It's normal NOT to have an air cleaner for both current models of Briggs and Stratton Snow engines as well as Tecumseh Snow King. I think the rational is that it would likely get clogged with snow/moisture/ice and it's not necessary since the air is remarkedly dust free when everything is covered with fresh snow.
That's fine but I like to run my engine during the off season every few months, and I don't like the idea of doing so without the cleaner, so I don't run it for very long and try to do so after it rains. There isn't any room for an air cleaner underneath the snow hood on my B&S Snow engine, other than that I could probably just get an air cleaner from a non-snow Intek engine. Anybody else have any ideas?