Intake bellows / Plastic elbow?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 1,736
Likes: 31
From: Reno Nevada
Intake bellows / Plastic elbow?
Gentlemen,
First, if this topic has been covered and you feel like flaming me go for it. I've got a 04 Commemorative Edition I bought new with 27,000 miles on it. I was just washing, because the wife had taken a trip to see the kids. You know the routine, wipe the hatchback, the doors, and then lift the hood and wipe everything clean.
My eye caught a gap at the connection between the plastic elbow coming from the mass air sensor, and the rubber bellows that connects to the throttlebody. Holy crap, this leak means I've been getting a false reporting to the PCM because of this leak. For all I know it came this way from the factory. I removed both pieces, and with some persuasion from a pair of channel locks I got it back together. Maybe it's just me, but it seems way smoother at idle? I always thought it idled rough for a car that had to pass smog.
Anyway, is this a common problem? I'll keep an eye on it now, or should I go aftermarket? The only mod I've done to this car is skip shift.
I haven't posted much on this board, but I've tuned a lot of C4 TPI cars for guys here, so I'm hoping to get some real insight.
Thanks,
Scott
First, if this topic has been covered and you feel like flaming me go for it. I've got a 04 Commemorative Edition I bought new with 27,000 miles on it. I was just washing, because the wife had taken a trip to see the kids. You know the routine, wipe the hatchback, the doors, and then lift the hood and wipe everything clean.
My eye caught a gap at the connection between the plastic elbow coming from the mass air sensor, and the rubber bellows that connects to the throttlebody. Holy crap, this leak means I've been getting a false reporting to the PCM because of this leak. For all I know it came this way from the factory. I removed both pieces, and with some persuasion from a pair of channel locks I got it back together. Maybe it's just me, but it seems way smoother at idle? I always thought it idled rough for a car that had to pass smog.
Anyway, is this a common problem? I'll keep an eye on it now, or should I go aftermarket? The only mod I've done to this car is skip shift.
I haven't posted much on this board, but I've tuned a lot of C4 TPI cars for guys here, so I'm hoping to get some real insight.
Thanks,
Scott
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Its not a COMMON issue but I have seen it on several cars. Once that plastic bridge gets creased, it can happen again.
One the PCM starts to relearn, it will get all the learning tables back to normal. Yes, your IDLE will be affected and fixing the issues will allow it to relearn the idle and it will get smoother.
If it were me and I wasn't going to get a complete modified intake system, just fix it and keep an eye on it. Some people have put a little black RTV between the bridge and accordion tube and reassembled. Helps keep it from collapsing.
BC
One the PCM starts to relearn, it will get all the learning tables back to normal. Yes, your IDLE will be affected and fixing the issues will allow it to relearn the idle and it will get smoother.
If it were me and I wasn't going to get a complete modified intake system, just fix it and keep an eye on it. Some people have put a little black RTV between the bridge and accordion tube and reassembled. Helps keep it from collapsing.
BC
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 1,736
Likes: 31
From: Reno Nevada
Thank you guys for your input. We've got rain here in Reno today, so I won't be getting it out today. I am looking forward to improved driveability though. It's funny that it always idle a bit rough, and had a funny sound in the exhaust. As soon as I put this back together that went away. I'm going to put a new air filter in it today, and a coat of wax if I have time. Just amazing that something so simple can be so important.
