When replacing my valve cover gasket, I dropped a bolt and had to take the cover off of the exhaust manifold to find it. In so doing, I found that the cover has rusted out in a couple spots (red and blue dots, around mounting holes) and no longer connected to the duct piece (green dot) that appears to take hot air back towards the air intake. It looks like a section of the duct has been missing for a while also, but couldn't be seen because the cover was in the way.

The cover will need to be repaired or replaced before I can reinstall it over the manifold, but I cannot find it or the duct at ipd or several other parts suppliers.

Should I...

a. take it to a welding shop and have them patch the worn out spots?
b. use jb weld to epoxy it back together?
c. leave it off and not worry about it?
d. put it back on best as possible and not worry about it?
e. find a used one somehow?
f. the right answer, that I just don't know.

Thanks for any ideas.
Bryan

It is emissions related, the emissions inspection enforcement police may detect that it is removed. Its sole purpose is to kick start the cat converter during the mid stage of warm up, a very minor thing. Most bricksters disable the damn thing by blocking closed the themostat air valve at the other end and leave the hose and shroud in place. If you can put it back using large washer under the bolts that might be best.
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David Hunter

I run mine without them. Disconnect the pre-heat hose that used to connect to it and the air box, as its only purpose was to collect hot air to feed to the box when its cold. No worries.