Where can I find a good open air element for my LO3? I looked on ebay, none, and Hawks only has one for TPI it seems. Anyone know where I might find one?

 

No promises that they'll all fit under a stock hood, but here's 283 of them to check out. http://www.summitracing.com/search/P...rd=air+cleaner

 

Dont get the one with the dropped base, I had problems with it and my cruise control cable that caused my throttle to get stuck, Get a raised or flat base cleaner and you should be good. As for fitment under the stock hood, I had a 14x3 drop base from Edelbrock that is carried at autozone and mine rubbed on the insulation of the hood.

To be honest, I would not reccomend a open air filter under a stock hood, search the forum and find the cai mod which to be honest would be better in the end.

 

You can run a flat or slightly raised base - but you can't run a 3in element, you have to drop to a 2 in, and even then sometimes need a 1/2 spacer (Mr. Gasket sells the spacer). Also, the tops always point upwards like a slight cone - this makes them hit the hood - if you gently flatten the top, then you get another 1/2in clearance.

I'm assuming in the old days they made the tops conical so that water ran off the sides instead of down the stud hole into the carb - we're not getting water under the hood these days so no need for the cone top - but the design remains.

Just stay away from the foam jobs, like the Holley or Edelbrock "triangle of death". One good backfire and the foam catches fire, melts into the TBI, and ruins it, gets sucked in the intake and now you have melted plastic in your cylinders.

 

They were conical so you could tighten the wingnut without dishing in the lid.

 

Oh, OK - I dished my own lid (well, flattened it, not really dished it) to get the clearance and it works well.

I guess you could also dremel cut the sides off a stock housing, that would be open then, and would be guaranteed to fit.

 

I can understand your interest in a open air element. Even though I have herd some negative aspects about them I really like mine. With the cowl hood I was able to use the x-stream top. Mine is a 14in. by 3in. with a drop base and a 1/2in. spacer to keep it off the linkage and coil. I found it at Summit Racing on line.I have also seen different styles at your local Advanced Auto. (A coil in the stock placement is fairly close to the bottom plate so I suggest plastic wire looms etc. so you don't make contact.)

 

that look like the goodmark cowl hood right? the 14x6 wouldnt fit under my hood. hit the back of the hole in the hood. im going to make a custom air cleaner setup for it anyway so yeah. but damn that red car looks good!

 

I had a 3.5 inch filter in my car when I bought it. Fairly pointless, but I bought it that way:



That was when it was stock. The wingnut was eating the mat on the hood, but other than that it fit fine. had a drop base on a half inch spacer under the throttle body.

You def dont need a 3.5 inch tall filter, though.

 

I say you run the biggest air cleaner you can fit, so if 3.5 is it then that's it

 

I have the edelbrock drop base for many years and its great. You can do it if you leave the spacer ring on the tbi unit. It will rub the coil plug wires though which is the only issue. I picked it up at my local auto parts store for cheap. You will have to plug the vacuum hose to the tbi which is for the thermac on the stock air cleaner. You will also need to remount your air temp sensor inside the new air cleaneror in the engine bay somewhere. My wingnut just touches the hood insulation.

 

I'm running the 14" drop base on mine too. Started with a 2" filter then used modeling clay on top of the lid to determine hood clearance. Have a 3" filter now with Xtreme top.

 

Why run a drop dase and a spacer, when you can just use a flat base and remove the restrictive spacer?

 

A flat base may not clear components on your engine.

 

Huh???? A drop base with a spacer fits, but you think a flat base w/no spacer doesn't.

It does fit, I know cause I have a flat base w/no spacer. 14x3 clears the coil and the hood.

 

Yes, your particular air cleaner fits your particular engine. Others may find that a different combination won't clear the coil, throttle linkage, float bowls, EGR valve, choke thermostat, breathers, or whatever else might be on their engine.

 

Could be said about any air cleaner as well. As a mateer of fact, could be said about almost every aftermarket part on any make/model. I was stating with a stock L03, you can use a flat base, while getting rid of the restrictive spacer.