Technical Air intake pipe

[AshleyP]

The air intake pipe (I think that's what it is) is missing from my daughter's Fiat 500 Lounge 2010.

Does anyone have a photo of what needs replacing, please? I am not sure if these pipes differ according to model and year?

What is the effect of driving without this pipe?

Would this normally be removed during a regular service?

Thanks

 

[mj2k]

It wouldn't be removed and left off in a normal service, most likely someone's leaned on it too hard or removed it and broken it, unless it was left off because the bolt holding it on rusted and sheared, meaning it couldn't be refitted.

Main thing it does is makes sure there's a supply of colder air going to the engine, so it might put power down very slightly and reduce fuel economy when the weather gets warmer, but otherwise won't have a huge effect in the UK. But they're only about £40 on Ebay (assuming it's a 1.2) so it might pay for itself come the summer months, assuming you can refit it.

Double check with others for your particular engine, but this might be it?

Fiat 500 1.2 Air Filter Inlet Pipe / Hose 51806858 | eBay

Manufacturer Part Number: 51806858. Part Number: 51806858. Fiat air filter inlet pipe to fit the following: Fiat 1.2 Fiat 500 2007-. Make: Fiat. Type: Air Filters. Useful Links. Item Specifics. credit and debit cards.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[jrkitching]

It wouldn't be removed and left off in a normal service

Interestingly the eLearn procedure for removing the airbox is to leave this pipe in place on the car, but most folks (myself included) just unscrew the pipe from the front panel and remove the airbox and pipe complete. There's no reason to separate them once the airbox is on the bench.

The retaining screw into the front panel is well known for coming loose and often falls out in service, which causes an irritating but otherwise harmless underbonnet rattle. Possibly a previous owner has just removed the pipe as a workaround to stop this happening.

It absolutely won't do the car any harm to run without it; I'd just keep an eye on the breakers ads for a secondhand one; this should save you a few pennies over the £40 or so you'll pay for a new one.

It's also possible @typecastboy might have one of these lying around.

 

[John202020]

We nearly lost ours after the front fixing came away from the plastic section, I drilled all the way through and put a stainless bolt in with a large flanged nut on it.
If it were I, i would replace it.

 

[John202020]

Found a used one from Club Italia https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184576102378?fits=Car+Make:Fiat&hash=item2af997cfea:g:0zUAAOSwIdFf04~q

With it in place there's also a small "ram" effect to the incoming air too

 

[jrkitching]

With it in place there's also a small "ram" effect to the incoming air too

Given the way the air flows around the body, any difference will likely be negligible and it could even have the opposite effect.

Have a look at this.

The only change there's likely to be is that the induction air temperature will be higher when the car is sitting at idle in traffic on a hot day.

 

[AshleyP]

Thank you all very much for taking the time to reply with your really helpful comments and suggestions.

A local car breaker has one which I will go and see at the weekend, so the photos above are really helpful as I can check to see if it looks like these.

One further question, please, apart from the retaining screw mentioned above (which I doubt the car breaker will have) are there any other fixings I will need?

Thanks again.

 

[John202020]

One further question, please, apart from the retaining screw mentioned above (which I doubt the car breaker will have) are there any other fixings I will need?

No, I still recommend drilling straight through and using a bolt, ideally use a Nylock nut 4mm dia.

 

[A3jeroen]

A bit of history: While driving my Brava 100TD on the Autobahn (fast. I was trying to keep up with a motorbike a little under 200Km/h) my hose slipped out of place and no longer inhaled cold air from above and beside my radiator. Instantly I lost some power and speed and saw the motorbike disappear. Stopped at the nearest Raststatte and put the intake hose back where it belonged and my topspeed of nearly 200 Km/h was back.
So is it important? Me think yes!

gr J

 

[Olliver]

I did cut my snorkel here, to ged rid of the restriction....

 

[chris3234]

I did cut my snorkel here, to ged rid of the restriction....

View attachment 401355 View attachment 401356

You you made it suck warmer air it?

Not sure what you think that will achieve it certainly wont boost performance
The engine does does need more air then the factory tube can supply

 

[Olliver]

You you made it suck warmer air it?
...
The engine does does need more air then the factory tube can supply

Why does it suck warm air then? It´s the part that is located inside the air-box and is only there for reducing a little the intake noise. The rest of the pipe routing stays untouched.

Perhaps it does not need it, but it´s not a bad if it get´s it. (If I interpretate your sentence correct)
You have two mechanisms, that can handle a plus of air. One is the intake manifold sensor. If you reduce restrictions upstream the throttle, this will result in a higher manifold air pressure. For example, if you have at the same ambient (ambient pressure, vehicle speed) and operating (rpm, full load) conditions a MAP value of let´s say 980mbar, then you might have with the lower restrictions perhaps 990mbar. The result is more air in the cylinder and as the ECM detects this by the MAP sensor it will inject more fuel. Normally the axis for the ambient pressure of the swallow characteristic map is calibrated up to 1100mbar, to cover also conditions below sea level (e.g. Death Valley). The second one is the lambda controler, but normally no need for him to intervene here.


By the way, your english sounds a little strange to me, even I´m not a native speaker...

 

[chris3234]

Why does it suck warm air then? It´s the part that is located inside the air-box and is only there for reducing a little the intake noise. The rest of the pipe routing stays untouched.

Perhaps it does not need it, but it´s not a bad if it get´s it. (If I interpretate your sentence correct)
You have two mechanisms, that can handle a plus of air. One is the intake manifold sensor. If you reduce restrictions upstream the throttle, this will result in a higher manifold air pressure. For example, if you have at the same ambient (ambient pressure, vehicle speed) and operating (rpm, full load) conditions a MAP value of let´s say 980mbar, then you might have with the lower restrictions perhaps 990mbar. The result is more air in the cylinder and as the ECM detects this by the MAP sensor it will inject more fuel. Normally the axis for the ambient pressure of the swallow characteristic map is calibrated up to 1100mbar, to cover also conditions below sea level (e.g. Death Valley). The second one is the lambda controler, but normally no need for him to intervene here.


By the way, your english sounds a little strange to me, even I´m not a native speaker...

Ive looked at the original picture wrong it looked like you had cut the section off before it connects to the front of the grill off

So the air would be sucked in from the engine bay and not the front grill