If it's the standard 1098 one then a rally autojumble would be the best bet. Then you can clean it up and spray it. The base plate is separate from the top 'bowl' section.
You'll be getting some pretty hot air into the carb without the pipe, although every one I've seen isn't exactly brilliant for picking up the cooler air anyway. It might cause a bit of a power drop and a greater tendency for pinking, but on the other hand it'll speed up warm up times in cold weather I suppose.
All in all it's better to have it than not, but I can't really see it being a problem to not have it - Plenty of people put shiny pancake filters on, and they have no cool air piping at all!
I can't say there won't be a problem, but it's not definate there will be either
Although I'm sure you'll find someone with one going spare - I might be able to dig one out for the cost of postage, if you give me to Wednesday and remind me nearer the time (it is the small HS2 one with the slightly conical cover and pipe that comes out pointing towards the engine, isn't it?). But I'd probably run the car without and see how it went before messing around
One purpose of that tube us as a silencer for the aie intake. Without it, you'll hear more of a throaty roar. In theory, during the winter the whole assembly is rotated so that the pipe is over the exhaust in order to draw warm air. In the summer it's moved away to draw "cool" air. However, I always keep mine on the winter position - under the bonnet in summer is hot anywhere! You won't cause any damage by not having the tube, just a bit louder.
bigginger wrote: A genuine question - wasn't 'bog standard' metal? I know that replacements come as plastic, BTW.
aha! good call bigginger, yes, I have misremembered it (told you my memory was appalling) - have just checked mine and yes although the conical top part is plastic the base plate is indeed metal. Thanks!
Last edited by wibble_puppy on Sun Sep 18, 2005 4:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I've come across both metal and plastic conical bits - I'm sure the plastic ones have had stickers on that make them look genuine? I always assumed metal was early spec, plastic was later, given it's cheaper to produce and by that point BMC/ BL were doing more and more cost cutting. So are the plastics aftermarket/ replacements, or genuine late fitment? I'm not interested in the whole concourse thing, just curious as I like to fill my head with automotive trivia
All have a metal baseplate though, never seen a plastic one of them
Even my late commercails have had metal tops on, some of them so rusty they needed replacement (temporarily) with plastic ones until I found metal ones. I reckon it's just the pattern parts makers cutting costs, though you're right about the stickers.
As for being tactful - Who? Me?
my plastic conical bit has a label on it that says "made in england; patents pending; COOPERS; for service of element refer to vehicle manufacturers [sic] handbook" if that's any help?
*makes a note to look out for a metal one in an idle sort of way*
All the ones I've found so far have the pipes splitting away from the plate Even the one we've been using!
I've got one last place to look, and failing that there seems to be a very good 948 large boxy looking one (I'm guessing it's 948, that's what it's bolted to at the moment) kicking around. Can you believe with half a dozen engines sitting around and boxes full of bits, there doesn't seem to be a single good air filter plate? I couldn't, till the third search around this afternoon