Wow, I don't know how you guys got this airbox in because mine is fighting me all the way! I cut all of the excess plastic away from the muffler and intake tube and also removed all of the insulation and still the box feels like it was built for another car. Oh, wait, it kinda was.

But I did manage to get one bolt in, the one into the front firewall. But even with that one in, the others are far from accepting. The top left one which will need a bushing is nowhere close and I don't think it will ever be. And the one at the bottom lines up but is still about an inch away even with lots of pressure.

Then the intake tube connection boss looks like it might be interfering with the alignment since it hits the body but I was hoping on leaving this as I thought it was better than another giant hose clamp and I thought I've seen others leave it attached, especially when running the larger throttle body and plenum which I am not doing at this time.


Insulation removed. I have since removed all of it and cleaned it up a bit.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1687376830.jpg



The one bolt I was able to get in with lots of pushing
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1687377057.jpg



The upper left attachment point that shows no sign of lining up
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1687377121.jpg





The lower right bolt lines up but remains too far away to allow the bolt to thread and probably too far to not cause problems of breaking
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1687377190.jpg


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1687377317.jpg

That's with me pushing the box against the body about as much as I can so although it looks like it would work, it still seems odd that there is that much of a gap.


And here is the flange against the body.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1687377500.jpg


Any ideas on this from any of you who have installed the 987 box in your 986? I've read many threads on this modification and never have I heard of any of these troubles. It seems that the back of the back of the box is interfering with the shape of the body. Again, I've never heard of this happening. I have the usual 987 airbox that others use and my 986 is nothing special so just what's going on here is unknown to me....

Thanks for the info, good to know it doesn't just fall into place and I did finally get it. I could feel it touching something but when you're sitting where the engine is and pressing this box against the car body and nothing seems to be happening and it's impossible to see much, it is frustrating.

But the impediment to airbox happiness for me was the plastic holder for the hydraulic lines that run against the body and behind the airbox. I removed that holder and the box went in with 2 bolts. It looks like the 3rd bolt, the upper left, might go in with a longer bolt and maybe a spacer but like you said, it's not needed. The connecting flange still hits the back body wall and I haven't tried to see if the 987 MAF tube will connect at the flange and clear the body so I guess I should check to see if that's possible. Otherwise, the flange will have to come off and silicone tubes and connectors will be used.

Newsguy, what did you use after the airbox? Are you using the 986 or 987 MAF tube?

And thanks again for the reassurance.

Can you imagine the poor guys that installed the 987 airbox on their 986 with the engine in place..? :rolleyes:

Ha, I kept thinking about that as I was sitting where the engine should be when I was trying to get mine to fit.