Air cleaner question

[pasvorto1]

My 78 (L48) has the air cleaner but does not have the tube and nozzle at the radiator. Which do you think is the better way to go?

1. Buy a new hose and radiator funnel
2. Buy a new K&N set up which has the open sides.

I am looking for a little more oomph to my acceleration.

 

[waterboy1976]

IMO.....the more air you can stuff the more power.....when I was young...(like 10 years ago) I used to flip the lid on my Cutlass air cleaner upside down and would get the most awesome sound out of it.....

 

[pasvorto1]

I did some searching and found a lot of discussion. I didn't find too many about C3s, but a lot none the less. Evidently the jury is still out.

 

[Bob Chadwick]

The K&N is supposed to flow better. I replaced my stock with the K&N.

 

[waterboy1976]

youre right...because actually the amount of air that is going into the carb is only the amount the carb can suck...now IF you put a highly restrictive air cleaner on it ...it WILL run rich but wheter you run NO filter or an open side one...the carb will still suck similiar amounts.....

 

[pasvorto1]

When I took it to the drag strip last summer, I got much lower times when I removed the air cleaner. So I was thinking that the "open" K&N might be the ticket. Then I noticed that the factory "ram air", if you can call it that, was missing on mine. I wonder what effect it would have to buy the parts and put it back on. I would like to think it would "force" more air into the carb. But if it was noticable, why would K&N bother to produce a replacement unit and say that it produces more ponies than the stock unit?

 

[Bob Chadwick]

The factory routing is about cooler air rather than air quantity. It draws air from the front of the car rather than the hotter air in the engine compartment.

 

[pasvorto1]

Makes sense.

 

[waterboy1976]

and remember...RAM AIR.....only works at speeds mainly above 25 to 30.....

 

[pasvorto1]

So, bottom line, in your opinion, is to go with the K&N?