Air Filter box

[Amelia]

Urk. It is annual time for my 1980 231, and it was supposed to be reasonably painless, but I understand my shopping list includes a tail strobe light and an alternate air filter and alternate air filter box, which apparently has cracks in it. Who should I call? Is looking for a used one a bad idea?

[Nemesis]

Amelia,

 

I went through this a couple of years ago. I had the original filter and induction box setup, ie - the manual alt air opening in the original air box, ie2 - the automatic alt air box was never installed in my machine even though it was once offered for free as I understand it.

 

#1 There is no air filter for the alt air. Both the old manual and newer automatic alt air setups bypass any filtering of induction air.

 

#2 If there are cracks in your original induction air box, the one where the filter does attach and then goes to the turbo, do not even try to look for one. I tried every salvage and 2nd hand place that I could think of with zero luck. The only difference today is that the factory is gearing up and maybe a new induction/filter box could be had from the factory but I would guess that the price would be prohibitive in a big way - think thousands rather than hundreds. Together with your mechanic, find a quality welding shop and have them spruce up your old box.

 

#3 If there are cracks in your automatic alt air box (this one is remote mounted on the pilot's side firewall), I would still go with the welding option. When I was searching a couple of years ago, Wentworth did have other boxes available. Once I was quoted $450 and then next time I was quoted $1350. My mechanic also called Wentworth and picked up a box for me for $150 as I remember. Rather than go through that trouble again, I would just weld it up if I had a problem in the future.

 

Dave

[Jeev]

I would give LASAR a call to see if they have a serviceable one in stock.  They gave me a fair deal on one for my J a few months ago.

[Amelia]

Thank you both! LASAR refurbished my engine mount last year and did a nice job, so I'll give them a call on Monday. It is the original manual alternate air box.

[Amelia]

The mechanic says he knows a feller who's a purty good aluminum welder down the road a piece. so, maybe that question is answered. Now I need a new air filter, a tail strobe, and a nose tire. Spruce? Or other ideas?

[jetdriven]

Spruce is hard to beat. Except tires, Desser whips them handily on retread tires, but for a nose tire I have only used new. Further on the air box, AC43.13 allows repairs and minor modifications to repair things to airworthy status. Welding, doublers, rivets etc. lots of things can be repaired or owner fabricated, especially if they are not available or not economically feasable to replace.

My J airbox had some cracks where the air filter flange was. A doubler and a few rivets repaired it to airworthy status.

[orionflt]

I had a friend who is a genius when i comes to welding work on my baffling, when he was finished you would have thought they were new.