Assembly and method for controlling an air intake runner

An assembly for controlling an air intake runner of an air intake manifold, comprising:

• a cartridge including a plurality of compartments, each of said compartments having end walls and partial side walls that are joined to define a central opening and an outer perimeter, each of said partial side walls having a substantially open central portion, said partial side walls of adjacent compartments being spaced apart to define a groove between each of said compartments, said cartridge being fabricated from a reinforced material, wherein said cartridge is adapted for connecting with the air intake manifold so that said outer perimeter of each of said plurality of compartments is in substantial axial alignment with the air intake runner below it;
• bushing carriers having substantially central openings, said bushing carriers being fabricated from a low friction material, wherein each of said bushing carriers is configured to be snap-fit into one of said grooves of said cartridge thereby substantially closing said substantially open central portion of said partial side wall;
• bushings configured to rotatably fit within said central openings of said bushing carriers, each of said bushings having an outer rim and an open center;
• flaps having a shape substantially defined by said outer perimeter and including a slot, said flaps being configured to substantially seal the air intake runner when in a closed position;
• and
• a shaft extending through said slots of said flaps and said open centers of said bushings, wherein when said shaft is rotated, said flaps are rotated simultaneously.

A method of modifying an air intake manifold to control air intake runners, said method comprising:

• providing a cartridge including a plurality of compartments, each spaced apart to define a groove therebetween;
• snap-fitting a bushing carrier having a rotatable bushing into each of said grooves;
• positioning a flap having a slot over each of said compartments;
• inserting a shaft through each slot and each bushing there by rotatably retaining each of said flaps within one of said plurality of compartments;
• positioning said cartridge over the air intake manifold so that each of said plurality of compartments is substantially axially aligned with one of the air intake runners;
• and
• removably connecting said cartridge with the air intake manifold.