Is the air intake hose important?

The inlet portion of the intake system is engineered as it is, for a reason....

designers exploit a property of air cavities known as Helmholtz resonance. Flow through the airbox is optimal at its resonance frequency, which depends on airbox volume and the inlet area and length of the snorkel. The resonance is typically chosen to be at a medium speed where torque otherwise drops, caused by valve timing overlap.[2]

 

Traditionally, these systems have been what you remove to change the sound of your engine and make the engine compartment look cleaner. In your case you're talking about just removing part of the air box system, not all of it, which won't change sound of flooring it at full throttle as much as full airbox delete.

One insight usually not mentioned is creating an option to try both... In cold wet weather the engine would run better if you were pulling air off the surface of the exhaust manifold. In hot dry weather you'll be more efficient pulling in outside air from coolest dust free area possible, which likely is the existing system.

 

The "changing the sound" effect people like going for is the flip side of the Helmholtz resonance mentioned by TMR-JWAP above. The resonator (which on a Gen 2 you can find down under the right fender, sometimes mistaken for a fluid bottle) acts like a spring conserving energy of the flowing air when the intake valves close, returning it to the engine when the next valves open.

By removing it, you can arrange for the same energy to be sent outside the car as a snarly sound instead.

 

Well, the air intake is designed to pull cool air from the outside the engine compartment- not doing so in a hot environment would have some negative effect on maximum power and more effect on emissions (higher NOx output).

 

Its quite a air intake system with formed pipes and an airbox mounted underneath. I have tried a CAI years ago and the car did not like it ran poorly and its really loud without the air box system installed. Makes a weird gulping noise when you give it gas probably part of the akisson cycle and the tub in the bottom of the intake manifold.
Bottom line the car will run much better with all that intake gear installed on it.

Here's pictures of the complete intake. Weird formed air pipes and a white plastic box.

Only after market mod I have done is bypass the coolant loop on the Throttle body the car really likes that. Not recommend if you live up north. Now 13 years old.

 

How bad a hole did the mouse chew?

Somewhere between "oh, throw it away" and "buy a $75 replacement at the dealer" there is probably a range of completely functional options, from duct tape to fiberglass to some gauze soaked in black Plasti-Dip, more or less depending on what you have lying around.

 

That was going to be my question too, with similar thoughts about repairing the said hole.

 

To say nothing of the old standby, "replace it from a salvage yard for less than $75."

 

+1
I've done quite a few "short term" repairs on split intake ducts using carefully placed duct tape and zip ties.

 

Are you asking because you'd like us to change what we've already said about it?

 

Ok, a bit of a cranky Kris that only skimmed the topic, so if I am out in left field....

Hobbit long ago advocated removing the thing.

 

I would fix it short term then replace it when I could. Period.

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