planetside

Oh boy. So after 5 months with the Comptech Icebox, I finally decided to -attempt- to pop the cover off to clean the air filter. No luck. As you're standing in front of the hood, looking down on the icebox, I can get the top 2 screws off. The single screw at the bottom (closest to the bumper) I can't get off. The screw just turns in place. There is a metal sleeve for the top two screws, and I presume there is one for the bottom one as well. So basically, I'm pretty, umm, screwed and can't clean my air filter. If you know the icebox design, there is no nut or anything beneath the screw -- it is housed inside a metal sleeve within the plastic molding. Any suggestions? I took it back to the guys that did the installation, but they don't seem to have any brilliant ideas on how to get it off. This is the first time I even tried to take off the cover. The other problem is that the design of the icebox is so tight in the engine bay, there is very little room to work with. You can't even get a pair of pliers down to the screw to try to pull it up. Any help would be appreciated.

Danny

TL909

Exactly what happened to mine.

The srew isn't stripped, but the thread is probably not glued into the icebox anymore. What you have to do is while loosening the screw, pull up on the cover of the icebox (2 people would make this easier) with a little force. Eventually the top should come off with the screw and thread still stuck to the cover. Just use some super glue or rubber cement to glue back on the thread. You'll see what I mean when you get the top off.

When you screw back on the top, remember not to put too much force on the damaged screw, or the same thing will happen again. The thread will become dislodged.

Hopefully this helps, it worked for me.

planetside

Wow, I hope you're right. If your advice works, that would really save me the trouble (and money) of having the whole icebox removed just to get to the cover and fix the problem. Hopefully I can report back soon with a success story. Thanks again!

BTW, is it me, or is this poor design? This, coupled with the slight fitting problem, seems like somewhat poor design. Oh well.

Danny

Chemmech

sounds like a manufacutring design defect

bricot

Call comptech and complain....

If this happens to mine I sure as heck am going to

dj5

After waiting almost 4 weeks, I finally received it. Hope to get it installed this weekend.

kent_99TL

The opening you talking about was design for clear your high beam bulb cover, which mean that cover will sit a little bit inside of the ice-box from the corner. For me I still have to trim the opening bigger to make it fit. The worst thing of the design IMO is the gap between the battery mount which are too tight maybe I need a smaller battery.

Gibrango

Get it fixed!

I did. This happened to mine 2 months after it being installed. Called up Comptech and they sent out another shell (just top and bottom, use old scoop, filter, etc. with new screws. I sent in my old one, Viola! No charge.

TL909

I'm gonna have to call Comptech and see what they say. Thanks for the info.

planetside

Guys, got some good news to report. First of all, the cover did not come off as others suggested doing (pulling up on one end to create resistance, then having some else unscrew the uncooperative bolt). Instead, I had to pretty much disassemble the whole thing, which was a real pain for many reasons (most of all, that the icebox is also secured to the body of the car INSIDE the cover I couldn't get off). Anyway, with some help and patience, we got the cover off, and we cleaned the filter. The story does get better. During the removal, we found out that the sleeve was turning in the plastic molding of the lower cover. That's what we figured, but to see the plastic stripped -- boy, was it bad. We took pictures just for documentation purposes. I sent Comptech an email (yes, an email) yesterday and I was amazed at how quickly they responded -- and not by email, but by calling me direct. The person on the other end was very cooperative, and within 5 minutes, had assured me that Comptech would send me a new housing for the air filter (with hardware), and I could send the defective one back after the installation. Yeah, I gotta get back under the bumper and take everything apart, but it was very reassuring to know that Comptech was going to take care of me. So anyway, they gave me a UPS tracking number so I can keep an eye out for the package, and we should be all set.

Danny

PeterUbers

iTrader: (1)

That's why you always buy comptech...

they STAND by their product.. it may be overpriced,but they'll stand by it.

Congrats, i'm glad it worked out for you...