A few questions about the earlier style air cleaner used on the iron duke engines:

1- there's a little hole right here, looks like it's supposed to be there, is anything supposed to be connected there?

2- The Thermac Motor - is there a way to tell if this still works? And where could I get a replacement?

3- there's a round thing the air cleaner sits on here that's also connected to the valve cover - my factory manual has a single bad picture of it, with no identification - what is it, how long do they last, where can I get another? And is removing it as simple as it looks?

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1984 Fiero SE

1 looks like the pivot arm for the thermac, if thats the case, its fine, its before the filter anyways...

2 can be tested with a vac pump. It gets vacuume from the little plastic looking temperature 'switch' inside the air can. At certain temps, it allows vacumme to the thermac to pull heated air off the exhaust.

3 is the valve cover breather filter. You can get one at any local auto parts store for a few bucks. Just simply pull the old one out of the grommet, clean the grommet of any oily residue, perhaps pull the grommet to clean that as well, reinstall grommet, push new filter into grommet, reinstall air cleaner assy, its that simple.

Jncomutt is right.

#1 is the fulcrum point for the thermac valve. There's supposed to be a metal rod inside. If you can see through that hole and out the other side, then the "flapper" may have been removed.

#2 (the thermac valve) can be tested with a vacuum pump, or with a cold engine and a little patience. Either way, disconnect the intake hose from the air cleaner box so you can see the flapper inside. When you apply vacuum, the flapper should move. Or, after you start the engine and it starts to warm up, the flapper should drop.

Also, keep in mind that there's a thermostatic valve inside the air cleaner box that controls the vacuum going to the thermac valve. It isn't hard to find. The vacuum line from the thermac valve goes into it (assuming the vacuum line is present). If you remove the top of the air cleaner box, you'll see it in there. It sort of resembles a tiny scissor jack with a spring in the middle.

#3 is the breather filter (part of the PCV system). If it's gunked up, you should replace it. Parts stores should carry them. They only cost a few bucks.

To be honest, I'm not sure what sources are available for the thermac valve. You might have to scavenge one from a boneyard. There are several GM cars that used the same intake system , so you're not limited to just Fieros.

[This message has been edited by Blacktree (edited 05-23-2005).]