I am looking to try and get at the air filter (to check, and to possibly upgrade) and Im not sure how to get the engine cover off. (Its the engine with the airbox built into the engine cover, big gap to the right back of the engine bay, behind the battery!)

I found one post that said that the cover just sits on rubber posts, and you have to just pull it off, but, as he says, it feels like Im going to break something. Is there a special knack to it?

Any help you guys could give would be great (which way do I pull it!!!)

Thanks

It does sit on rubber posts so just pull it up gently I usually pull up the front side first and then the back side. Be careful not to pull too hard or you'll disconnect the rubber vacuum hoses.

Yank the bloody thing off

Thanks for your help. I think I will go with the pulling gently, rather than the 'yank it off' approach, but thanks for the moral support.

Will have a go later today, hopefully with some success!

Yank the bloody thing off

Yeah, that will work too

Just managed to 'yank it off'. 11 screws just to get the airfilter box off!!

Couple of things that puzzled me though. There is a tube going across the top of the airfilter (clean side) that appears to be throwing out a bit of oil, does anyone know why this is?

Also there is a flap that seems to change where the airflow comes from (normally up from the front of the engine, but can be from the side of the plastic box) but there is nothing that could move it. What does it do????

If you don't know what the hell Im on about I will take it off again and post some photos.

That's the oil that spills from the camshaft. Normally it shouldn't spill much oil through that hose, but if it does, you should check the engine and oil consumption.

The flap is connected to the gas pedal and as you push it, the flap opens and the engine takes more air and revs and revs and revs I hope that's the flap you're talking about.

Theres not much oil, and it hasn't used much recently, although it did a bit more over the winter, and has done most of its life.

I saw the butterfly (I believe servo controlled), thats on the engine. There is a flap built into the engine cover that doesn't appear to have anything that can push it open. I will take a photo and post it (if I can, is it easy?).

And yes it does rev and rev, all the way round to 6k, and maybe a bit more........ (rev limiter, only hit it once though...)