Carpokes

Tom wrote: Sun Mar 10, 2024 1:46 pm Well... the most important step in solving problem is knowing what the problem is, so I'd say you have made big progress. Now you just need to figure out why your air filter box is sitting too high, which I gather it must be since the hood closes fine when the air filter lid is removed. That whole air filter unit bolts to a coolant crossover pipe which in turn is bolted down to the inner 'frame' rails. I'd remove the air box altogether and take a close look at that pipe. Is the rearmost mounting point bent up by any chance? Are the flanges on the ends bolted down flat and firm? Any signs of damage/bending anywhere? For reference, on my car, the little ledge on that rear mounting point is almost exactly level with the headlight bar (with the headlights down) -- see the little rod I rests on the mounting point and headlight bar. Is yours about like that? Are the rubber cushion pieces you are using from the factory, and are you sinking them in to the metal tab hole like a grommet (so that half is below the mounting tab and half is above)? I still suspect the L brackets are oriented backwards, though changing them may very well make the problem worse as you say.

Tom wrote: Sun Mar 10, 2024 1:46 pm That whole air filter unit bolts to a coolant crossover pipe which in turn is bolted down to the inner 'frame' rails. I'd remove the air box altogether and take a close look at that pipe. Is the rearmost mounting point bent up by any chance? Are the flanges on the ends bolted down flat and firm? Any signs of damage/bending anywhere?
I took out the whole air filter box and checked this pipe. It looks as mint as a 40 year pipe can be. It's definitely straight and no obvious signs of damage. See pictures below.

For reference, on my car, the little ledge on that rear mounting point is almost exactly level with the headlight bar (with the headlights down) -- see the little rod I rests on the mounting point and headlight bar. Is yours about like that?

A good idea to test it like that. I used a straight piece of metal to do the same thing - it's level or indeed almost so. Definitely not crooked or bent!

Are the rubber cushion pieces you are using from the factory, and are you sinking them in to the metal tab hole like a grommet (so that half is below the mounting tab and half is above)? I still suspect the L brackets are oriented backwards, though changing them may very well make the problem worse as you say.

Yes they are OEM factory. Yes they are sunk into the hole, yes half is below and half is above. I did orient the brackets as you said and after putting everything back together, conducting a fish line over the fenders test, it does seem like the box sits a tiny bit lower. Now the fishing line doesn't touch anywhere, whereas before it would touch a tiny bit on the upper box. But his can also be because I couldn't replace the back screw of the lower air filter box - it was too short for some reason (probably mixed up a screw).

Belgian951 wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 7:22 am I just heard that the L tabs should sit under the rubber grommet, and not on top like I did. Is this true?

this thread just keeps growing