Disappointed with performance of vintage air cleaner

[xaircav]

I wanted a vintage look for the 283 in my '53 and a few weeks ago I found an early 60's air cleaner at a swap meet. Part throttle response is flat and it doesn't pull as hard at WOT. Runs great with 14" round air cleaner in pic #2. Carb is an Edelbrock 500 CFM on an Edelbrock EPS intake.

[mr48chev]

that is the reason that guys pulled the stock ones off and put an aftermarket open one on their car in the first place.

That long snorkel with the little 2x2 opening is there so the engine is quieter going down the road and you don't hear the rush of air you hear with the open air cleaner even with a little 283. That keeps non performance drivers happier as they hear less noise inside the car.

With a stock 283 with a 2 barrel I'd think the performance you didn't feel you cwere getting was more due to the lack off noise from air going in the carb with the stock air cleaner rather than seat of the pants performance loss though. In other words it didn't sound as fast as it did with the open air cleaner.

[Old Crow]

Remember in the old days when we used to turn the air cleaner cover over to get the same effect? My ol' man musta chewed my butt 50 times for that.

[1project2many]

Shape pf filter can is different, air entry into carb is different. OEM can works best with OEM carb. Spacer between can and carb likely will show a difference.

Put water manometer or sensitive vacuum gauge on canister and watch what happens inside can while driving. Any vacuum at all indicates restriction and can drastically changes fueling.

[OrrieG]

My 64 chevelle came with the stock one, but with the snorkle cut off. another old schoold trick was to cut a second hole in the back side. Off road racers in 64-65 had one that had a plenum thru the firewall into the cowl vent, early cowl induction.

Old crow, my memorie is that on some Qjet applications you needed to turn it upside down to get the vacuum secondaries to open.

[Old Crow]

Yeah, Orrie, you may be right about that, but as a kid all I cared about was the sound.

Then I spent 6 years working on GM motor homes and learned about the hidden spring adjustment for the secondary air flap. The problem we found mostly was the air flap not opening, not the actual secondary blades. Back off on the spring and the flap would open, even with the stock air filter in place.

[AZ59apacheguy]

Originally Posted by xaircav

I wanted a vintage look for the 283 in my '53 and a few weeks ago I found an early 60's air cleaner at a swap meet. Part throttle response is flat and it doesn't pull as hard at WOT. Runs great with 14" round air cleaner in pic #2. Carb is an Edelbrock 500 CFM on an Edelbrock EPS intake.

That's too bad, because the stock air cleaner looks way better/correct than the newer style.

[xaircav]

Originally Posted by AZ59apacheguy

That's too bad, because the stock air cleaner looks way better/correct than the newer style.

I agree, that's why I wanted it. I have a taller element for it that gives me about a half inch gap between the base and the lid. I'll see if that gives it the extra air I need. I'm just outside Denver a little higher than a mile high so air is at a premium here.

[mr48chev]

It's funny but in the time period you are trying to emulate with the "look" no self respecting hot rodder would have left that stock air cleaner on an engine he stuck in an early truck.

I'm no fan of that all too new should be under the hood of a mid 70's Camaro one either though.

[xaircav]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

It's funny but in the time period you are trying to emulate with the "look" no self respecting hot rodder would have left that stock air cleaner on an engine he stuck in an early truck.

I'm no fan of that all too new should be under the hood of a mid 70's Camaro one either though.

I hear you and I see the irony of it too. The Edelbrock carb manual says their carbs were designed to work best with a 14" X 3" open element air cleaner. I guess I have to pick form or function.

[Old Crow]

My wife's '54 panel came with a little paper element type filter on the carb. I had a stock oil bath cleaner laying around so I cleaned it up and put it on the truck. Drove it home and back to the shop and put the paper filter back on. Runs much better with the paper filter as opposed to the oil bath.

[G&R's57GMC]

If you want the old look how about a Technostalga 8500 Retro Cad / Olds air cleaner.

You can get one from Speedway Motors for $128.

[xaircav]

Originally Posted by G&R's57GMC

If you want the old look how about a Technostalga 8500 Retro Cad / Olds air cleaner.

You can get one from Speedway Motors for $128.

Not a bad idea for a Plan "B".

[G&R's57GMC]

The Retro Cad unit has a 14"x4" paper filter in it and is designed for the Edelbrock , Holly , Q-Jet & Demon carbs.

Its all steel and has a relief for an HEI distributor .

Opps my bad it's $ 128.99 from Speedway

Go with plan B

[Highsider]

Originally Posted by G&R's57GMC

The Retro Cad unit has a 14"x4" paper filter in it and is designed for the Edelbrock , Holly , Q-Jet & Demon carbs.

Its all steel and has a relief for an HEI distributor .

Opps my bad it's $ 128.99 from Speedway

Go with plan B

If that housing would cut a bit of intake noise from creeping into the cab, I might be in!
I could stick my 14 X 4 K-N Filter in it!

[AZ59apacheguy]

Here is what I ended up doing on my 283 with 4bbl Rochester. I used an old oil bath style filter housing, removed the oil bath element and replaced it with a paper element. It has a larger opening then yours. I have had it up to speed and don't see much if any drop off in performance.

[AZ59apacheguy]

Here is what I used when I had a 2 bbl Rochester on it a couple of months ago. I also replaced the oil bath element with a paper one. The two openings up front bring in a LOT of air.
( never mind the incomplete nature of this pic, I just did not have any pics of the engine complete with this air cleaner )

[mgchevyparts]

In the mid to late 60's there weren't a lot of aftermarket parts like there are today. You would have most likely had a chrome Cal Custom air cleaner, about 10" in diameter, with a white filter. An aluminum one (Cal Custom) if you were bucks up or a shiny Corvette or GTO air cleaner, the ones with the louvers around the side. Never would you see that Cad in the 60's that was more of a 50's thing.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Highsider

If that housing would cut a bit of intake noise from creeping into the cab, I might be in!

I doubt it, since there is no "tuning" in those snorkels. They are wide open.

The only advantage would be they would project the noise forward, rather than rearward toward the firewall (like some other intakes do).

K

[Highsider]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

I doubt it, since there is no "tuning" in those snorkels. They are wide open.

The only advantage would be they would project the noise forward, rather than rearward toward the firewall (like some other intakes do).

K

I was thinking in comparison to this style, which is what I have, sitting on an Eddlebrock.

[geezer#99]

You want the snorkle air cleaner look and more air, just break out the hole saw and put some holes on the underside close to the edge all around the base.

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by geezer#99

You want the snorkle air cleaner look and more air, just break out the hole saw and put some holes on the underside close to the edge all around the base.

On that air cleaner housing it would eliminate the function of the filter inside the housing, Real bad suggestion there.

[tmoble]

That snorkle in Post #1 will feed a performance type 350 no problem. I'd guess that there is something else coming in to play if it seems to be restricting a 283.

[xaircav]

Originally Posted by tmoble

That snorkle in Post #1 will feed a performance type 350 no problem. I'd guess that there is something else coming in to play if it seems to be restricting a 283.

You sir, are correct. I've been running around with a blown electric choke fuse with the choke only 1/3 open. I must have shorted the choke terminal while playing musical air cleaners. Is my face red! Vintage air cleaner runs as well as open element air cleaner. I led you guys on a wild goose chase but we got to see some great pics.

[RRC]

Originally Posted by xaircav

You sir, are correct. I've been running around with a blown electric choke fuse with the choke only 1/3 open. I must have shorted the choke terminal while playing musical air cleaners. Is my face red! Vintage air cleaner runs as well as open element air cleaner. I led you guys on a wild goose chase but we got to see some great pics.

I'm glad you got it worked out.... I put holes in the back of mine and a friends. He went through the same thing, with the holes he is much happier.