Air Cleaners
Engines with carburetors or throttle body (single-point) fuel injection typically have round metal air cleaners mounted directly above the carburetor or throttle body. The air cleaner top is secured with one wing nut.
AIR CLEANER
Courtesy of Car Care Council
On engines with carburetors, the air cleaner snorkel probably has a heat stove attached to it. The heat stove is a metal device connected to one exhaust manifold. Heat from the exhaust manifold is transferred via a duct to the snorkel of the air cleaner.
HEAT STOVE DUCT
Courtesy of Car Care Council
This permits a cold engine to burn warm air and thus heat up more quickly. It permits the carburetor to have leaner mixture and choke settings. This saves gasoline and reduces pollution due to burned and unburned fuel. Furthermore, a fast warm-up improves engine life. A damper valve in the snorkel mixes cold air and preheated air in correct proportions. The valve usually operates on vacuum and a thermostatically sensitive spring.
