Lancia Motor Club

I’m in the process of reinstalling my newly refurbished cylinder head on my 1.3 S3.

There is a piece of metal tube attached to the exhaust manifold which is attached to a pipe which runs into the air filter box.  Obviously this is meant to pre-warm air before it gets into the cylinders.

I’m thinking about leaving the attachment to the exhaust manifold out together the with the long tube to the air filter box. it always gets in the way when fiddling around with things. Bearing in mind that I don’t use the car in very cold conditions due to avoiding salted roads, is that omission reasonable?

Yes

I removed that pipe you mention many years ago for better access during some work and never put it back! Been driving the Fulvia for yonks without it!

You've reminded me that the pipe must still be in the garage somewhere!

Early series I never had that system, and I can't say I've ever missed it.
Brian
8227 8)

Well, I would like to differ!

I have experienced carburettor icing at temperatures up to around 12°C in my Fulvia Sport.

Once driving up a long motorway incline, in the spring, in 4th, when the butterflies are fully open.
Another time on driving up the Simplon Pass - yes it was cold, around 5°C. When climbing in 3rd gear, also giving it full power.

The effect was similar - you suddenly feel there is no power available, the engine falters, and you have to stop. You wait 5 minutes, and you can start the engine again. Then the same behavior again.

That time on the Simplon I barely made it over the pass, after 3 or 4 stops. Driving down was no problem of course.
A friendly mechanic gave me the tip to check the intake of the air filter, and switch to pre-heat if necessary. It was certainly icing of carburettors.

Since then I switch the lever into winter position around October, and back to the summer position around April.
I did not have the problem again...
Finally, I do not find the tube obtrusive, just difficult to slip over the metal tube next to the exhaust.

If Lancia built it, there was a reason (same for the oil cooler....)

"If Lancia built it, there was a reason".
Absolutely.
Chris

Interesting, thank you.

 I had an absolutely standard S2 back in the 70s when I lived in Aberdeen. I used to go on many long drives in the hills, including in lots of snow (I was young and keen!). I never once experienced icing and it got pretty chilly up there..

If this pipe is like the early Beta, the lid of the filter box can be rotated to get air from the exhaust or cold air from the front. Not something you can do in the fly, requires removing bolts etc. Later Beta’s have an automatic valve to select input air direction.

Peter

Had carb icing on my HPE.  Driving up to Inverness from Edinburgh at night in Winter on the A9.  The comment about rotating the lid of the filter box I didn't know about at the time so I suspect it was set to summer.
Was a pretty awful experience (which kinda sums up the A9 in general).
Anyhow - made it, just, because could use the 2nd choke which effectively meant no throttle or full throttle.  Wife and kids in the car as well and you very quickly run out of fuel.
Got there and lifted the air-filter cover off and could see the wedge-shape lump of ice on the (1st choke) butterfly.
Most folk have heard of carb-icing however have often wondered if I'm the only one to have actually seen said lump of ice.

Not with a Lancia, but I too have experienced icing-up problems exactly as Sebastien has described. This was with a Fiat Uno, when the thermostatically controlled flap-valve in the air-box failed. This wasn’t in particularly arduous or cold conditions, but it was humid. Over the years I have been involved with many Fulvias, but had never seen one fitted with the original tube from airbox to exhaust until a few months ago when I examined HBG’s freshly imported car. It looked good and purposeful, even if it obscured the engine number. If I had one on my car, I would have retained it.

I too have experienced carb icing but only on a Ford... It was crossflow and did not have a warm exhaust option. I got fed up with sitting on the hard shoulder of the A1 on damp freezing February mornings so modified the air filter housing with a snout over the exhaust which worked. However, I never had carb icing in any of my Lancias and as folk know I do drive then all over the place in the most wintery of conditions (the high passes in the Alpes only open in June). This was Passo Rombo in June. At 2,474m and freezing. Non of my my Fulvias have the air intake tube.....

Carb icing is more understood on single engined small aeroplanes. There is a carb heat lever one pulls if carb icing is suspected. Pull it too late and the engine will stop and there is only one way you are headed.

As Colin said, I have the hose on mine.......but haven't knowingly driven in icing conditions. The hose sits between the centre bracket and the clutch lever and the end is currently under the master cylinder reservoir, not on the hot tube from the exhaust. I'm not sure the routing is correct as its very close to the clutch lever when depressed, maybe it should be behind the bracket. One of these days I'll get it connected properly.