Prev owner hacked up airbox, need ideas for a fix.

Hey all. Just picked up an '82 XJ 550 Seca a couple weeks ago, finally starting to tinker with it. Took my carbs off to send them off to hogfiddles for a rebuild, and while doing that I noticed the airbox was looking funky. For one, it has some holes cut into the left-side cover to accommodate an aftermarket filter I suppose was the thinking:




Taking the cover of, it has a K&N filter that held in place by retaining tabs on the inside cover and on the right hand inside of the box:






The real problem came after I took the carbs off. The front portion of the box (the part with the boots connecting to the carbs) is completely separated (cracked or cut its tough to tell) from the back half the box that houses the filter:






I've read on some other threads that you have to remove the motor to remove the airbox, which I don't really want to do. My only thought on how to fix this is once I get the carbs back on and the two halves of the air box are pushed together is to go around the entire box and fill the split in with some black window caulking. To do this, I will probably have to remove the battery box to gain access to the right side of the airbox. Is that do-able? Or is removing the batt box not possible?

If anyone has any suggestions or a better idea one how to get the airbox sealed up I'm all ears.

Also, does anyone know the part number for that K&N filter? It appears to fit properly and that foam gasket sits tight once the cover is on and its held in place. Its pretty beat up though I'd like to replace it.

 

Also, I'm missing the two bolts that go on the top of the airbox. If anyone know what size bolts those are, much appreciated:

 

6 mm

 

Sometimes you can get away with removing the mounts and the exhaust in order for the engine to slide forward and tip down.
Sometimes you can get away with heating up the airbox with a heat gun to soften the plastic enough to fold it up out of the way. But, you’ll have to heat it again to unfold it

best bet is to remove the engine, though.

your airbox is gacked, so youMay as we’ll pull the engine out, get the junk airbox out, and put the new one in. That way you know your new airbox is in correctly.

 

plenty of people pulling the box you may be able to find on on the
https://www.facebook.com/groups/697824790419933/ yamaha orphans page member here started it for the 550 and it has expanded to the 600s

yamaha xj550 owners is another page it is based from the UK

https://www.facebook.com/groups/193612717706491/

 

Yeah Dave I think you're right. Repair or replace it I think I'd still have to pull the motor and get it out of there to do anything. Lucky enough I just found a decent looking used one on ebay for a cool 30 beans.

Anyone got a good link/pictorial for the engine removal?