Ill be breif and specific....I have an 86 sport coupe with a 4bbl quadrajet....can I replace my air filter setup (with all of the hoses n' junk) with an open element air filter....what would be the consequences....power loss?, engine runnine bad? can someone help?


(of course Im reffering to power loss and bad engine running due to the stock filter carrier being gone....btw I dont have to worry about emission standards)

 

what you should look for is a H.O. L69 dual hose filter assembly. They flow more and free up power while still retaining the hot air intake(thermac, spell?) for cold winter starts. But an open element would be better then the drinking straw intake you have now. both will free up a little power but, the Dual hose will free up more because it pulls fresh cool air in.

 

Welcome to the most popular question ever asked by first-time TBI modders. This should definely answer any of your questions:

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=171757

Bruce (90RS305)

 

Thats not nessesarily true. Being as he is in Minnesota the ambient air will be a lot cooler so that will make a big difference. Granted the dual-snorkel sucks in a LOT more air than the stock cleaner, but the Open Element has the greatest air-flow potential. It also makes a really cool sucking noise every time you get into it To top it off the dual-snorkel is EXTREMELY hard to find, and can be very expensive as well.

 

This is the way to go. Element is a K&N 14" x 3".

Auggie

 

any major difference/preference on a drop base and a non drop base filter??? I havea RAII hood so I have alot of room for clearance

 

If you have clearance do not use a dropbase because that will put the top of the A/C closer to the carb. I hade to use a dropbase because I hade no choise.

Auggie

 

Guys, refer to the link that I posted above. It is the best open element thread you will ever read and should answer ALL your questions...

 

Yes, you can just throw out the stock air cleaner and replace it with an open element air cleaner.

The only thing you'll have to change as well is this: The tube that goes from the passenger side valve cover. You'll likely have to yank that out and replace it with yer basic breather cap. No big deal.

The L69 air cleaner would be better, but they are impossible to find, and they are really only better than open element if you have the snorkel tubes to go with it, and those are even harder to find.

 

Couldn't have said it better. An open element will "flow" more than a dual snorkel set-up because of filter surface area. Even the dual snorkel doesn't pull in that much cold air.

 

I agree, but what I was really getting at, is that even when you do find a Corvette or L69 air cleaner on Ebay or something, it very rarely has the ducts and scoops with it. Without those, its just gonna suck in hot air like an open element will, but not as much (potentially).

So unless you can get the ducts and scoops as well, it doesn't make much difference if its open element or L69-style. They will both be taking in hot air. And the open element will cost you a whole lot less.

 

I agree with Adam, they are getting pricey. I bid $185.00 on e-bay just for the driver's side plastic scoop AND LOST!!!!! I eventually just bought another whole set up.

If you can get an entire set up for a good price do it. If you do it piece by piece, they will be hard to track down. Since they are not made any more.

Here is my set up.

 

well I figured with my ram air hood having the 'nostrils' cut out, would bring in alot more cold air then a snorkel would.....since the nostril holes are directed right at my filter

 

oh and 90RS305 I did follow the link and thank you tons, I understand alot more now than I did before, its just that I didnt see anything about the drop/non dropbase filter question I had asked

 

Even with the full dual snorkel setup, it doesn't look like a good place to pull in air. If i remember right, the area at the end of those hoses isn't really open or ventillated well, and the hood closes down very tight over that area. Seems like to get any real benefit you'd have to do some cutting to vent outside air in, or re-route the hoses. I guess you might also remove and relocate the turn signals (Firebird's, the ones next to the headlights). The openings there should allow outside air to the scoops.

 

Auggie, what aircleaner is that?

 

Well, heres the way I see it. Any cold air that you can get is better then sucking in 150* under hood air. Remember now that the stock duel snorkel setup is not a ram air type and it is drawing air in from infront of the rad.. I can tell you for a fact that system is "not" restrictive. If you think it is all you have to do is attach a fitting to the air cleaner and hook up a vacuum gauge so you can read it inside the car. If the eng. is using more air then can be supplyed by the duel snorkel inlets you will get a reading on your vacuum gauge. Check it out. Any how why do you think that the GM engineers went to all that trouble and expense for no benafit?? Oh, you can buy the inlet parts from http://www.ramairbox.com Just my .02

Auggie

Cole, that is a homemade air cleaner. I had someone make it out of alum. and used the stock inlets.

 

Nice. There for a second I thought there might be an aftermarket dual snokle other than the "Ramairbox."

 

Hey Camaroguy18,
Do a search on the homemade duel snorkels.........IIRC there is a tech article here somewhere on how to make one. I did mine in half a day and it was quite easy !! After painting it up it looks as good as stock.

 

well I settled on an open air element (went with the 14x5 k&n xtreme assembly).....Ill try it out for now and if Im not too satisfied I might start looking/fabricating a dual snorkel