Air Flow Cone Question
 

I'm not sure if this is the proper name for this item but it is the item that sits directly behind the alternator. There is a pic attached.

Anyways my question is what was this used for and why are the sharp flaps made of steel (if it was just used to direct air) when the body of it is made of some polymer. What did these flaps do?

Hi:
These air vanes are used to re-direct the incoming cooling air more evenly among the various cylinders. One can only imagine that the fan duct was first used without the vanes, and that testing and development showed a need for these vanes to get air curved more over the "near" ( # 1 and 4) cylinders.
--- Wil Ferch