'04 Camry air cleaner bolts - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

aaronbud · 03-04-2011, 08:42 AM

Somehow over the past 6 years I have managed to lose both of the bolts that keep the air cleaner shut. Dealer says unavailable. Anyone else have this issue and have you found a source for replacement? Crappy design in my opinion....

Thanks in advance for any info.

Donald E. George · 03-04-2011, 10:57 AM

Those are metric,ungraded fasteners w/washer, about 3/8" long. Try a parts house that carries metric fasteners.Start with a 4mm. You will also have to find a bolt with the correct thread pitch. If you find the correct fastener,you should be able to start it by hand. Regards.

molson.david · 03-04-2011, 11:56 AM

you not alone!

You can’t find matching bolts, you need to replace bolts and nuts.

remove your box, go to HomeDepot hardware dept and pick square nuts and two bolts, sorry don’t remember exact size, I think 10mm head by 20 mm long?
actually any simmilar in size nuts will work and get matching bolts.
Glue or hotglue nuts in place, you’ll need to trim some plastic around place where nuts goes.
Put washer on bolt and drive it to the nut.
Done.

BlackG5 · 03-04-2011, 01:08 PM

I only have 1 left lol!

I lost the other one when I loosened them to hear the intake, went for a drive and poof, gone...

aaronbud · 03-04-2011, 02:50 PM

thanks for the input guys. I will give the hardware store a shot. Got a bungy around the box for now, works fine, but I'm worried they will fail me for the visual on a smog check.....

molson.david · 03-04-2011, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Glue or hotglue nuts in place, you’ll need to trim some plastic around place where nuts goes.
Put washer on bolt and drive it to the nut.

works fine for me for almost 2 years. even if I'll loose bolt or nut, I know exactly where I can get replacment for $.50!
it even looks OEM.

for now you can use "butterfly" screw with washer.

tekdemon · 03-08-2011, 11:51 PM

Should be pretty simple to just replace it with random nuts and bolts though if you can figure out the original Toyota parts numbers (there are websites with almost all the parts in broken out diagrams) you can often go and ask for that particular part number at the dealership since they're probably just too lazy to do the correct lookup for you. If it's not in stock they can almost always order it, I've bought all kinds of bizarre bolts from the parts people before. And keep in mind that almost all the parts departments can charge you much cheaper prices than the full list price so if you're buying a bunch of parts you can usually get a discount if they don't hate you. Last time I went in I got a discount such that the prices were cheaper than most internet sites.
At any rate my airbox bolts are still in there after 8 years, though maybe you've driven and changed the filters a lot more than me.

'02 XLE V6 · 03-09-2011, 11:21 AM

Lowe's worked for me. One bolt was lost and I broke the second bolt. Toyota actually was able to match the bolts from what was left of the second bolt, and had two that fit. they just gave them to me. I got the washers and nuts at Lowe's.

Toyota was not able to order the bolts separately as they come with the upper housing of the air filter box. That part costs over $200.

AlmightyCamry777 · 03-09-2011, 04:10 PM

I don't know the set up on your 2004 model but on my 2002 V6, the air cleaner has two 10 mm bolts that are a fraction too small. I threw mine away because they are too short. I installed screws that were about 1/4" longer and much easier to change the air filter (i used lock washers and a flat washer too it is metal bearing on the plastic after all)