'81 stock charcoal air filter removal??

[LannyL81]

Does it make sense to remove this charcoal filter? Has anyone done this How? Or should it just be cleaned? How?

Thanks again,
LannyL81

 

[goertz]

no point in doing a damn thing with it. it doesn't require any service and has absolutely no effect one way or another on performance. I think there is a little filter element at the bottom of it, but they rarely require anything.

 

[Yoda]

Lanny,

I removed mine

I tried to keep it intact but GM used some really good glue to keep it there I ended up pretty much destroying it getting it out, I also made a spacer for the bottom of the filter. It raises the air filter up about 1/4" or so and still allows for the original cleaner lid to fit and seal properly. By doing these two things it allows the engine to BREATH a whole lot better.

(I MADE THE SPACERS OUT OF MASONITE BOARD 1/4")

My personal opinion of the charcoal air filter is to help the GM Engineers (back in 1981) to keep the hp down under 200hp

I also removed the vacuum hose for opening the secondary's and now it is "On Demand" just mash the go pedal and it opens

Bud

 

[LannyL81]

Lanny,

I removed mine

I tried to keep it intact but GM used some really good glue to keep it there I ended up pretty much destroying it getting it out, I also made a spacer for the bottom of the filter. It raises the air filter up about 1/4" or so and still allows for the original cleaner lid to fit and seal properly. By doing these two things it allows the engine to BREATH a whole lot better.

My personal opinion of the charcoal air filter is to help the GM Engineers (back in 1981) to keep the hp down under 200hp

I also removed the vacuum hose for opening the secondary's and now it is "On Demand" just mash the go pedal and it opens

Bud

Bud,
Regarding the vacuum secondaries; did you just remove the hose and that is all? Isn't there something more that has to be done to get the secondaries to open mechanically instead of by vacuum. This sounds like something I need to do. We are talking about the stock QJet here right??

Thanks,
LannyL81

 

[Bob Chadwick]

Or should it just be cleaned? How?

If it gets really bad, you will start to notice the smell of gas around your car when it sits overnight.

 

[goertz]

are we referring to the charcoal cannister? the charcoal cannister does NOTHING to improve breathing, performance, or anything. I just simply filters raw fuel vapors from the tank and carb.

 

[Yoda]

I Don't think we are all on the same page or end of the car :eek

'81 stock charcoal air filter removal??

I'm talking about the charcoal filter that is glued into the bottom of the Air Cleaner... it DOES RESTRICT air flow to the Carb.. It is about an inch or so wide and about 1 1/2" high or so maybe bigger, it's been a long time since I removed it...

The other filter we may be getting confused with is the gas tank fume carbon can These are completely different Charcoal Filters

I used a small bolt to plug the vacuum line, to alow "right now Secondary's"
Yes it is the Stock QuadraJet

Bud

 

[goertz]

ah yes, different parts altogether.

 

[Dave L.]

The secondarys on my stock 81 are mechanicly operated. The vacum break on the secondary throttle plates is to hold them shut until the engine comes up to temperature. I removed my vac break since my car is never driven in cold weather.

 

[LannyL81]

Bud,
I have removed the charcoal air filter out of my air cleaner base. The glue was tough, but I had it out in one piece within 10 minutes.
I like you idea on the spacers. Did you use a router to make them? Cause it appears that there is a lip on the inside radius...very nicely done. I did some height checks last night and about 1/4" is as high as you could go and still have the top lid seal against the base. Did you do any looking to find a slightly taller air filter?

Now to the secondaries of the QJet. I know that the actual secondaries open by the throttle linkage...but what opens the throttle plates on top of the carb? Do these just open from manifold vacuum?
It is easy to remove the vacuum line and plug it or remove the vacuum break completely and plug the line...either way.

Thanks,
LannyL81

 

[Yoda]

Lanny,

I used my trusty little skill saw (jig saw) to cut out the spacer. I traced the air filter for the pattern.

I looked high and low for a taller air filter that would fit. I never found one the right hieght. I found a couple taller ones, but most would not fit in the channel for the filter

I plugged the hose from the air cleaner. Dave can give you a better description and technical advice, I'm just a shade tree mech. learned from trial and error and years of experience

I know mine hesitated or stumbled all the time when I mashed the pedal, and by plugging the vacuum line made a world of difference in the old girl, and with the 1/4" spacer it REALLY sounds like a QuadraJet now

Bud