About a year ago the 90 degree rubber intake hose split on my 2010 Aveo. It was a $100 diagnosis and a $1000 estimate. I was hoping it would be covered under warranty but they said it was wear and tear. The part itself was over $100, and the rest was for Engine flush and cleaning. Seemed a bit high, so the dealer’s temporary fix was to wrap it in tape. It held for awhile, then the engine light would come on again and I’d have very rough idle. I have been rewrapping it since, and it’s usually been holding for 2-3 months. Since just before Christmas though the rewrap didn’t seem to be working, so on the weekend I cut all the old tape off (there was quite a build up) and completely started over new. The old hose and a bunch of splits, near the bottom under the bend, so it wasn’t easy to see when I first had the problem. It made a bit of a difference, but the light is still on and it’s still a bit rough on idle. I was looking up alternatives and read up on various cold air intake options. The kits are way cheaper, but the shipping costs to Canada are more than the parts! From one seller it was around $50 with $115 for shipping!
Anyway, for another short term solution, is it possible to just use a generic flex hose? Or even a regular piece of pipe? I’m okay at DIY and my Father in law is a pretty decent mechanic, so I’m sure we could get something to work. I’m just wondering if there is a reason to use a specific part for that? I know the fit is one thing, but any reason for those materials? When it gets warm again (hovering around -10 to -20 C up here) I would look into doing a full upgrade, for the time being I need something better than just tape. Thanks!