I have a dual snorkel air cleaner on my L03 and here is my dilema. It is cool and everything, but it has already cost me quite a bit of money to purchase. I will need to spend quite a bit more money to complete the setup. I still don't have either hose nor do I have the passenger side scoop. Since those parts are discontinued they demand quite a price, even reproduction items. Finishing the setup could easily cost me more than twice what I spent on the air cleaner. For all of that money spent (possibly upwards of $200), wouldn't it be worth it to sell the air cleaner (sanded and repainted by yours truly) and just buy an open element for a fraction of the cost? Are the performance benefits of the dual snorkel so much better (if at all) that it is worth that price differential?

 

A question that was perhaps better asked before you started down the road you're on. With the entire L69 system in place, the cooler/denser air it provides is, IMO, a step above an open element. Without the scoops and ducts, however, you might as well have an open element.

JamesC

 

I purchased some generic but basically the same 4" ducts from Autozone 11 years ago when I first made mine. You can use your imagination on the core support ducts. Actually you can use the longer generic hose and use the standard (IE:small outlet) core ducts and cut them off shorter and connect the 4" duct where the sizes mate.

If you need pics or further info speak up. I also agree with James in that the cold air setup is better and the filter is plenty big. You can also increase the filter size by 1" in height by going to a truck/Caprice breather lid. But for a stockish LO3 even with headers the std height is enough documented by others here.

 

I already have the taller element. If you have a brand name and a part number for the hoses you bought that would be great because my local Autozone has no such item in stock and looked at me like I was speaking Esperanto when I asked for it. I understand that running a half complete dual snorkel setup is kind of like running an open element, but I figured it was better than the stock air cleaner anyway if not just for the increased flow. If you have pics of your setup that would be great.

 

I can't say from personal experience, as I've never had one, but I doubt that the dual snorkel setup is much better than an open element would be.

for one, i believe the hot air valve is still in both openings on the air box itself(the things on top are there, I've never seen it in person), if they are, that's one of the major restricters of the stock setup as it is.

second, it's no good for ram air, all the air is pulled in through very small, what I'm guessing is 1/8th inch holes that come in from the front of the hood, squeeze past the headlight area through an even smaller air gap, and then enter into what is a relatively restrictive setup to begin with, a.k.a. the dual snorkles(the stock air tubes are very ribbed, causing much turbulence).

third, it may be alright as a cold air setup during day, but at night when you're lights are on, stick your hand right up next to the bulbs sometime, I haven't done it in a while but I remember it being quite hot in those areas of the front bumper where the lights sit. so the cold air at night would be almost negated in my opinion.

as for choices, if you're strapped for cash, I'd sell the dual snorkel setup and buy an open element, or if you're willing to drop maybe 30-50 bucks(just adding a buffer to be sure) and willing do to some modification yourself, you can setup your stock single air cleaner to accept the stock tpi setup, or if you wanted to keep your dual setup you might be able to fab up your own ducting to various other areas in the engine bay. both have been done, they all work honestly, it's just a matter of what you want.

honestly, if you're determined to use that setup because you like it and like the way it looks, stick it out and save the money you need or fab up the rest of if yourself. but if you're looking for a more efficient way to get air to the engine, honestly, I'd personally spend my money elsewhere.

 

I will look to see if I still have (which I did at one time) have the sticker / part number from the hose. This was in 1995 so they may or may not stock it now. It used to be on a rack out in the customer area of the store. I have also seen it at Advance. I will try to be more specific tomorrow and get some pics. For now I only find it necessary to run a single hose to meet airflow needs. And for the naysayers it does pickup cooler air. I run the EBL datalogger regularly and have tried it with and without the hose. In fact I remove the hose in cooler weather and run without it as the engine likes a little heat in the winter.

 

The L69 set-up is always going to provide more cold/cooler air than an open element, which translates into more power (power that made the HO cars the buttkickers of their day). Top end of 134, IIRC, and that was with 3.73's.

JamesC

 

James do you know what ratio 5th gear was in those to get that figure? .63 or .73

Thanks...........DM

 

Apparently, the "hotter" cars, to include the L69, were equipped with .63 (my LG4 is .73).

This article (from this site) claims 138:

https://www.thirdgen.org/newdesign/a...s/84iroc.shtml

JamesC

 

In all honesty I think whatever air cleaner you go with isn't going to be worth 3 hp either way. You guys put way too much thought into cold air setups, it really isn't that big of a deal on a stock or near stock motor.

 

Well, I wouldn't argue too strongly one way or another, but the L69 airbox assembly was certainly a part of a combination that could rock (would those cars have done as well without it?)

JamesC

 

The cam was the magic part of the L-69. It was the same cam that was put into the 350 corvett those years. It had around 204* of duration and lift in the .430 range. That was huge for a 305 of that era, considering the LO3 cam never made it out of the 180* duration range. Also the exhaust on these cars were alot larger than the base models, at least it was on my monte. It had full 2.25 inch collectors into a 3" Y-pipe, through a 3" corvette converter.

And I'm sure the dual inlet air cleaner was needed instead of the anemic single inlet with a 1.5" hole. You also have keep in mind the OEM's facination with big pretty things on top of motors. I'm sure the "dual" in that air cleaner was a bit of bling, since it would have been much eaiser to route one large inlet on the drivers side where there was no A/C or battery.

Edit: Older v-belt drives had A/c on passenger side.

 

Before I swapped out my LG4, I modded it to include a Summit Cam (204/214 and 420/442), the complete L69 exhaust (manifolds, y-pipe, cat, and intermediate pipe), the complete L69 airbox assembly (ducts and hoses) with K&N filter for whatever that was worth, L69 rods and hanger. Maybe you're correct about "bling" where the airbox assembly is concerned, but as a package the L69 got down the road pretty fast--not as fast as my 350 HO Deluxe, however .

JamesC

By the way, I tried unsuccessfully to use the L69 assembly on my new motor. The Holley fuel bowls proved to be a problem. I'm currently using a 14x3 open element.

 

Mustang Cold-Air Induction

Check out this article. A somewht impressive .2 sec reduction in et. But the tests weren't done under ideal conditions. But most revealing is the temperature probe readings at the carb. At the traps, 69 degrees with cold air. 95 degrees with open element and simulated stock hood. The outside air must have been around 69 degrees and it increased 26 degrees. We can only imagine how hot the intake air would be if it were 100 outside and you've been driving for 20 minutes or more.
What does the ecm do when the oxygen intake is reduced? It has to cut the fuel right?

 

Well I don't intend to keep the engine stock for very much longer. And a better flowing intake system is always towards the top of everyone's list of what to do first to one of these motors. So this is just the first step. My question was is the cold air advantage worth the price disadvantage of the L69 air cleaner? On a serpentine engine, routing the right hose becomes quite a challenge too. These are things I wasn't aware I was going to have to deal with before I bought the air cleaner. It can be done...but is it worth the money?

 

like I said before, no I don't think it's worth the money, unless it's what you really want.

any modification to the stock one is worth it, but from there, they're all the same.

 

Thanks........I have an 84 L69 auto car that I bought on the very cheap. It has a 3:73 rear that I am getting ready to pull and install in my RS with the .63 OD.

That link was a flashback as I have the "paper" version of that somewhere.

As far as the breather ducting IMHO a single 4" with no obstructions in it is plenty for even modified 305's and alot of 350's. Look at an LS1 inlet hose it's not huge and airflow is not a concern there.


Edit: DLV555 I will get the pics and pn this afternoon when I get home.

 

You could always do the tpi/ cadillac hybrid intake.
I have one and I like it much better than the stock and open element that were on the motor before.

 

Grabbed some shot's between things........

American Lemans @ Portland up next.