Air Duct to Air Box

[AlHeart]

I replaced the engine air filter and after reassembly, the air duct (4E0-129-627) between the inlet and the air box keeps popping off.

The part seems to be the original as the date stamp on it is 09/2002 and it isn't very flexible anymore. Are newer/new ones flexible enough that they would stay attached? Or does anyone have any tricks to getting it reattached?

I don't really want to buy one as it is an expensive piece of plastic! I can tape it up and call it a day if new ones will be similar.

[steamship]

One option you could try is soaking the end in hot water to see if it will soften it up a bit. I know it works for some of the harder rubber fittings, but not sure if it would work with hard plastic.

[AlHeart]

Thanks. I just tried hot water from the tap and even hot water from the kettle and it was still very firm. I may try a heat gun next time. I'll just tape it up for now.

Better than the dealer that wants £50 for the part!

[homer simpson]

Seems to be the same problem I had. At times I have managed to get it on with a lot of fiddling, other times it just will not stay on! Let me know if heat works, just be careful not too deform the plastic

[AlHeart]

Thanks Homer! Here's a Homer-type fix!

[HPsauce]

It's not one of those stupid situations where you have an apparently symmetrical item that in reality isn't quite and you try it all 4 ways that it could fit (combining back to front, upside down maybe even inside out!) and (like putting on a duvet cover) it's the fifth orientation that works?

I'm not a D3 owner but the way it's connected at the inlet doesn't look right, or maybe that's just the camera angle?

[steamship]

Originally Posted by HPsauce

...(like putting on a duvet cover)

Pretty much this. No matter what end/corner you start with, it's just a pain to fit. A combination of tight space and the use of a heavy duty plastic that has no flex in it at all, or which hardens over time from heat soak in the engine bay. The S8 is worse as it has two!

The hot/boiling water was just an unlikely suggestion, but never thought of homer's suggestion, but care would need to be taken with that one.

[quattronutter]

Drill a small hole through and screw both parts together

[AlHeart]

Update to this issue. I did some unrelated work to the car the required the airbox to come out. After reassembly, the duct somehow fit as it should have! It was out of the car for two months. Maybe somehow it reverted to the original shape? It's like magic! 😂