problem?: Comptech icebox and k&n panel filter

**adammet04** · 07-12-2007 06:00 PM

as per the title,

not sure if i have an issue or not, but after replacing my panel filter with a k&n one, induction noise has increased..however there is a little more to the story

As i was undoing the screws on the icebox to replace the filter, one of the spacer (a silver sleeve type thing which the screws sit in) drops into the engine bay somewhere, i try looking for it but to no avail.

I went as far as

Removing battery from car
Removing bottom of icebox intake from car.

I was very careful to reattach the icebox firmly and replace al screws etc i had removed..but i couldn't find the spacer sleeve thingy for the ince box, the screw went in anyway, but is now a little tighter on than the others because of no spacer.

im going to hardware store tommorrow to get ome washers to provide some adequate spacing so that the it sits correctly again,

however after driving it today for around 5 minutes, i noticed the induction noise and the engine noise to be louder..

could this just be from the filter?

The other thing is that i noticed that there was nothing to fix/fasten the tube of the intake to the other tube that is there that points thrgh to the fog light / head of the car. i could see one of those brace on the bottom tube but not if that should be going around the tube i connected it to..

i unfortunately have to go out for a couple of hours now, but will check back and take pictures tommorrow hopefully to illustrate my concern better.

any initial feedback would be much appreciated !!!

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**Blitzen** · 07-12-2007 06:30 PM

hey man

I got my K&N panel air filter fittted when I got the Euro serviced - slight sound difference - louder, but not much after a while, it's also psychological

I guess what happened to you during installation wouldn't effect things that much, good luck finding the screw

**J-TODA** · 08-12-2007 02:42 AM

Originally Posted by adammet04

as per the title,

The other thing is that i noticed that there was nothing to fix/fasten the tube of the intake to the other tube that is there that points thrgh to the fog light / head of the car. i could see one of those brace on the bottom tube but not if that should be going around the tube i connected it to..

i unfortunately have to go out for a couple of hours now, but will check back and take pictures tommorrow hopefully to illustrate my concern better.

any initial feedback would be much appreciated !!!

Ads

ummm basically wat i did is get one of those clamp things( not sure of correct name) and basicaly connected both ends of the piping together...and secured it with the clamp..

however be careful not to tighten the clamp too much...as the pressure maybe too much for the plastic cyclinder piping to withstand...and cause cracking etc etc

**yfin** · 08-12-2007 06:50 AM

Hi adam - yes you need a washer for that missing spacer.

The noise that you are hearing is probably because the K&N filter does not seal properly in the Comptech Icebox lid. If you hold the Comptech icebox lid in your hand with the K&N inside it - you can see that the edges of the K&N filter do not go to all the corners (the Icebox filter is not such a great fit either). This allows unfiltered air to be sucked in to the lid from the engine bay (and the associated noise). Try this - I am sure you will see it doesn't fit properly.

If you want to use the K&N, it is best to seal the lid of the icebox. There are a couple of threads on the USA forums about people who have glued down weatherstrips to the lid. That is one option.

The other option is to create a plastic shield that follows the inside of the lid. That is what I did. My stencil was made by this guy when I purchased the ITG filter. He used windscreen glue to fix the shield to the Comptech lid. He charged me $30 to do this. This is a better option than weatherstrips as there is a small risk that the strips could come loose.

http://www.fuelsaver.com.au/contact.php

http://tsx.acurazine.com/forums/show...ht=icebox+seal

I found an old post of mine on the US forum about how to make the plastic stencil

If you purchase a semi-thick plastic bread board (yes the ones used in kitchens - say 1cm thick) you can trace the inside of the icebox lid onto the stencil. Then use a jigsaw and cut out the stencil (again with a frame that looks like the weatherstrips - about 1cm all the way around). The installer used windscreen sealant to glue the stencil to the icebox lid. Simple really and you will have a perfect seal regardless of filter used.

This is what the weather stripping looks like. My shield looks the same except it is 1cm thick plastic and it is fixed solid in one piece. If you go with the weatherstrips - use one continuous piece.

**tony1234** · 08-12-2007 07:40 AM

Originally Posted by yfin

Hi adam - yes you need a washer for that missing spacer.

The noise that you are hearing is probably because the K&N filter does not seal properly in the Comptech Icebox lid. If you hold the Comptech icebox lid in your hand with the K&N inside it - you can see that the edges of the K&N filter do not go to all the corners (the Icebox filter is not such a great fit either). This allows unfiltered air to be sucked in to the lid from the engine bay (and the associated noise). Try this - I am sure you will see it doesn't fit properly.

If you want to use the K&N, it is best to seal the lid of the icebox. There are a couple of threads on the USA forums about people who have glued down weatherstrips to the lid. That is one option.

The other option is to create a plastic shield that follows the inside of the lid. That is what I did. My stencil was made by this guy when I purchased the ITG filter. He used windscreen glue to fix the shield to the Comptech lid. He charged me $30 to do this. This is a better option than weatherstrips as there is a small risk that the strips could come loose.

http://www.fuelsaver.com.au/contact.php

http://tsx.acurazine.com/forums/show...ht=icebox+seal

I found an old post of mine on the US forum about how to make the plastic stencil

If you purchase a semi-thick plastic bread board (yes the ones used in kitchens - say 1cm thick) you can trace the inside of the icebox lid onto the stencil. Then use a jigsaw and cut out the stencil (again with a frame that looks like the weatherstrips - about 1cm all the way around). The installer used windscreen sealant to glue the stencil to the icebox lid. Simple really and you will have a perfect seal regardless of filter used.

This is what the weather stripping looks like. My shield looks the same except it is 1cm thick plastic and it is fixed solid in one piece. If you go with the weatherstrips - use one continuous piece.

Thanks for the info.I've just ordered an Icebox and a K&N filter.I'll post up my thoughts when i get it installed.

**adammet04** · 08-12-2007 08:10 AM

thanks for this...my chance of finding/using a jigsaw in jindabyne are very limited so the idea of getting a weatherstrip seal is a lot more likely for me to do.

i think for now as well i will replace the k&n with the foam filter as the seal it seemed to create is better than the k&n one..at least until i can procure the weatherstrips.... the brace thing i was talking about, is one of those clamps and i think i will get a second one and put that around the tubing to make sure it is ok.

as always thanks for the responses guys much appreciated

thanks yfin for this answer too..as well as JToda and Blitzen for their responses too..

**power_of_dreams** · 09-12-2007 01:16 PM

Sorry if slightly offtopic, but does anybody know the details of the stock airbox screw. They arn't just a normal screw, they are some weird ass screw-washer combo with a bit at the bottom to prevent it coming out.

**aaronng** · 09-12-2007 01:42 PM

Not really, it's a screw with the threads only going up to 3/4 the length of the screw, with the part closest to the head without threads.

**power_of_dreams** · 09-12-2007 01:58 PM

okies! so if I was to go into Bunnings or what not, what would I ask for?

**aaronng** · 09-12-2007 03:24 PM

Originally Posted by power_of_dreams

okies! so if I was to go into Bunnings or what not, what would I ask for?

Bring the old screw with you. The thing about the screw is that the threaded part is of a larger diameter than the non-threaded part. If you lost the bottom washer/nut thing, just replace that with a small nut that is suitable for the screw. Use a normal glue like superglue or tarzan contact glue to hold the nut in place. All the nut does is to stop the screw from being taken out, so you don't need something strong.