[AndreasPassat]

I'm wondering if anybody has converted the old style cabin filter housing on a B5 to B5.5 cabin filter housing.

 

[PZ]

Why would you? I prefer the old style with the water deflector cover. I suppose you can measure each filter to see how large of a difference. I expect the opening in the sheetmetal may be a problem.

 

[AndreasPassat]

Why would you? I prefer the old style with the water deflector cover. I suppose you can measure each filter to see how large of a difference. I expect the opening in the sheetmetal may be a problem.

To be honest, the only reason why I'm inquiring is because I really want a proper fitting rain tray / battery cover. If I convert to the B5.5 cabin filter and the B5.5 brake master cylinder (rectangle) I can use the spare cover I have laying around.

There is so much junk around here, pine needles, long thin leaves and little berries or whatever they are, cleaning out the cowl area is getting old fast.

To this day I'm kicking myself for losing the one I had. I've tried in vain to find the one that was on the car but I've failed miserably.
So converting would be the only way I can satisfy my OCD with that part.

 

[AndreasPassat]

I expect the opening in the sheetmetal may be a problem.

I suppose I could just take apart my wife's car and my car to compare.
I've checked ETKA but that has incorrect info for the 98 model year. It lists the same part number as the B5.5 version.
There again, if I took mine apart I could part numbers off it.

 

[captainfantastic]

I did

 

[AndreasPassat]

There it is!
I just stole this picture from another post. That's the rain tray/cowl cover I used have for 1998 B5. It was original with the car. Try and find one those, it's impossible.

 

[captainfantastic]

Actually the cover came NEVER on a B5 factorywise, and the ETKA No. for a round shape brake reservoir is 3B1 819 447 B41

 

[AndreasPassat]

Actually the cover came NEVER on a B5 factorywise, and the ETKA No. for a round shape brake reservoir is 3B1 819 447 B41

Hmm, that's interesting. My then sister-in-law bought the car when it was 6 months old. She bought it from a dealer that had the car on a 6 month lease. It was repo'd from non payment on the lease. I'm wondering if the dealer or the person that had the car put it on.

 

[Zach440]

There it is!
I just stole this picture from another post. That's the rain tray/cowl cover I used have for 1998 B5. It was original with the car. Try and find one those, it's impossible.

View attachment 102059

Just so everyone knows, the cowl was available to order from any VW Dealer when I did my 2000 Passat V6.You'll also have to order the air filter and tray, also the rubber seal that goes along the front of the lip toward the engine compartment.. To do this one has to remove the wipers and put the cowl slightly under the bottom edge of the windshield---also this photograph is of an Audi with a supercharger on it, that I believe is no longer made. If I can find the photographs that I took of my installation I will post them...

 

[Zach440]

Hmm, that's interesting. My then sister-in-law bought the car when it was 6 months old. She bought it from a dealer that had the car on a 6 month lease. It was repo'd from non payment on the lease. I'm wondering if the dealer or the person that had the car put it on.

That is correct the cowl ws not on the B5's from the factory in this country...I believe they were on the German cars that stayed in Europe.

 

[Zach440]

I'm wondering if anybody has converted the old style cabin filter housing on a B5 to B5.5 cabin filter housing.

Here are all the part numbers you'll need to accomplish this:
New air filter box--housing (3B1 819 640A); rain gutter(3B1 819 979); seal (3D0 819 165B); Seal (3B0 819 211); Filter (1H0 819 644B); hold down (3B0 819 817); 3 M6 Hexagon nuts (N901 063 04).

For the new plenum/cover: Wind/Water deflector (3B1 819 415 E B41); Plenum w/round cutout for brake reservoir (3B1 819 447 B41); Cover for the battery cutout (3B1 819 442 A01C).

Having said all this, some (or all of these) numbers may have been superseded by new numbers. Any reputable parts company will give you the new numbers. I think they would still be available, if not in this country, in Germany.
Be sure to be careful reattaching the wiper arms to exactly where they came off the spindles, make sure they are parked and at their rest position, otherwise you may have two stripped spindles...

 

[Zach440]

I suppose I could just take apart my wife's car and my car to compare.
I've checked ETKA but that has incorrect info for the 98 model year. It lists the same part number as the B5.5 version.
There again, if I took mine apart I could part numbers off it.

The sheet metal is NOT a problem easy upgrade, just like mny parts of these cars....

 

[AndreasPassat]

Part number 3B1 819 447 B41 is no longer produced and not available in the U.S.
Maybe some parts house over in Europe has got some leftovers or N.O.S. laying around.
I've been looking for that cover for about 4 years now.

 

[AndreasPassat]

Number 1 and 2 would be the tray and battery cover for the B5 version.
Anybody got any connections over in Europe?