I finally took my truck to get a full tune-up and a full motor/suspension/drivetrain inspection. I always had the intent to do it but money is always short, so I took it to my local college automobile services. I went to check it out, and they told me that there was a big hole on the air intake hose (I guess that explains the rough idle and stalling). He told me it wasnt that big of a deal, but to me that doesnt make sense, that's a lot of air escaping and there wouldn't be enough for it to run properly causing a lean mixture. My question is, can this setback a vehicles overall performance? My truck for being a 351, it lacks quite a bit of get up and go. Mechanically it makes sense, if there isnt enough air getting in then it would have negative impacts on the overall function of it.

 

No, it won't hurt the performance of your engine. If it is the truck in your sig, then you won't have a MAF sensor. Depending on the location, it could let unfiltered air into your engine and would need to be fixed because of this. If the hole is in the intake snorkel, the only detriment is that you may be drawing hotter air than usual through the filter.

My snorkel is showing signs of deterioration and is getting brittle, so I suspect that is what they are talking about. You can get a different one that is in better shape, or wrap/tape yours for a quick fix.

 

Ya he told me that some duct tape would take care of it but that wouldn't be a long term fix. Wouldn't a lot of debris and dust get in through the opening and go into the filter? I wouldnt think that would be good either. I'm not all too positive if its the snorkel or not honestly, i'll look more into it on monday when i check it out again.

 

Not too big of a deal, you could just snag a tube in better shape from a donor at your local salvage yard and call it a day.

Worst case is, your motor is sucking unfiltered air from the hole which isn't the greatest.. sure you could patch the hole temporarily but I'd just replace it.

Not sure if a hole in the intake tube would cause the problems you stated either, in the process of installing my K&N setup I pulled my truck into the garage with a completely open throttle body and it ran fine.

Bottom line though, unfiltered air is bad. Just get rid of that old tube.

 

Ya I'm definitely going to replace it, before i check salvage yards or u-pulls, do you think its a part they'll carry in autozone or local autopart stores? I'm going to take pics of it on monday and ill post it, by then ill have a better idea of what it is exactly

 

My local Oreilly's carries a universal K&N intake tube, that's about it. None of my local parts stores carry direct OEM replacements, but yours might. Just call around.

If none of the stores carry them, your best bet would be the junk yard or online.
Post the pics when you can.