What exactly are the pillow looking things on the bottom and going up the drivers side in the airbox? What do they do?

Huh?

Are you talking about the sound-deadening pads underneath the cowling when doing the "fresh air mod" or where?

No, its under the panel filter in the airbox. Big black pillows is about as descriptive as I can get.

Probably there to catch a little liquid that might find its way in so it will evaporate slowly rather than get sucked on down the line.

Brent

Whatever they are, I had one of mine blow out? It actually clogged the hell out of my air filter, and created idle problems, till I found the mess. I ripped all of it out.

The pads in the airbox help quiet intake noise.