Air Cleaner - What to do now?

[sfakins]

Whoo,

All this work on restoring my 81' Vette and now this. 14" air cleaner will not fit because it rubs against the HEI distributor. 10" x 3 1/2" is too high when combine with my Edelbrock RPM Air Gap manifold and Holley Avenger 770cfm carb. The only other option I thought of was the 10" x 2" but I don't think it would allow enough air flow (487 hp @ 6200 rpm). I really need something no higher than 3". Any body have any ideas?.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[matchframe]

Be a good excuse to get that really cool hood that will clear it!

If you want to keep the original hood in its original condition, you might check with K&N filters, and if they don't have one off the shelf, you might could special order one.

One radical way I approached this same problem with my 68 Camaro years ago, was I actually cut down my motor mounts on the frame to lower the motor 1/2 inch. I had an original 1st gen Z/28 hood that I was not going to cut.

Bill

 

[Nomad78SA]

Steve,
How much of the air cleaner hits the distributor? If it just a tad, dimple the air cleaner to clear. I have the same problem sort off. I have a built 388ci the height of mine destroyed the hood the first time it closed after sitting in the sun after painting. Seems like the fiberglass relaxed and whatever clearance I had if any now hit the air cleaner stud.
I got a drop base air cleaner so I could get enough volume of air to the motor, but the edge of it barely hits the distributor depending how it is turned. I have not set the final timing on my vette yet.
I will modify the base plate of the air cleaner in the end for yyou won't be able to see it.
Steve, what CI and what do you have in your motor? Sounds like it is a lot of fun...
Neil in Tenn

 

[clar2001]

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=HLY-64280

 

[john1977]

air cleaner

You might want to take a look at www.motorchrome.com they have alot of aircleaners. I had the same problem and got a 2" filter & 1/2" riser spacer from them . Have plenty of room under hood now. Good Luck

 

[bossvette]

Steve
I agree with Nomad78SA a good quality drop base air filter should work back in the days of carbs I always ran HEI's and don't remember any problems with Moroso's filters. You may want to try turning the base around and try different positions.
Craig Sr

 

[sfakins]

I'd like to give a healthy thanks to everyone who replied. This gives me some idea of how I can resolve this problem. I've been working on the restoration for about 1 1/2 years now and its really starting to shape up. The main goal in this project is a show quality Vette (modified of course). This has been a long and enjoyable journey. Hope to be able to fire her up by the end of the month. The biggest delima at this point is making the final decision on what hood to use before I can take it on the road. Posted a request for modified hoods pictures on the "C3 Mods" forums and got great ideas. I'd really love to keep the stock hood; however, I don't think it is possible. Therefore, my next option is to go with as little deviation from stock hood as possible. I am leaning toward the "Twin Turbo" hood from Vanacor. This hood is only 1 3/4" above stock. Vanacor said a stock hood is 1 1/2". That gives me 3 1/4" to play with. This is why I want to stay with a 3" or less of heigh cleaner. I will take in consideration sherry_ridgeway Nomad78SA idea about modifing/dimpling the cleaner; but right now my 14" cleaner is leaning against the HEI. I'll have to make the modification and see if it will work. I think Char2001's idea of using the "Holley Hi Tek" air cleaner might also work -- I'll have to give Holley a call to obtain demision. Holley didn't provide this information on their web site. I'd also have to get use to how it looks. Maybe the link John1977 provided might bring up something. Lots to think about. Once again, thanks for the imput.

Just a little about what she has:
81 Vette - Black
T-Tops
Stripped down to last wire and painted - inside and out
Replaced all window/door seals - GM OE only
New interior - carpet, seat, console & dash (what a pain that dash was)
140mph speedodometer
Pioneer DEH-P7500MP CD-receiver (had to modify center consol to fit - looks nice)
XM Radio - mounted behind passenger seat - out of view

383 ci - 478hp @6200rpm - showroom engine with:
Canfield heads - 2.05I, 1.90E, 64cc - 80% polished
Edelbrock Air Grap RPM - polished
Holley Advenger 770cmf - polished
March serpitine pully kit w/polished AC, water pump and alternater
Ceramic headers
2 1/2" dual exhaush w/Flowmaster 50
Be Cool Radiator - polished
Cam - hydrollic roller
700R4 trans - level III from Bowtie
3.53:1 rear-end
Killer electric headlights
Braided heater/radiator hoses

Once again,
Thanks to all,
Steve

 

[bossvette]

Steve
you may want to look thru "Street Rodder" magazine it has quite a few advertizers with show quality stuff.
Craig sr
ps broaden your search, possibly even marine apps they most likely have hood clearance problems also. I was cringing at the cost of gas tanks for my street rod and found a boat tank that fit right in at 1/3 the cost even used the filler and hoses for a nice clead install.

 

[sfakins]

Thanks Bossvette...I'll check them out.

 

[aerie1761]

air cleaner

I installed KN 1430 fits on there perfect and gives you all the air you need

 

[sfakins]

aerie1761,

The problem I am having is that the 14" cleaner base plate hits against the HEI distributor. I am concern about shorting out #1 electrode to the base plate. It sounds like your base plate KN 60-1430 drops below the #1 electrode on the distributor, therefore preventing it from shorting out. However, doesn't your filter still rub against the distributor? I've thought about the KN 85-3540 (offset 1 1/2" base plate) with the E-3740 element (2 13/16" heigh, 750 cfm - my motor must have at least 700 cfm). However, once I put on the top plate (about 1" heigh), I am once again sitting at 3 13/16". I can only go to 3". You can not just put a flat top plate on your carburator and expect to to perform properly. According to K&N you must have it rise above the filter for proper air circulation/flow. Anyway, if I could get the KN 1430 to fit without interference with the distributor, then I'm in business.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[clar2001]

can you just notch a area in the base plate to make it fit,

 

[sfakins]

clar2001,

sherry_ridgeway had made the same suggestion. And, as a last result I might do that. However, with the amount of $$, time and effort put into this project to build a show class (modified) vette, I would much rather not go to such extream. I just got an Email this morning from K&N. They carry a 12" x 3" air cleaner (part# E1520). The only problem with this cleaner is that it only provides 678 cfm. My engine requires a minimun of 700 cfm for uptimun performance. While this is not perfect, it is a solution.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[vettepilot]

K&N and possibly others make a lid that is also the filter material. This way one can use a lower, smaller diameter filter and with the top also being filter material there is no loss to filter area, thus flow is virtually unaffected. I'm surprised that K&N didn't mention this in your conversations.

vettepilot

 

[sfakins]

Vettepilot,

That's a good suggestion. K&B did mention about the top cover filter (i.e. K&B Extream). However, the top cover filter comes in 14", 11" and smaller sizes, not 12". Even though the 11" size will produced over 750 cfm using the 2 3/16" high filter, the combined height (filter, top & bottom cover) is still 3 1/2". That's still 1/2" above what I need.

Thanks,
Steve