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Topic: Anyone have a warm-air intake malfunctioning? (Read 759 times) previous topic - next topic

Anyone have a warm-air intake malfunctioning?

I've had mine connected and disconnected since I've owned the car.  A few days ago I reconnected it again.  It seemed to help on cold wet mornings but performance feels off.  And I've just been back from a drive, nearly an hour, albeit I made a stop.  In any case the engine was nice and warmed up but when I got back home I checked and the intake flap was still open.  I'm ready to disconnect it yet again but any thoughts?
1983 Thunderbird-302 HO, Holley 650 CFM 4150 DP, Weiand Stealth Intake, Dual-Snorkel Air Cleaner,  Holley Fuel Pump, Procomp HEI Distributor, B&M Holeshot 2400 Converter, Custom 2 1/4 duals with no cats and BBK shorties, Taurus Fan Conversion, FMS Grill, much more to come....


"In the future, I plan on taking more of an active role in the decisions I make" - Paris Hilton

Anyone have a warm-air intake malfunctioning?

Reply #1 –
You talking about the one in the snout on the air cleaner?  Umm, should be open with the engine warm, closed when cold.  If it's closed with the engine warm something's not connected right.  Vac line should come off the Tee to the bimetal control valve on top of the cleaner, then from that over to the vac motor for the vane.  Now, what I found on my '86, was if the lines are connected backward on the bi-metal vac switch, it won't open.  If it don't open, no wonder the performance is off.  It's smothering the engine.  Note the size of the heat pickup tube from the "stove" to the snout.  Not even half the cross-sectional area of the snout.  Fortunately, I live in the south, and heat pickup isn't necessary.  The rubber coated cloth tube with the spring in it kinda came unsprung after 21 years of service.  I've thought about just taking the vac motor and flap outta the snout and capping the connection on the tee.
:birdsmily:
(X2) '86 Thunderbird, 3.8L CFI, C5 Tranny
 
'92 F-150, 5.0L EFI (SD), M5OD Tranny, 3.08 Dif
 
'70 VW Beetle, 1780cc, twin Solex 43's.

Anyone have a warm-air intake malfunctioning?

Reply #2 –
Mine is al SEFI,but it LOOOOOVES cold air.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..
 

Anyone have a warm-air intake malfunctioning?

Reply #3 –
Quote from: Old_Paint;130846
You talking about the one in the snout on the air cleaner?  Umm, should be open with the engine warm, closed when cold.


The air intake warmer only responds to air inlet temperature, not engine temperature. The bi-metallic strip tries to keep the incoming air at 70-90 degrees. If you engine is warm, but it is 20 degrees out, the valve  may be fully closed (to cold air).