Took my '92 F350 to get smogged (California) yesterday and almost didn't pass due to the blue object in this photo. It appears to be a spacer of some sort. No part number, no electrical connections, just a rectangular object. The smog person never saw one before, and didn't look stock to him. The stock air filter has been replaced, and my initial thought was that the blue thing was to space the filter to a different location further forward. However, the throttle connectors would be in a different spacing if the blue thing was removed. Anyone know what it is and is supposed to do?

 

Throttle body spacer. Aftermarket add on that it supposed enhance power output by changing intake airflow speed and pattern. Snake Oil IMO.

The usually include hardware to move the cable bracket in relation to the change in throttle body location. You should be able to remove all this non-sense pretty easily. You will need a new throttle body gasket and stock length fasteners.

Edit - The open element air filter is also a snake oil "performance" upgrade. The stock setup is specifically designed to pull in fresh cool air from outside the engine compartment and is capable of delivering more than enough air for the engines needs. Restoring the factory set up and filter would be a good idea IMO.

All that said, you probably won't notice much of a difference with or without the snake oil if you pass inspection as is and don't have any complaints in how it runs.

 

Thanks. What you mentioned is what I expected, but wasn't sure. The smog shop was suspicious, as was I. I get 10 MPG loaded up or not, runs great and steady, but I will keep an eye out for a stock air cleaner setup.

 

Most of the open filters like you have can be cleaned and oiled. If you can see the brand you might check on that. From the looks of the engine you are in a dusty area and the filter probably needs replacing or cleaned at the least. I would do that and leave it there if everything is working fine. Most of those filters are colored blue or red BTW. Sandy

 

I'd toss out the throttle body spacer, then head out to a salvage yard for an air box.

 

I'm shocked that the guy let you slide with the open element air cleaner. That's almost always a no-no in CA unless they have an EO number and a housing surrounding the filter element.
And the spacers can be smog legal in fact. But without an EO number and decal it's again, a shock that they let you pass. Especially when the guy didn't know what they were.
If they'd known, it's possible to pass "by association" since some brands go to the trouble and expense of getting their spacers certified.
There might even be a decal on the bottom edge and they just installed it upside down because they didn't like the decal. Or it was removed...

And they actually can work If you expect big improvements, it's a snake oil. If you accept improvements of tiny increments, they're fun to play with.
But if you're not sure, or sure they're not for you, then you definitely don't want these modern versions. In the old days a carb spacer was ten bucks. Even in the seventies that was not a huge deal. But today, those things are 70-100 bucks and maybe more. Which even today for some of us, is a very big deal.

Some are smooth bore, some have patterns machined into them. A smooth bore is simply to add plenum volume and is only effective if that particular engine and combination of parts needs the added volume.
I've seen dyno runs on old carb spacers that were good for 15hp (kind of an extreme example, but it was true) and tests where adding the spacer lost 5-7hp! So it's not something that is guaranteed good for everybody.

Personally, if it passed I would not go to the trouble of removing it. Sure, if you ever have it apart you can either paint it with aluminum color paint to avoid future issues with other inspectors, or remove it at that point. But I don't see any reason to go to the trouble all on it's own merit at this point.
Besides, if it's running good, don't mess with anything!

Paul

 

With that color blue too, it could be a JET brand unit. Not sure if they go to the trouble of certifying or not, but it's possible.
Hopefully in two years the guy you take it to isn't more of a stickler. However, it's possible they have leeway because a spacer like that is not obviously "defeating the purpose of an existing smog control device" so it's not so obvious it needs an EO number for some new guy.

Paul

 

State of California AIR RESOURCES BOARD EXECUTIVE ORDER D-609-3 Relating to Exemptions Under Section 271 56 of the California Vehicle Code Airaid Filter Company PowerAid Throttle Body Spacers Pursuant to the authority vested in the Air Resources Board by Section 271 56 of the Vehicle Code; and Pursuant to the authority vested in the undersigned by Section 3951 5 and Section 39516 of the Health and Safety Code and Executive Order G-02-003; IT IS ORDERED AND RESOLVED: That the installation of the PowerAid Throttle Body Spacers, manufactured by Airaid Filter Company of 2688 East Rose Garden Lane, Phoenix, Arizona 85050, has been found not to reduce the effectiveness of the applicable vehicle pollution control systems and, therefore, the PowerAid Throttle Body Spacers are exempt from the prohibitions in Section 271 56 of the Vehicle Code for the a vehicles listed in Exhibit A. The PowerAid Throttle Body Spacer is an aluminum spacer plate with machined helical grooves on the inside of the ports. The spacer is approximately one inch thick and is installed between the vehicle's intake manifold and throttle body. . This exemption is granted based on an engineering evaluation which determined that the PowerAid Throttle Body Spacers would not have any adverse effect on vehicle emissions or affect the vehicle's ability to perform its On-Board Diagnostic II (OBD II) system monitoring.

 

Cool. Thanks for digging that up. Was that posted on their website, or on the CARB site?

Gonna have to go over to the Super Duty forum and see if anyone wants my V10 double-bore spacer now...

Paul

 

 

There is nothing to it. Throttle body spacers are literally useless on EFI vehicles like this, especially on this particular intake design.

 

uh, scrape the blue off and apply some dirt?