aftermarket air filter - Third Generation F-Body Message Boards

csimpson1 · 10-09-2009, 02:17 AM

i want to take the snorkel air filter set up off my car and put an open element air filter on there. what should i do. what do i need. i read alot about the IAT and obviously i have to do something with it. maybe a simple thing to answer, and any help or advice is appreciated

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camaronewbie · 10-09-2009, 09:25 AM

There will be a cutout on the bottom half of the open element housing for your IAT - just punch it out and install the IAT.

csimpson1 · 10-09-2009, 04:42 PM

so wherre is my IAT located right now on my stock air filter setup? what does it even look like. i rly have never thought about any of this stuff, just more body for now, but i wouldnt mind learning some before i get one just in case. thanks

camaronewbie · 10-09-2009, 11:56 PM

IAT is the only thing with wires that is attached to your stock air cleaner (on the underside).

csimpson1 · 10-10-2009, 12:49 AM

ummm...well i just went and looked. is it possible to not have one? will the car run without it? i have a 2vacuum hose leading into the bottom of the air filter "holder" (metal, round, black(stock)) and what the go into has what looks to be copper pieces held together by two black pieces. but nothing with "wires" or anything that looks like its electrical. im going to go with "THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM?" im definitely hoping it can like, fall out or move or something.UGH! thanks for all of your help btw, and advice is great

camaronewbie · 10-10-2009, 01:37 AM

OK - the vacuum lines are in the bottom of the snorkel part of the housing - they control the thermac devise, which is like a door that will open when engine is warm and allow air to come into the front of the snorkel, or the door will be closed when engine is cold allowing air to enter from the underside of the snorkel - on the underside there should be a flexible aluminum-looking tube that comes up from the exhaust manifold - cold engine needs warm air to get going, thus the door flips allowing warm air right off the exhaust manifold to enter the air cleaner. Make sense?

Now - the IAT should be attached to the underside of the air cleaner housing on the round part, towards the back side by the distributor - it will have wires going to it (maybe just two), and it'll look kinda like a black plastic connector that doesn't connect to anything - you can see two little copper tabs like in the top, and the whole thing is about the size of the cigarette lighter and is mounted in the bottom of the air cleaner housing - if it's missing should be a hole in the air cleaner housing about the size of a nickel where it was at - might be laying on top of the intake under the distributor - it has a short pigtail wire, so it can't be very far away from the distributor.

csimpson1 · 10-10-2009, 02:04 AM

that made complete sense! i am missing that felixble aluminum round cylinder that goes from the manifold to the snorkel, is that extremely bad? or just kinda bad? lol with an after market air filter, it isnt there at all right?

and after 15 minutes of searching, im unable to find the IAT, and there is one hole in the breather and its where a filter connects to a "tube" that goes down to the valve cover. I feel really stupid, but i really dont know. lol. ill have my dad check it out tomorrow and see if he knows what it is, which he will, but see if he can find it. but i guess for now, just the ? about the flexible aluminum thing. thanks much for the info and stuff

camaronewbie · 10-10-2009, 02:17 AM

aluminum flexible manifold hose not required - just helps on cold morning starts. and yes, and open air element filter doesn't have it anyway.

Wouldn't worry so much about the IAT - if you do find it ever, get some wiring and crimp-on butt connects and lengthen the wires and move it to a cooler location - many claim that it gets too much heat being in the air cleaner housing, thus throwing off the computer-controlled timing a tad and making the car run slightly rich (but rich is ALWAYS better than lean - too lean can blow holes in the pistons)

csimpson1 · 10-10-2009, 02:21 AM

alright, thats good, but i do have crappy morning starts, where could i pick one up at u think?

and i will find it, hopefully. lol but will take ur advice and move it to a cooler location. what does it do by chance?..

camaronewbie · 10-10-2009, 02:37 AM

senses the air temp going into the intake, and adjusts timing and/or fuel to compensate for cold air.

crappy starts may be due to the vacuum leak and off timing from other posts.