air bridge/coupler leak?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2004
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From: kent ct - "if i'm not in the vette, i damn well better be on the yacht."
St. Jude Donor '13
air bridge/coupler leak?
the factory clamp on the union of the air bridge and the coupler seems to be loose allowing some vertical play... can i assume there's also some air leaking into the throttle body unfiltered? any d.i.y. clamp improvements? home-made tool to tighten the factory clamp? thanks..dave
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Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Not on either liberal coast.
If you look at where the crimp is on the oem "clamp", there probably isn't anything you can do to tighten/re-crimp it. You might be able to shim between the oem clamp and the end of the bellows to make it tighter...it wouldn't take much of a shim.
Your best best is to buy a regular 5" worm clamp or a T-bolt clamp if you decide to buy an aftermarket "bellows". ACE or TRUE VALUE have the worm clamps in the plumbing department and NAPA has the T-bolt clamps in stock or next day delivery. A T-bolt clamp won't work with the oem "bellows" since the recessed areas are less than the 3/4" width of a T-bolt clamp. You'd have to notch the T-bolt clamp at the throttle body end of the oem bellows (after some careful shaving of the plastic raised ridge).
I prefer the T-bolt clamps with the springs called "constant tension". They don't have to be really tight because a heavy spring maintains tension on the bolt/nut.
Your best best is to buy a regular 5" worm clamp or a T-bolt clamp if you decide to buy an aftermarket "bellows". ACE or TRUE VALUE have the worm clamps in the plumbing department and NAPA has the T-bolt clamps in stock or next day delivery. A T-bolt clamp won't work with the oem "bellows" since the recessed areas are less than the 3/4" width of a T-bolt clamp. You'd have to notch the T-bolt clamp at the throttle body end of the oem bellows (after some careful shaving of the plastic raised ridge).
I prefer the T-bolt clamps with the springs called "constant tension". They don't have to be really tight because a heavy spring maintains tension on the bolt/nut.
Last edited by hotwheels57; Jan 14, 2007 at 06:13 PM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,591
Likes: 2
From: kent ct - "if i'm not in the vette, i damn well better be on the yacht."
St. Jude Donor '13
thanks, hotwheels57, i figured i'd have to do up something other than stock to make this tight enough....dave. maybe its time for a smooth coupler???
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 10,554
Likes: 33
From: Not on either liberal coast.
There's probably no advantage to a smooth coupler other than better looks and the ability to clamp better. They a little harder to install since there's little "give" unless your remove the air bridge and wiggle the bellows on, then re-attach the air bridge. The latest issue of CORVETTE FEVER (Jan. '07) shows a CALLAWAY with the oem bridge/accordion bellows and BLACKWING.
If you decide to go with a smooth bellows, you'll need 3.75" ID at the throttle body end and 4.50" ID at the air bridge end (called a reducing coupler). Some say that 4.00" ID will work at the throttle body end, but the air bridge still requires 4.50" ID.
Someone will probably chime in and offer theirs up for sale. I got mine from SLP, but they're usually found on EBAY as well.
If you decide to go with a smooth bellows, you'll need 3.75" ID at the throttle body end and 4.50" ID at the air bridge end (called a reducing coupler). Some say that 4.00" ID will work at the throttle body end, but the air bridge still requires 4.50" ID.
Someone will probably chime in and offer theirs up for sale. I got mine from SLP, but they're usually found on EBAY as well.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 10,554
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From: Not on either liberal coast.
Here's a smooth black coupler (not mine) that was just listed in the classifieds...
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1599449
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1599449
Pro
Joined: Nov 2002
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From: Pleasanton CA
the factory clamp on the union of the air bridge and the coupler seems to be loose allowing some vertical play... can i assume there's also some air leaking into the throttle body unfiltered? any d.i.y. clamp improvements? home-made tool to tighten the factory clamp? thanks..dave
