Engine cover pop clips: Cheap replacement

[Strabismo]

If you are as clumsy as me, you've probably already or will one day lose one of the pop clips holding the plastic engine cover just as I did this weekend.

 

I didn't wanted to have my engine cover rattling around and I knew that they're ridiculously expensive at the dealership so I looked around for a replacement and here's what I found.

 

Step 1: Go to NAPA auto parts and buy some of these:

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h228/strabismo/bag.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h228/strabismo/clip.jpg

They are about 4 bucks for the pack of 7. However, they're expanding way to close to the head of the clip and they're expanding too big to fit the engine cover. So this is what you do:

 

Step 2: Unscrew and remove the plastic screw from the pop clip

 

Step 3: With a cutter, shave off a little bit of plastic off the inside surface of each "leg" that normally contacts the plastic screw. Shave off only about between halfway through the clip and the head of the clip, do not remove any plastic between the centre and the tip as it is needed to properly lock the clip in place by expanding the tip. I found it easy to do by simply starting at midpoint and going down toward the head of the pin. (both pictures at the starting point)

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h228/strabismo/cut1.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h228/strabismo/cut2.jpg

You do not need to shave too much matter, don't remove too much at once.

 

It should fit and hold tightly now. If you can't screw the screw all the way in when installing it on your engine cover even when pushing down very hard on it, you haven't shaved enough plastic off the "legs". Don't keep trying to screw it in if the screw isn't moving down or you'll strip it.

 

It doesn't look exactly like the original pop clips but it works like a charm and it is MUCH cheaper.

 

This trick can also be used for different other pop clips when the NAPA replacements doesn't fit perfectly.

[SBT]

Thanks and good to know.

SBT