I drove my 99 integra over a parking block and ripped out the wheel well cover and also revealed a large plastic box, looks like it would hold a couple of gallons of air. The intake is in the engine area behind some electronic. Air comes in there, goes into the box and then back up via snorkel to the air cleaner housing. A very circuitous route! Well, the box is ripped open and not screwed too tight now, but what I wonder is -- should I replace it? Maybe just duct tape it in there? Seems like a lot of trouble for Acura to build it so maybe it is important - any ideas on it? Puttster
That's a very carefully engineered silencer box to help keep engine noise down. You should certainly not leave it ripped open since that would be likely to load up your air filter with a good deal of dust and crud. If a quiet car is important to you, by all means replace it. If you prefer performance over tranquility, rip the thing out and buy yourself a cold air intake. http://www3.telus.net/public/johnings/faq.html#intake Some of us like to hear a VTEC engine in full song!
That is the resonator chamber: http://www.acuraautomotiveparts.org/acura/jsp/mws/prddisplay.jsp which acts like a muffler for induction noise. I wouldn't leave it gaping open - you could suck a lot of dirt, or worse, some water, into the intake. Where I live critters would probably make a home there or use it as a lunch room in Winter. Either way the results could be troublesome. If it's not too badly torn, you might be able to patch it satisfactorily with duct tape. Rgds, George Macdonald "Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??
