Hi
Just purchased a 2002 XJ8, I bought it as a bit of a project as my 1998 xj8 was wrote off a few years ago.
My new used XJ8 was found to have a rag shoved into a hole at the bend of the air cleaner intake tube adjacent to the firewall ( it looks like there may have been a plastic plug about 1" in Diameter from the factory).
I found a small plastic plug with which I filled the hole and glued it in there, and it did of course bring the idle down a bit, but does anyone know what was suppose to be in there? Was it a plug or am I missing a hose of some sorts.
Cheers,
Kejar7

Are you referring to the straight piece that "T's" off from the curved section? If so, that was put in to supress the noise of the intake. Doesn't really have a purpose for anything else. I believe that some models, supercharge I think don't even have that as part of the air intake. Someone with an R model might be able to confirm this.

Hi Yes that would be the area in question. I guess I will just leave my plug glued in there. LOL

If you look in this picture, where the bend is going to Throttle Body, that's where the "silencer" piece would be, but I'm pretty sure that the R models didn't have it.

Just looking at the diagram and that area is at the opposite end I am asking about. The end I am asking about is adjacent to the firewall.

I wasn't referring to where #2 is, I meant the part behind that where it makes a 90 degree turn to the throttle body ( #1 ) , the firewall is on the RH side of the pic, is this correct?

Google is your friend ..

Hi
Yup I misread that. Yes that's the area in question.

Yeah in the pic that ericjansen posted, that straight piece coming off, its a silencer, doesn't add or take away any performance, unless its cracked and starts a vacuum leak, which I've seen happen quite often in the past. Thanks for posting the picture ericjansen.