Morning everyone. I was wondering if I might might pick your brains for some ideas of what could be going on with my ride. I did the open element conversion and absolutley love it! I've got a 3" cowl hood so I put a 4 inch K&N on her to fill it up. She really runs better than before. especially when you stomp on it! However, I now have this aweful noise that sounds like I either have the biggest exhaust leak in town (it can't be this becasue she wouldn't run with this size leak) or I am not able to get a tight seal around the air cleaner base or the stock air cleaner spacer. That's what I think it is, but just can't seem to fix it. I've bought all new air cleaner gaskets. I bought one for the top and bottom of the spacer. It works fine at first, then that noise starts back up. I'm almost thinking that it may be the choke or something. But then is also begins to happen well after she is warm and I stomp on it. I'm pretty **** so this sound is killing me. Should I use a different air cleaner spacer? Could this be my problem. Is the stock TBI spacer a hair smaller or something so that I suck a hole in the gasket? The last time I put it back togehter I even used the spray on copper so that I could get that little extra on the seal. I'm at my wits end. Any help is very much appreciated!!

Bob

 

What does it sound like exactly? With an open element you will hear a big woosh/sucking sound.

 

I it sounds like a sucking on a straw sound then that is normal. I freaked when I put my open air element on and heard it. But then we took off the air element, fired up teh car and realized that it was just the TBI breathing and the old aircleaner wasn't opene enough to allow the sound to leak out the back. I wouldn't worry. If your not losing power then let it suck!.

 

You know that long narrow tube on the factory air cleaner. The thing was meant to keep the engines intake nice and quiet, abeit robbing massive amounts of air flow and horsepower. The open element just lets the noise out. You should hear a 4bbl carb with an open element. It hisses at idle, but sounds like a turbo @ WOT. A sweet WOOOSH sound when you kick in the secondaries. It the sound that lets people now something is going on under the hood. Nothing wrong with your car as long as it is running fine.

 

Yeah it is a big swoosh sound. I'm used to the sound of open elements on carbs, but the throttle body really sounds totally different. It totally threw me off. I thought something was wrong but the car runs great and strong! So I guess I just have to get used tot he way she breaths. Thanks everyone!

Bob

 

A large hissing sound will be heard when warming up from the IAC valve. That's normal! The other sound you will hear is ......... WAAAAAAAAHHH! That the sound of a little 305 sucking air through a little bitty 2 venturi TBI.