boxes on air intake line

[fatpandas]

ok, so i've searched and couldn't find any reference to these on here so i'll introduce myself with a question:
I was messing around under the hood yesterday, and i noticed two "boxes" that stem off from the air intake, after the MAF sensor but before the throttle valve housing. one curves around to the front (sits over the fan) and the other is larger and extends towards the battery, and is mounted to a piece of forged aluminum via a bolt and a few rubber bushings. My question is two part. a) what are these? and b) can i take them off and cap them in order to 'streamline' the flow of air into my engine.

they seem like some form of airflow retardation, which would only make sense if there is an engineer somewhere who thinks that the air needs to be warmed by the engine compartment so that it doesn't 'shock' the engine... which is retarded.

 

[grcmptrnrd]

I believe they're there to help silence the intake. Their volume is tuned and will help cancel out harmonics at certain engine RPMs. My 2009 does not have them; instead it has plugs in the air intake tube where they would go.

 

[fatpandas]

well that makes sense. Thanks.

 

[pdiddy]

Suggestions on what to cap the holes with?

 

[grcmptrnrd]

See if you can find plugs like the ones in mine, maybe ford dealer or junkyard. They are molded so they maintain the contour of the air intake tube when installed rather than being a flat plug on the inside.

 

[fastpakr]

Can you take a picture of what you're referring to?

 

[fishon91]

my '03 intake has two stem off's of the intake where it curves to enter throttle housing, but it stops and is capped, by factory, with the same rubber material. it could be an aftermarket thing? i'd like to seew a picture of what you're talking about too.
maybe you could ghetto rig it shut.

 

[grcmptrnrd]

Not mine, but it does show the resonators.