Hello all -

I recently purchased an '86 Firebird. When I opened the hood, I thought the Air Cleaner (ahead of the MAF Sensor) looked wrong...

(The MAF Sensor is currently off the vehicle in these shots)

Should there be some sort of lid on the Air Cleaner? If so, can someone post a pic of what the air cleaner SHOULD look like?

 

never mind its a tpi bird, sorry. i gotta read things better. but yeah im pretty sure theres a tube that goes from the top of that to the throttle body. i dont have a pic of it but im sure someone else do

 

Thanks for the response.

The reason I asked is it looks exposed, but, honestly, I don't know what it SHOULD look like. Maybe it's fine, I'm not sure. I'd imagine there should be some sort of cover on it...

BTW, this is on an S/E, so you're looking at a 2.8L V6.

Again, can anyone upload a pic of what theirs looks like, and if you can, take the cover off so I can get a better look at what I'm missing?

Thanks,

-M

 

You're missing the square plastic top. You have the metal round piece, the plastic part must have got broken off.

 

Thanks for taking the time to do that for me, 80schild. It helps a lot. Like I said, I didn't get this thing in exactly mint condition or anything. I don't know what the engine SHOULD look like, so I don't know how much is missing. The last owner cut a lot of corners on the repairs; when the MAF sensor stopped working, he simply removed it. I'm pretty sure the car has ben running on the CALPAK instead of the ECM for some time now. I'm looking forward to getting the MAF Sensor back on and fixing the rest of the wiring so the engine will run better.

Anyway, the 1986 Pontiac Firebird Service Manual just calls this part the "Air Cleaner" and doesn't go into very much detail about it. It looks more square in the diagrams, so I knew something was off.

Is there more conventional name for this part, and that's why it's not showing up on searches? I've searched for a replacement "Air Cleaner" online, and I can find the housing (the part I already have) and the Air Filter, but not the plastic piece you're showing me here.

Does anybody know a site which would have where I could find the plastic cover, or am I better off looking at junkyards?

Do I really even need the cover in the first place?

Thanks in advance; I apologize for the novice questions...

 

www.moderndaymuscle.com

 

Thanks Kennyglm.

Unfortunately, they don't carry that part, but they did have the cheapest price I've seen so far for T-Top Weather Stripping.

Always nice to add another parts vendor to my list...

 

Check around the classifieds here at TGO, and look for Firebirds that are being parted out. You could also put an ad in the "wanted" section.

The TPI Trans Ams from '85-'87 also used the same part.

 

If you want it "original" then you need that "malibox slot" plastic lid in the picture posted above. But it never flowed very well- all those boxes-n-elbows (unique to the 86-87 TPI Firebirds). You can swipe the entire intake system off a later 88-up MAF-equipped Firebird if you want a little better flow. It's basically a bolt-on upgrade except for extending the MAF wiring a few inches since the MAF will now sit about even with the top of the rad support.

An aftermarket cold air system is another/better option to consider as well.