I have an 84 GSl (12a) The car has been running horribly for the last week. Yesterday I noticed that the tube running from the thermal reactor to the air cleaner felt RED HOT. Also the tube was rotted from the heat. Also I noticed that the cover(?) where the tube attaches (to the reactor) was loose. I could almost lift it off. Is this a problem? Hot hot should that tube get?

 

If I'm not mistaken, and i probably am. The reactor get about 1500 degrees. I would say that the tube would be hot. Mine was a flex tube made of aluminum. I have since taken it off. It looked as though what it was attached to is a heat shield. I don't run with one though.