I don't have a pic of this yet but I can get one if needed. Basically, I need a new air cleaner hose because I semi-damaged the one I have putting in a new electric fan assembly a while ago. The hose itself is really old anyway and I wanted to see if I could maybe nudge it down or around a bit to get around the fan I installed.

The hose itself comes out of the bottom of my air cleaner and goes right into the middle of the engine block somewhere. I have a 1990 XJ 4.0 RENIX. Thoughts? I hope this is a fairly easy thing to correct. The hose now is like smashed somewhat between the fan assembly and the air cleaner box.

 

Like the red arrow or the green arrow on the picture below?

 

Actually neither...this hose isn't hard plastic either, it's expandable and is made out of some sort of cloth-like material. It connects to the engine below the cylinder head also. It comes out of the very bottom of the air cleaner.

 

Are you sure its connected to the engine on one end? Because the hose you are talking about is an alternate route for the air intake. Rather than taking in cold air from the outside, a switch on the front of your airbox switches to let the air flow in from this tube, meaning that the engine will receive warm engine bay air rather than cold air. This is for when the engine is cold and theoretically helps it warm up faster. This is what this if for to the best of my knowledge, but I haven't heard of an instance where the hose if connected on both ends...

 

x2 on that. I know the hose you are talking about. I always wondered where the hell it went to. Last weekend I went underneath to try to see where it went but I couldn't find the ending. I assume it goes to the exhaust or something near it to warm the air up. My hose collapsed in on itself and I have no problems with it. Just let it go buddy. Don't worry about it. As for the switch up front, it is controlled my a vacuum line and it really doesn't alter the engine in any way. I tested it a few times and heard no difference in how the engine ran. I was actually thinking of disconnecting it and letting all the air come from out front.

 

It's a preheater hose from the exhaust manifold. Unless you live in Antartica or Gnome, Alaska, ditch it.

 

I actually live in San Diego so I guess...I don't even need it?

 

Nah. Spend your time and money on more useful things like a good ground refreshing and cable upgrade.

 

Agreed^

 

Yep. With all the global warming and such, I see that these preheater hoses may be outlawed in the near future.

 

Thermostatic air cleaner. On cold starts a vacuum valve opens up and draws air from around the exhaust manifold. Don't worry about it.

 

Just to triple check, I finally got pictures:

 

Yep, you're good

 

MMMMM, Now the fun part. Now an extra thermally switched vacuum powered "valve" of sorts, a section of hose, and a port on the exhaust manifold where hot air is available.
My first thought was to rig it to suck the brake fluid out of the fuse box, but that seems pretty weak. Maybe the heated air port has some culinary uses?

Wonder what temp the valve works at. Thermostat for hot buttered rum, on tap?

 

In-dash fondue would kick ***. Especially if you set the back seat down