Help Identifying Part

[GreaseJunkie]

Does anyone know what this is? I was replacing some radiator hoses and saw a hose with a tear in it and followed it with my hand to the back of the engine block and found this. It was loose, so I pulled at it and it came right off. Obviously it's shot and I would like to replace it (if necessary), but I don't know what it's called or what it does exactly. I think something to do with the heat or some sort of exhaust from the engine? I've searched engine parts, exhaust parts, cooling parts, heating parts. Nada.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

[eric4321]

That looks to me like the piece of tin that bolts to the outside of the exhaust manifold. You should have a piece of hose going from the intake box to that(it is on the driver side of the manifold) what it does is help provide warm air to the engine on cold starts. Some people say it is needed others will not. If you have strict smog inspections then you will need it.

[CalAltaDubber]

Yup, Eric is right. It is the Warm air supply for your CIS system. It takes warm air from the exaust manifold and connects to the air induction thermostat under the airbox.

To make your engine run, you don't really need it. I have it connected on my '87 because it came that way. I don't on the '88.

[GreaseJunkie]

Perfect, gents, thanks! I have the pre-heat hose in my cart on Parts Geek (I was able to find that part by appearance, not description, as it's the only hose that looks like it belongs on my clothes dryer). I don't like unnecessary expenses or parts, especially when they are all the way behind the engine. I'm skipping it for now, unless someone on eBay has one for sale cheap.

I'm going to start a new thread on performance parts. My 196,000 miles have made this bunny into a tortoise.

(I also have an '87. I had an '88 Fox; I loved that car.)