Hi all,
I have a minor annoyance in my 1988 4cyl Tech 4 engine. When I bought the car last year the (I think it is) metal strap that secures the airbox to the intake duct was missing and I'd like to fix that:



So far I've looked on Rockauto and The Fiero Store with no luck. I know I can get it from the Fiero Factory, but there should be some other compatible part out there that I can use, right? Can anybody suggest a strap, maybe from a different vehicle or something?

Thanks,

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Geoff Gibbons
1988 4cyl Manual

[This message has been edited by gjgpff (edited 06-03-2021).]

There is no replacement except right big "hose clamp" made for the job to fit around "index" bump on the plastic. Bump is index and tries to retain it when air cleaner is pulled etc. Most way over loosen and bump won't help then gets lost.

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Go to junk yards and look for it on FWD cars w/ VIN R or U engines late 80 to early 90's at minimum.

Can make one by carefully cutting/mod'ing a slot in a standard hose clamp.
Home Depot and others have very cheap big clamps in same section of Clothes Drier exhaust and other Vent parts not made of SS that's easier to cut or solder to. (But maybe galvanize so cut etc Outside so don't breath Zinc dust/fumes.)

Clamp doesn't do much and don't want to clamp like treating as radiator etc hoses.
Many leave it loose so can easy remove the air cleaner box and engine won't "twist" the plastic and crack that.
Even if you "tighten to spec," likely gets loose because you can't treat as rubber hose.

If the "pipe" won't hold w/o the clamp then likely have Engine Mount problems causing Engine to move and sit wrong.
See my Cave, Engine Mounts and Torque Strut

E2A--> Note: Metal has bumps too. The plastic goes over them before clamping and bump meets the "pipe" w/ matching "notches" other side of clamp zone. You see 1 "notch" in the pipe next to Clamp screw. Often need to push plastic and metal together or bumps can make the pipe "not fitting right."

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Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
(Jurassic Park)

The Ogre's Fiero Cave

[This message has been edited by theogre (edited 06-03-2021).]

All,
So, like theogre says, it's not hard to find a suitable clip. I paid too much for this on ebay:



It fits just about perfectly and the nut is 8mm:



doesn't look like it will pull away.

[This message has been edited by gjgpff (edited 06-10-2021).]