Stripped aircleaner bracket thread
 

Today I was installing a new battery. That's when I noticed the T-shaped air cleaner bracket was broken at back end and only 1 1/2 buffers were still intact! Tried to get a new bracket for weekend, but couldn't get one until next week. Couldn't find a welder that worked Friday afternoons or Saturday! Thought about brazing it myself, but doubted it would hold for long. So, I made a S/S Zshaped piece out of some strip and riveted/bolted it in place. Supposedly a temporary fix, but it looks like it will last forever! (Also added a buffer on valve cover side of housing to provide additional vibration damping.)

When I went to reinstall the bracket, there is one bolt low down that screws into the aluminum intake casting. Owners of old diesels will know about it! As the bolt went in, I felt it tightening, but then it was loose again! As I removed the bolt, a spring-like piece of metal (not aluminum!), possibly a Helicoil or equivalent came out! Looking in hole, I could see there were no threads for about 1/2inch. I had a longer M8 bolt, so tried that - It worked, because there must still be 1/2" of thread at bottom of hole that original bolt did not reach. I installed the longer bolt with some blue Loctite, and used the piece of helicoil, just for some support at outer end.

Anyone else had this problem?
How did you fix it?

Now there is an interesting concept!!!

1 missing, 1 good, 1 with rubber split 1/2 way through.

No-one else stripped that bottom bolthole?

Anyone have a car apart that could measure how deep that threaded hole is? Thinking about drilling it out and rethreading, helicoils or JB-WEld or similar.

While I had air cleaner off today to R&R battery, I was able to check the repair of my air cleaner bracket.

Bracket and bolt hole repair seem to be holding up!

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...racket300D.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...repair300D.jpg

I have always wondered why the outside leg of that bracket has two holes. Does anyone know? Does it perhaps fit on a 300D too and the hole for the D is offset? Certainly is not used in the 300SD.

I don't know answer, but there are various versions of the air cleaner for W123, so perhaps some have mount holes in different location?

Two options come to mind - Heli-coil or drill & tap the hole bigger and match it in the bracket. Both require that there is enough aluminum around the original hole. I don't like the vibrating factory air cleaner/bracket design. A frame-mounted air filter seems smarter (used in 85 CA 300D).