vracer99

How do I remove the air cleaner duct retaining *****. The two on top of the air cleaner duct. Do they just pull out? I tried to turn them but they barely move. Thanks

86couper

On my 86 they turn CCW and are actual threaded screws at the ends, not a bayonet type. Sounds like yours are gunked up or rusty. The bolts below the ***** are 2-3 inches long.

billschroeder5842

Put a rag around the ***** and get after it with a channel lock. All you will need to do is crack them loose and then spin. by hand.

vracer99

The two ***** I'm referring to are the ones on top of the duct. I had no problem with the two ***** down in front that hold the air filter housing and have the long threaded screw on the end. These two ***** have no threaded screw protruding from them. The pictures I have looked out for the air duct ***** show them with a knurled end around the bottom like they would push in.

don hall

What year is your vette?

vracer99

1985

don hall

http://www.ecklerscorvette.com/corve...1985-1989.html (?)

vracer99

Yes, this is the **** I'm referring to. They don't seem to turn like they're screwed in. I don't want to pry on them and risk breaking something if that's not the right way to get them out. Hope you can enlighten me on this.

cdm747

They screw on just like the ones for the filter housing except there are studs coming up from the top of the radiator shroud housing. There are spring clips that hold the studs in place below which may start turning, if so you may have to keep sliding it around to get the studs out of the holes. The ***** do screw down onto the studs.

don hall

Turn CCW to loosen......DO NOT PRY......Use slip joint pliers, if necessary.

If you damage/destroy the ****...... cost for new **** is $7.00.

Buckeye88

I just did this last night. I used a really thin putty knife and slid it between the radiator housing and the airduct to stop the spring clip from spinning.

Joe C

same here - one of the very first fixes or mods on my 85 was using a small pop rivet to keep the stud spring-clip from turning. it's not riveted through he plastic radiator shroud, but just the clip. it keeps it from turning within the opening, but the clip still floats within the housing-

I also used a very, very light coating of silicone grease (pure, laboratory grade) on the **** threads. DO NOT USE any petroleum based or aerosol products on the plastic, and definitely not WD-40.

finally, do not over tighten the ***** - lightly hand tight will suffice -

vracer99

Thanks Joe C for your help. The pop rivet is a great idea and the picture was worth a thousand words. My problem was on a show car that the air cleaner had never been removed in 32 years! The ***** were stuck hard. I figured they should twist off but I became really stumped when everything started turning with one of the *****. Not knowing how this assembly came off I didn't want to put a lot of pressure on and risk breaking. When I finally got them loose, thanks to everyone here, I saw the problem. The indent tab was barely punched thru allowing the whole spring clip to turn. I punched it out correctly but will also add the pop rivet as extra insurance.

LWesthaver

More info:
http://corvette.stealing-fire.com/plenum_studs.htm

Joe C

the only problem I see with that is now, the stud-clip does not float within the radiator shroud, but is in a fixed position. to rivet into the shroud as shown, very careful measurements would need to be made, so the air filter housing is in perfect alignment for installation. my method is better since the stud-clip floats a bit as originally designed -