Tracking down an air cleaner clamp

[Pete99]

This is a minor problem, but one of you guys can probably help ease the process of resolving it.

On my '97 (V6 3.0), the clamp around the air cleaner housing broke. Not the hose clamp at the inbound end, but the big adjustable one used to access the filter:

The image is from a google search, but the part seems to no longer be up on ebay.

Does anyone know the part number, name, etc.? I have so far only found it as part of the $200 air cleaner cover from Ford. A part this breakable must be available somewhere, probably right under my nose.

Thanks in advance, TRSers.

 

[Mark_88]

It can't be any bigger than 4" so you could probably use a vent hose clamp that just about any hardware store sells for about $5...doesn't look like anything special and I have replaced just about every size clamp with the simple hose clamps on 3.0 2.9 and 2.3 engines...

Other option may be to go to a junkyard to find one in decent shape...

If it is bigger than that...use two zip ties strung together and just cut it off and replace it every 6 months or however often you change the filter...

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Wonder how hard it would be to just convert to a standard airbox with a flat filter....

 

[Pete99]

It can't be any bigger than 4" so you could probably use a vent hose clamp that just about any hardware store sells for about $5...doesn't look like anything special and I have replaced just about every size clamp with the simple hose clamps on 3.0 2.9 and 2.3 engines...

Other option may be to go to a junkyard to find one in decent shape...

If it is bigger than that...use two zip ties strung together and just cut it off and replace it every 6 months or however often you change the filter...

It's about 6-7" in diameter. The half with the filter in it has sort of a ridge that the bracket/clamp kind of wraps over. I may end up just trying a very large hose clamp (it'd be less prone to breaking, but the junction point is really where the tension is meant to happen, and that's where the ridge is proud of the housing (and thus a poor surface for a hose clamp).

 

[Mark_88]

I have an air box from a 92 3.0 and it seems more square than round...so when I saw the image of what you needed I assumed that it was from the hose connection...maybe they changed things after 1992, but my box is almost squared meaning a hose clamp might work just to keep it in place...but zip ties actually are pretty strong and easy to use and they are made in an assortment of lengths...plus they conform a bit better than a metal hose clamp because they are plastic...

They can also be "undone" if they have the little tab that releases them...I didn't realize they could be undone and have cut more of them off rather than trying to release them...since they only cost about $5 for a bag of 50 or so.

 

[adsm08]

The later filters were different Mark. It was a bad design, with a weak lever-style clamp that is very easy to damage and only fits in one position.

Frankly the guy who though up that idea should be castrated.


Anyway, I believe the Ford base number for that part is 9628. If you go to the dealership and ask them to look up that base number for your vehicle they may be able to get one by itself.

 

[Pete99]

The later filters were different Mark. It was a bad design, with a weak lever-style clamp that is very easy to damage and only fits in one position.

Frankly the guy who though up that idea should be castrated.


Anyway, I believe the Ford base number for that part is 9628. If you go to the dealership and ask them to look up that base number for your vehicle they may be able to get one by itself.

This is really helpful. None of the listings for this part have any odd name, but somehow it didn't come up.

Thankfully, the part number has turned up a bunch.

It is a PITA design -- it requires too much fiddling and guesswork to get the four parts (cleaner housing, filter, MAF housing, and clamp) aligned right, and slight misalignments bend and strain the weak points on the clamp. I am surprised it took 3-1/2 years for one of those points to give way.

Thanks for the help.

 

[adsm08]

The best thing I have found to do for those is to cut the pins off the housing.

And the name shouldn't be anything screwy, the shop manual calls it an "air filter housing clamp". Sounds pretty descriptive to me. The problem is, especially if your dealer uses CPD like most do, that the guys making the catalog software are as dumb as the guys designing the cars.

 

[Mark_88]

The later filters were different Mark. It was a bad design, with a weak lever-style clamp that is very easy to damage and only fits in one position.

Frankly the guy who though up that idea should be castrated.


Anyway, I believe the Ford base number for that part is 9628. If you go to the dealership and ask them to look up that base number for your vehicle they may be able to get one by itself.

Ah, OK...not that I haven't seen variations on many parts even within the same year...

I am contemplating using the 3.0 box on my 2.3 once I get everything swapped over...it has an inlet that I can use for the valve cover vent that might come in handy some day...and I really don't like the CAI that the truck currently has...so good to know I won't be able to get parts for it if mine ever breaks and I will certainly avoid that model year for air filter box parts.

 

[Tuner710]

Yep, my 98 Expedition has the same dumbass clamp, and it is a pain to get all lined up and clamped down. Could be another possible source for the part tho.
My 2000 Ranger has a user friendly flat box.

 

[Pete99]

If anyone else goes through this, the clamp for my Ranger is part # F68Z-9628-AA. There are other clamps with 9628 in the number, but not listed as fitting this vehicle.

Hard to find aftermarket, and Ford stopped making them, but I managed to order one from fordparts.com.

 

[Mark_88]

Cool...thanks for the follow up...it looks very similar to the setup on my 96 2.3 so I will have to have a look at those parts when I get down to my build project...I wanted to remove that CAI and still have a bunch of parts that I hope will complete it properly...

 

[Pete99]

SOL. Ford accepted then cancelled my order (part is "obsolete"). Haven't found an aftermarket equivalent. Will have to mod the housing.

 

[Mark_88]

Thanks again...now I know to steer clear of that setup unless I can find suitable parts in the junkyard...there are still plenty of the third gen Rangers around but the clock is ticking on them too...

If you have time to document that process I'm sure many people will benefit from your ingenuity...