Keeping the OM617.952 air cleaner bracket happy and in one piece
 

Just replaced my air cleaner bracket. Id like to not do it in the future :-)

My engine mounts, shocks and shock mounts are all new - and the air cleaner housing still clangs a little bit at idle! I want to stop this dead in its tracks.

I have seen two methods proposed

1.) Mercedesource method of using a hose mounted somehow to the valve cover to limit vibrations. Anyone have a pic of this solution? I wish I could just buy the manual from the website, I have all of the parts already and ont need them.

2.) The 'old rubber shock donut' method:

"The air filter mount problem has existed long enough. This is the
repair.....
Looking at the air cleaner, notice the small space between the air cleaner
and the valve cover. There is a flat area on the air cleaner housing near the
valve cover. The repair requires an old rubber shock absorber mount, a 6 mm
bolt (10 mm hex) about 10 to 12 mm long, flat washers and a nut. Make a mark
on the forward area of the flat side of the air cleaner housing (toward the
valve cover). Remove the air cleaner housing and drill a 6 mm hole at the spot
you marked. Put the bolt in the hole from the inside using the washers and
nut. Now you have a bolt sticking out of the air cleaner housing... Take an
old rubber doughnut from a shock absorber and stick it over the protruding
bolt/nut. Be sure the bolt does not stick out of the rubber.
Reinstall the housing and viola the air cleaner housing is unable to generate
enough momentum to break the bracket. I've been doing this for about 8
years....never had a second air cleaner bracket break.
The idea is to limit the movement of the housing. Even when they were new the
brackets were prone to failure.
Regards,
Randy D."


Any comments on either? I want to try to fix this tonight before stressing my bracket any more.

Thanks,
dd

The ************** deal is to drill a hole in the air cleaner housing, just as you described, and a hole in a length of radiator hose, bolt to housing in a manner to rest against the cam cover.

Got it. So either way In drilling into the air cleaner housing to fabricate some sort of extra bumper in that axis of movement.

What's the prescribed hose size for the mod? Looks like 1 inch, but I cant tell.

I fabricated my own bracket.

First one I made from sheet metal was not strong enough and broke like the original. Second bracket was made from 1/8 in. angle iron and it has survived for 10+ years and 100,000+ miles.

I don't have any problem with the air cleaner vibrating against anything but I have to replace the rubber dampers once in a while.

P E H

Here's the fix for the bracket.
http://mbca.cartama.net/showpost.php?p=89120&postcount=3

I would think maybe any large hose, one inch sounds too small, but you may be able to wedge something between in there to measure the size before you mount. Bergsma also mentions to use thread locker on the bolt.

Hmm. Just went outside to take a peek under the hood and noted that the distance between my air cleaner and the valve over is small - maybe 1/2" at best.

Makes me wonder if I have done something else wrong. What holes do you mount the air cleaner mounts to on the bracket itself? There are two choices for each mount. Does anyone remember off the top of their head? I just followed the pattern that was in there and it fits without incident, but i dont know if its the right way.

Well, Ill buy some hose and be ready to mess with it tonight until I get something that works well.

Mike

You might try moving the air cleaner to the outer set of holes to move it a bit further away from the valve cover.

other ideas
 

I agree, replacing the bracket is a PITA (and not very cheap!). In the quest for reduced top end vibration try:

New motor mounts
Valve Adjustment
New rubber mounts and shields on the air cleaner bracket
A piece of hose between the air cleaner housing and the valve cover
Adjusting the IP rack damper bolt (smoother idle)

That's all I can think of at the moment.....

What mount point of the two on the bracket do folks use? The front one, or the back one?

Im on the back right now, Ill try the front to see if its any better...

I just replaced motor mounts again (Coteco's do not last), and the tranny mount. I found a ait cleaner damper broken, and I had none on hand. I used a 1.5 in long 10 mm head sized bolt that matched the thread size of the damper. I threaded it in so to would make a stud like the other dampers. I used two old engine shock rubber pieces I found as a cushion between the air cleaner and the bracket, and then bolted the air cleaner down. I figured this would work so I can drive the car while I wait for replacement parts. Air cleaner rattle is gone now.

why does it have to be flexible? I would think it could be solidly attached to prevent ANY vibration. the air cleaner is attached to the motor, so it should all move together... I am going to look into a solid bracket that keeps it all from moving relative to the motor itself.

If you do this, the oil drain tube at the bottom will not align.

DieselDan,

I use the back holes. When in the front holes it was very difficult to install the battery cooler.

P E H

After some experimentation, the forward set of holes is where the air cleaner wants to live. The back set of holes doesnt work at all.

I implemented the shock bushing solution described earlier in this thread. It looks great and fits perfectly. I like this much better than using a hose because there is no give really in the shock bushing, whereas the rubber hose can stick flex a lot and allow vibration.

Ill report back after driving a while and post some pics.

dd