Infamous 2012 Civic P0171

[JeffKeryk]

Torn TB to Air Box bellows... 142K on my friend's clean little Civic EX. I guess it's pretty common? Cheapo Amazon part worked fine. Odd size on the Honda clamps. 5/32". Perfect idle now; placebo effect? I had cleared the codes and duct taped the original until the new part came.

 

[The Critic]

Those clamps are usually 7/32" or 5.5mm.

Replacing that boot is far more painful than it needs to be.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Those clamps are usually 7/32" or 5.5mm.

Replacing that boot is far more painful than it needs to be.

You said it; what should be a pretty simple task was not so simple. I didn't know about the Air Box grommet, which was pretty stuck.
YouTube to the rescue...

It was funny; I have several 5.5mm sockets and they didn't fit. I believe I used a 5/32" and Phillips... I might double check just for fun.
A little Sil-Glide helped the install all around.

 

[Dave Hess]

What is the aftermarket part # ?

We have the same year Civic in our fleet.

 

[JeffKeryk]

What is the aftermarket part # ?

We have the same year Civic in our fleet.

I used this one... $9.99 on sale. As @The Critic said, this job is a bit of a pain. Watch Youtube videos.
The air box has to be removed and installed as an assembly, due to the hinge mechanism.

I also used WD-40 a small pry bar to free the stuck bellows ends as they have been on for years and lotsa heat cycles.

 

[Dave Hess]

Thanks.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Those clamps are usually 7/32" or 5.5mm.

Replacing that boot is far more painful than it needs to be.

My mistake, @The Critic is correct. The clamp fastener size is 5.5mm or 7/32".
My sockets were mis-ordered, 5.5mm, 5mm, 6mm.

I hate it when that happens.

 

[troymcclure]

Common on a few cars with that design from that era including the 2010s Sentra. Replaced mine before it went just from hearing about all the failures. Rubber was mostly pliable but looked pretty thin in the folds. Amazon cheapo was great. I just monitor it like a wear and tear item now. I believe the original had a Mahle stamp on it.

 

[meep]

Stepdaughter has a Suzuki that left her stranded in town and I couldn’t get the bellows. Dumped half a tube of caulk under a few wraps of gaffers tape … in probably, well, pre-COVID so 2019 or 2020. It was holding up fine when she sold it last fall.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Stepdaughter has a Suzuki that left her stranded in town and I couldn’t get the bellows. Dumped half a tube of caulk under a few wraps of gaffers tape … in probably, well, pre-COVID so 2019 or 2020. It was holding up fine when she sold it last fall.

"Those new tie straps work nearly as good as bailing wire."

 

[JeffKeryk]

Quick followup... I also spray cleaned the MAF sensor. The idle is now ROCK SOLID at maybe 750 or whatever.
My guess is my friend will see an increase in (expensive CA) gas mileage.

All good in the hood...