouges in the left side piping when they removed that. They are the only ones messing around under the hood so I'm hoping they don't give too much trouble...
03-16-2012, 01:20 AM
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: 01-16-2012
Location: Detroit
Posts: 167
Shoot I just took my drill, drilled holes big enough to fit the Torx screwdriver through and unscrewed the bolts. There was no way even with Astroglide that it was gonna just slip through the grommets! Dealer hasnt said a word, they don't even care that I am running without the airbox lid.
01-16-2013, 01:22 AM
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: 08-07-2011
Location: Montebello, CA
Posts: 553
So from what I'm reading these screws are not really screws? They just slide in and out? How about putting it back on? They will just slide back into the hole without a problem? I took my box out today. First time, has 41K miles on it. I did it he hard way and unscrewed each one with some small pliers. Littel by littel took me about a hour :/ to put em back should I just put some grease on those screws and they should just slide all the way down?
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post