cracked air filter housing
 

So the other day I decided to take off my air filter housing and check out how the filter was doing. I should have known to quit when I couldn't get the damn thing off. I finally, with quite a lot of "persuasion" was able to get the housing off. The filter looked fairly dirty, at least dirtier than what I would expect from the low miles I put on the car over the last year. Anyways, I decided to get a new filter, and so started to re-assemble the housing. Turns out that it didn't want to be put back together again. I got frustrated, and then it happened. I was able to re-assemble it!!! Well, minus a couple pieces of plastic. I have changed air filters on so many cars that I can't count them all. Usually it is around a 5 minute process, tops. This took me an hour, and I ended up breaking the filter housing. Thank you very much Mitsubishi engineers.

Anyways, herein lies my problem I have a small crack (half inch by half inch maybe) on the side of the filter housing box. It had to happen on the wrong side, ie, the side of the filter where the clean air is supposed to be. I thought about taping it to stop any contaminants from being sucked in, but decided that my problem would be severely amplified if said tape got sucked into the intake. Ouch... So, I am currently driving the car with the filter housing having a small opening in it.

Should I be worried about this? Is there anything I should do about it... or just shrug it off? I will only be driving the car for another six or seven months, and it will probably only see another 3,000 miles during that time frame.

I probably AM going to end up changing the filter, but since my company pays for all of my car costs, next time I will leave it to the pros. Haha.. can't believe I am going to have to rely on someone else to drop in an air intake filter. Remind me to never drive another Mitsubishi EVER again. Haha...

Thanks for your input theclencher. Perhaps it would be best to just patch it up with some tape that goes around the whole thing. I have no idea where to track down a new one at though... so that isn't really an option.

Kentucky chrome here I come!!!

I'd use gorilla glue or epoxy to attach a piece of flashing that I had bent to shape. Tape should work too.

just use 2 pieces of duct tape. one on the inside and one on the outside. there is no way in hell a piece of duct tape were to get ripped off and sucked into your engine... theres not that much suction on a intake. mayeb a jet car or a supercharged/turbocharged beast but not on a stock motor...

but dont leave it un covered

gorrilla glue on a piece of milkjug plastic and tape it in place whilst it dries.

just a little note..
after you shut your car off, some fuel vapors will travel up pass the throttle body, the vapors may loosen up any adhesive tape on the inside, then when you start the car it might get sucked on to the throttle plate- poss. causing the Eng to rev high or stop air flow- or get sucked past into the Eng. There is almost 30lbs of atmosphere running into the engine because of the almost 30lbs of vacuum pulling it in.

ya, no way would i put any tape on the inside.

Wow, thanks for the excellent advice. Since the results are in and everyone is in unanimous agreement that SOMETHING needs to be done, I will be closing off the hole. As I am a little worried about the tape getting sucked into the engine, I will not be taping inside the air box. The milkjug plastic (if it were available in Japan) seems like a good fix. Whatever I do, I will watch it closely after applying it to make sure that it is holding well.

Interesting note,ffvben. I had never even considered that vapors travel in reverse too, and that they could seep up passed the throttle body. Good advice, and I am glad that you pointed this fact out!

lol a big enough piece cant fit thru the throttle body...and if it plugs it up your car will fall on its face and stall out or act funny (did this before with a paper towel on accident)...not to mention most stock air intakes are so twisty/lumpy that it would get stuck somehwere else. or of you have a MAF sensor it aint geting thru that...

VetteOwner: Thanks for the advice. That makes me feel better about going through with this. I guess I was worrying too much about something that has a really small chance of happening.

It has been raining forever here lately, but when the rains stops I will be sure to tape up my filter housing. I am also going to get an oil change today, and I will have the place also drop in a new air filter. I at least found out while breaking the filter housing box that the car DOES need a new filter. Hahaha...