LS3 Engine Question
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Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
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From: Marco Island FL
LS3 Engine Question
My neighbor had a front end crash and broke a part off his engine. It's a black plastic box tapped into the air intake, just opposite the MAF sensor (on the passenger side). All it looks like to me is a plastic box, and I have no idea what it is. This same part is not on my LS2. He says his engine runs really rough and stalls now that this thing broke off. Can anyone tell me what this is, and what it does? He's going to try and put some duct tape over the hole, just to see if it helps the engine run better, so he can get it to the body shop.
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From: Pensacola Florida GO GATORS!!! www.rlsebring.com www.c6c7vette.com
St. Jude Donor '17
My neighbor had a front end crash and broke a part off his engine. It's a black plastic box tapped into the air intake, just opposite the MAF sensor (on the passenger side). All it looks like to me is a plastic box, and I have no idea what it is. This same part is not on my LS2. He says his engine runs really rough and stalls now that this thing broke off. Can anyone tell me what this is, and what it does? He's going to try and put some duct tape over the hole, just to see if it helps the engine run better, so he can get it to the body shop.
Intake air baffle. It smooths out the air flow and helps in keeping the airflow constant across the MAF. With it broken and open to outside air it's probably allowing air (hot engine compartment air) to bypass the MAF sensor and really screw up the computer. Box needs to stay for stock config. Can be done away with on other intake arrangements.
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St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
Its for sound and nothing more. Tape it over and replace the unit with an aftermarket one when the car is done. The MAF functions fine with it cut off.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
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From: Marco Island FL
OK, so this box is basically an air dampener - it absorbs air pressure at high in-flow periods, and leaks out pressure at low in-flow periods. Who would have thought such a thing would be necessary! Anyway, if he's just driving to the body shop (normally, which is rare for this moron) then there shouldn't be any highs or lows to worry about, and duct tape would certainly solve the problem. Thanks for the quick response!
Last edited by VetBoyZR1; Jul 20, 2009 at 06:29 PM.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 11,546
Likes: 2
From: Marco Island FL
I just talked to my neighbor and he got the car into the body shop by duct taping the hole in the air duct (Isn't that what duct tape is for?). He has some kind of K&N system he wants to install once the body damage is repaired. Thanks again for your responses. In case you're interested - the hood skin was ripped apart from the structural support underneath. That skin piece is LIGHT!
Last edited by VetBoyZR1; Jul 20, 2009 at 07:58 PM.
