Is there an easy way to get that clip back on? I had my dad do it last time (he's quite a bit stronger than I) and since I just got my car out of the shop today, I don't want them knowing I was working on it (I installed an air foil).
Wes 87 IROC-Z 305 TPI

 

What clip are you talking about?

 

It's the one that holds the maf to intake piece (the Y thing) on the front of the maf. Help any?
Wes 87 IROC-Z 305 TPI

 

Sorry, you lost me.

 

ok, let's try again. Where the front of the MAF hooks onto the Y inlet tube, that covers the filters, there is a piece of metal that hooks the two together, get it now?
Wes 87 IROC-Z 305 TPI

 

It is extremely hard for me to do also but i can do it if i try long enough, i have found no trick to it just persistance and learning not to take it off any more. there really is no reason to take it off.
good luck

 

Yeah, I wouldn't have taken mine off, but I wanted to take out the screens to go with my air foil that I put in today. I'll have a guy at work try and do it tomarrow (he's a boxer, surely he can do it...lol)
Wes 87 IROC-Z 305 TPI

 

Ok, now were getting somewhere. The air cleaner lid hooks to the MAF. Are you talking about the steel clamp at the end of the
air cleaner lid?

 

Yes that's the one. It's a biznitch to get put back on. I hate it, and hopefully will never have to take it off again.
Wes 87 IROC-Z 305 TPI

 

Its a clamp just like what they use on CV boots. Theres a spot where the metal sticks up in a loop, just make that a little longer where that is (so the diameter overall is bigger) and put it back on. Then you just use some wire cutters (carefully) and squeeze it back together. Doesnt have to be all that tight.

 

PERFECT, thanx Mad Max, I'm gonna go do that right now, at 10:22cst! Thanx VERY much! I shoulda thought of that already, duh!
Wes 87 IROC-Z 305 TPI

 

It's not designed to be put back on. You cut it off and crimp a new
one back on. That would be a biznitch to put back on.
I have some clamps that should fit and the crimper if you want to
bring it to Omaha?

But really, it aint meant to be reused.

 

Well that explains it. Where did you get the crimper and clamps, and how much where they? I have it where it'll stay, it's not tight, but it'll stay and work.
Thanx
Wes 87 IROC-Z 305 TPI

 

Front wheel drive axle boot clamps. I have some of the old foreign
car stuff with the lips on them.

 

When I did my descreening I had trouble getting that thing back on too. I unsnapped the ring and opened it up. Then I took two pliers and stretched the crimp point open some. I then snapped the ring back on. While having a friend hold the two pieces flush together I put a pair of needle nose vise grips on the crimp point, then used another set of vise grips to tighten the **** on the first, recrimping it. I hope that makes sense, it worked pretty well.

 

Well I know they arent supposed to be reused, but typical CV boot clamps dont have the edges bent down. That and I have reused mine a couple times Its not like its a totally critical part anyway, some moron threw mine away years ago and just 6 months ago I put a new one on.

 

I think they are Subaru or Datsun boot clamps or something I
can't remember anymore but they have the bent edges.
They are like from the 70's or early 80's.

 

most part stores will carry some generic ones that slide to accomidate any size similar to a hose clamp, or you can make it a whole lot easier and just put on a hose clamp be easier and cheaper

 

A hose clamp wont work on the factory setup. Its not set up to be compressed, its set up to be held together from the sides, hence the clamp with bent down edges. All the CV boot clamps we had at work (and that I ever saw) had no rolled edge.

Old Datsun or Subaru... I'll have to check that out tomorrow.

 

I got into rebuilding drive axles a few years ago at work until
the reman prices droped at the parts houses. When I started
doing them an old mechanic freind was retiring and gave me all
his old clamps and boots, everything piled in boxes not marked.
There were a few of the bent lip clamps in the mess. I have also
never had to use that style of clamp on boot so I can't really
say for sure thats what they are for. He told me what everything
fit but that was like 10 years ago. I guess for all I know they
may be for GM air flow sensors. I remember some of the mid to
late 80's GM's clamped the MAF's to the air cleaner lids. He may
have just kept them with the crimper and the rest of the clamps.

So I guess I don't know for sure.