Fitting A 76mm (3 Inch) Cone Filter

[GLPoomobile 958]

Thought I'd show you yesterday evening's impromptu 'project' (well, qualifies as a project by Primary School standards ).

 

So the story goes, when I bought my Mi it had a puny little K&N filter attached to the AFM, which when removed, revealed the hideous DIY attempt at a Top Hat adapter. In other words, take one OE AFM adapter from an 8v GTI, cut the length right down, then grind the strengthening tabs down at the sides......et voila! You have one sort of squar-ish, hexagonal-ish, squint-and-may-vaguely-pass-for-circular Top Hat adapter

 

She's a beaut, ain't she?

*Note the nicely concaved side where the old filter had been tightened down too much

 

A new filter, and proper adapter would be required here. The solution was obvious, the classic Green Filters Top Hat adapter would be called upon

 

Part BRO1V - £12.80

 

Unfortunately, Green have apparently discontinued this one Merde!

 

And so, not wishing to use the cut down affair shown above, the hunt was on for a new adapter. No luck finding any 2nd hand, but did find some more expensive alloy ones for over £20. Bugger that. Then I found these, on an eBay store that I had book marked yonks ago...

 

Was going to insert a link here, but then remembered we are not allowed eBay links unless in Off Topics. But search for a store called Auto Performance on eBay, and select Air Inlet Adapters from the side menu.

 

Unfortunately, no PSA cars listed and no dimensions for any of the adapters. So I sent the seller a question, asking him if he could check the adapters against the supplied dimensions (the ones shown for the Green adapter). I even gave him a head start by telling him I suspected which adapter might be the right one, as I'd Googled images of AFMs for the cars listed, and some looked very similar to the GTI/Mi16 ones.

 

A week passed, and no reply from the seller .

 

Then, while looking at the images on his site a bit more closely, I started to notice that one of the adapters looked very similar to the dimensions of the Green one. I was trying to mentally plot the dimensions on to the photo, and compare the slight differences in size etc, but it looked pretty much spot on. For the price, I was willing to give it a go, so I ordered one on Monday morning. £7.40 plus £2.45 postage.

 

Item number 270284138429. Nissan Maxima Primera.

 

To his credit, the seller may be s*it at responding to questions, but he wastes no time in dispatching the goods, cos it was delivered yesterday (Tuesday)

 

So I opened the bag, and thought "Hmmmmm, looks a wee bit bigger than I expected", then dug out my spare AFM to offer it up. And then I discovered my schoolboy error ...

 

Houston, we have a problem!

 

That pic shows the rubber gasket that came with it. As you can see, I totally failed to consider the most obvious and crucial element of the design when considering this adapter. The original adapter is between 67-70mm diameter, the Green one is 70mm, and this one is 76mm. I didn't think the slightly bigger diameter would make any difference as long as the base was the right size. But the problem is that 76mm is a fair bit bigger than the outer width of the AFM itself I'm such a f***ing tube

 

After a few minutes of pondering, the decision was made NOT to return it for a refund and try and source a more suitable replacement. Nope, I'd bodge the f***er! So I'm going to need some thin metal plate that I can cut up to make a new base to block the overlap, errrr, not really got anything suitable I can use. Plastic then? Ummmm, don't really want to go cutting up old VHS cassette cases or CD cases. What about that pad of paper on the floor, that has a cardboard back? Yeah, if I'm gonna bodge this, I'll bodge it with the crappest materials available! Crap stuff is easier to work with anyway

 

Gaskets

Pic shows original AFM gasket on the left, new rubber one on the right, and my hybrid cardboard one in the middle.

 

Driller Killer

I had to move the mounting holes in the adapter. Monsieur, wiz zees horrendous bodgery you are reely spoiling uzs!

 

Mount me like a dog in heat!

I used an even bead of Loctite 5699 Grey silicone between the adapter and the gasket to help the 2 seal. It fits, and it basically seals the gaps that were at the edge, so that's all it needs to do!

 

Profile pic

 

So there you go. The longest write up you'll ever find on making a s*it, cardboard gasket. I might make a new one out of plastic, I might not. Depends if I can be f***ed really (although I did promise myself to try and keep bodgery to a bare minimum on this car).

 

And to anyone thinking "So what's the benefit of using a 76mm adapter instead of a 67mm or 70mm one?", well old bean, there is f*** all benefit. Not one. No point to it at all. But if like me you really want a proper Top Hat adapter and can't find a 67mm or 70mm one, then at least you know now that you can follow this 1st class guide to modifying a very cheap product to work for you

 

Do I get a Blue Peter vadge, I mean badge, now?

Edited October 8, 2008 by GLPoomobile

[All Praise The GTI 3]

OMG thats more of a bodge then the original glpoo but i love the hard work gone into it and your great topic writing skils.

B+ for your efforts in making me laugh

[GLPoomobile 958]

OMG thats more of a bodge then the original glpoo

 

Damn you! You've just confirmed what I've been trying to deny to myself!

[carbers205 1]

Genius mate, Im now sitting here crying with laughing.

Ok maybe I should get out more

[pete1986 2]

Well done GLP, you have successfully got the theme tune to bodger and badger stuck in my head! Bearsted!