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JCat's avatar
JCat
Explorer III
May 25, 2018

Engine Air Box Melted

I have a 2004 Mandalay 40D which has an air box between the air intake and the engine air filter.
I recently had the RV serviced and they replaced the air filter.
They failed to tighten the hose between the air box and the air filter and the box shifted down and ended up on top of the exhaust pipe.

This caused the air box to melt onto the exhaust pipe.  I was able to get it off and patch it, and secure it off the exhaust.

In checking with Mandalay they said the air box was a plastic molded box and that the mold has been destroyed due to no orders in many years.

Here are my questions:
Do I need an air box ?
Do you have one on your RV (my friends RV's do not, Tiffin and Monaco) ?
If I really need one, can I even get something to replace the patched one I have ?

Thanks
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  • Chum_lee's avatar
    Chum_lee
    Explorer
    May 25, 2018
    JCat wrote:
    I have a 2004 Mandalay 40D which has an air box between

    Here are my questions:

    Do I need an air box ?


    Thanks


    I'm not familiar with your particular setup but I do have some engineering experience. I can tell you that engineers do not usually add complexity to any system unless they have some reason(s) for it. If you delete the air box you may find out (the hard way) why it was there in the first place. Just a guess. Often the air box contains internal baffles/plenums which are designed to minimize intake air noise/pressure waves which disrupt your ears.

    Chum lee
  • wolfe10's avatar
    wolfe10
    Explorer
    May 25, 2018
    Yes, you need something that:

    1. Sucks air from outside the coach (cooler than if it is in the engine room).

    2. Absolutely need a water drain-- think of all the water sheeting down the side of the coach while driving in rain coming from that side of the coach.
  • JCat's avatar
    JCat
    Explorer III
    May 25, 2018
    I have contacted a salvage yard in AZ, where members of the Mandalay group mentioned that there are a few salvage Mandalays.

    2Hands - please read the original post, I stated what Mandalay said.

    Brett - good idea as always, thanks for the idea, I will pursue it.
    CA Traveler - good idea as well, but i think I would like something a bit more flame and melting resistant.

    But the bigger questions for me is:
    Do I really need an air box ?

    It seems that it's sole purpose is to drain water out of the air intake system, when it rains.
    But many RV's don't have this box, so is it necessary ?

    Thanks
  • wolfe10's avatar
    wolfe10
    Explorer
    May 25, 2018
    Ya, that is not a "wear component". So should be able to find one in a wrecking yard.

    Shoot pictures of it and do a search for "RV Salvage Yards".

    And, if you can find out who made it (Mandalay likely did NOT-- they bought it from someone) and the PN, you can find out who else bought that particular PN.

    Worse case, you can take it to a sheet metal fabricator and have a metal one made.

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