Skip to main content
Topic: Aftermarket Air Cleaners? (Read 1996 times) previous topic - next topic

Aftermarket Air Cleaners?

Im constantly juggling the stock air cleaner/snorkel setup out to work on stuff, And i will be putting a TC hood on here as soon as i get around to prepping and priming it.

So i was thinking of just getting this style of air cleaner:


am i gonna have a hard time finding one that fits?
~Project ThunderStorm = '84 Charcoal Thunderbird - First Car - Long Time Work in Progress~
~Project (No Name Yet) = 1970 Plymouth GTX/RR "Clone"~

Aftermarket Air Cleaners?

Reply #1
The best A/C assembly I have ever seen and used is the early Camaro style. I bought a couple of repops off Egay.
They have generic chrome lids, and the bottoms look like they were stretched down over a Holley DP carb. They have a lot of drop, so you may have issues with that, but they allow you to run a thick filter element. They do have like a 5/8" tube coming off for a breather or something, but it can be cut off and the hole plugged.
The nicest part is the carb  is rolled under so it doesn't cut into the carb over time.

Aftermarket Air Cleaners?

Reply #2
Hmm...
I'm having doubts about fitment.

What im wanting to do is put a traditional muscle car style round air cleaner assembly on, like this:
in 14' dia, and about 2-3 inch height.
This with a TC Hood should work great for air flow (am i wrong?).

I know some guys have put them on there 302's, but i don't know that anyone has put one on a 232... lol.
The v8 has the 4bbl right? where as the v6 has the 2bbl... so i need to be absolutely sure the cleaner will fit before i buy it.

The diameter should be fine, as the stock cleaner was 13" round.
However the base is offset, the base hole itself is 5-1/2" (which they dont seem to make plates for?), but there is 2 tabs which measure in at 5-1/8 which is the norm...

And i need to figure out the height clearences as well.

I also have a fox mustang strut tower bar to work around.
~Project ThunderStorm = '84 Charcoal Thunderbird - First Car - Long Time Work in Progress~
~Project (No Name Yet) = 1970 Plymouth GTX/RR "Clone"~

Aftermarket Air Cleaners?

Reply #3
Ok, so a 14" round w/offset should fit perfect.

I'm having a hard time with the base neck/hole though...
Seems like everything close has a 5-1/8", where as im getting measurements of about 5-5/16" to 5-1/2"...
Am i measuring wrong? is this sucker a very odd size? what's the deal here. :punchballs:

**Well ive found that the mounting gasket is 5-3/8":
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php?carcode=1133862&parttype=10388&a=FRc1133862k949782

So... wtf? heh.
Am i gonna have to dremel out a 5-1/8, or what?
~Project ThunderStorm = '84 Charcoal Thunderbird - First Car - Long Time Work in Progress~
~Project (No Name Yet) = 1970 Plymouth GTX/RR "Clone"~

Aftermarket Air Cleaners?

Reply #4
The Camaro one looks like that. Buts smooth with no logo. Those you show will sit up awfully high with a decent-sized filter element.


What carb do you have? Most Holleys, Ford/Autocraft and even Quadrajets and AFBs use a std universal filter housing.

Aftermarket Air Cleaners?

Reply #5
This is the one I am using, its 14" has a 1" drop base, and if I remember correctly I am using a 4" K&N. I can measure it when I get home if you like. I have the TC hood with the open scoops on a 302. I have been looking at getting the Ford Racing Mustang Strut tower brace, and everything I see says it will not clear the dual snorkel air cleaner set up. It recomends using a 13" air cleaner. Might be something you want to check into.

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=EDL%2D4207&N=700+4294925239+400065+4294839057+115&autoview=sku

Aftermarket Air Cleaners?

Reply #6
Quote from: Prototype Services;223021
The Camaro one looks like that. Buts smooth with no logo. Those you show will sit up awfully high with a decent-sized filter element.


What carb do you have? Most Holleys, Ford/Autocraft and even Quadrajets and AFBs use a std universal filter housing.

I'm using the stock motorcraft carb, that comes with the 84 V6.

Quote from: 83Heritage;223027
This is the one I am using, its 14" has a 1" drop base, and if I remember correctly I am using a 4" K&N. I can measure it when I get home if you like. I have the TC hood with the open scoops on a 302. I have been looking at getting the Ford Racing Mustang Strut tower brace, and everything I see says it will not clear the dual snorkel air cleaner set up. It recomends using a 13" air cleaner. Might be something you want to check into.

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=EDL%2D4207&N=700+4294925239+400065+4294839057+115&autoview=sku
Thats exactly how i was wanting mine to be!
The single snorkel stock cleaner that comes on the v6 fits with the strut bar, you have to manuever it out though, a dual might be a pita.
And that reminds me... i havent test fit the scoop hood with the strut bar yet.

Keep in mind guys, I have a 232 V6 w/ stock 2bbl (1984), not a 302.

*dont worry about the  and spiders in the base, lol~i'm not using this assembly
~Project ThunderStorm = '84 Charcoal Thunderbird - First Car - Long Time Work in Progress~
~Project (No Name Yet) = 1970 Plymouth GTX/RR "Clone"~

Aftermarket Air Cleaners?

Reply #7
83Heritage
Looks like you have plenty of room. Intake manifold has a huge bearing on how tall it will be.

Romeo.
I have a Holley in my hand, and the a-c ring measure just over 5" across. I am pretty sure a 5-1/16" hole would fit over it. I can always check it with calipers later.

Aftermarket Air Cleaners?

Reply #8
I really dont want to go about swapping out the carb stuff right now, unless it ends up being really necessary.

Heres a pic of the gasket and a ruler measurement, I really dont get the oddball size:


But at this point, im just willing to order an offset 14" 5 1/8 plate, and dremel out the hole to fit.
Then work through any clearance issues as they come.
~Project ThunderStorm = '84 Charcoal Thunderbird - First Car - Long Time Work in Progress~
~Project (No Name Yet) = 1970 Plymouth GTX/RR "Clone"~

Aftermarket Air Cleaners?

Reply #9
I doubt that will work, as every air cleaner housing I have ever seen has a  folded down about 3'8" to contact the carb. If you cut off the  back to the actual base of the housing, I would imagine you would get into the curve of the stamping and then it wouldn't sit nor seal on your carb/TB.
Just look at the various aftermaket bases and see if you can make one work.
Could you just chop the snorkles on the factory housing?

Aftermarket Air Cleaners?

Reply #10
Quote from: Prototype Services;223551
I doubt that will work, as every air cleaner housing I have ever seen has a  folded down about 3'8" to contact the carb. If you cut off the  back to the actual base of the housing, I would imagine you would get into the curve of the stamping and then it wouldn't sit nor seal on your carb/TB.
Just look at the various aftermaket bases and see if you can make one work.
Could you just chop the snorkles on the factory housing?


I looked into that also, But of course... They made that an oddball also. :punchballs:
The stock filter is actually an 11" round, it fits on the flat spot of the above pictured stock bottom plate.
The outer diameter of the stock bottom plate measures in at 13", which might could work... But i was hoping to use one of the top flow lids with my setup as well:

They only come in like 3 specific sizes.
(Looks like 83bird is using one of these also). :hick:

Hmm... I'm really not sure.
I'll make a stop over to the boneyard and check out random air cleaner assemblys that i could work with, even carbs that might swap out.

And yea, I know what you mean about the , every one i can find has that.
I did find an offset bottom 5 1/8 plate on ebay that looks to have a slanted  (seems wider at the top).
I dont need to come out a huge amount, so maybe this would work, and still leave a little bit of .


Why in the world did they make it a different size from the 4bbl... So annoying.
~Project ThunderStorm = '84 Charcoal Thunderbird - First Car - Long Time Work in Progress~
~Project (No Name Yet) = 1970 Plymouth GTX/RR "Clone"~

Aftermarket Air Cleaners?

Reply #11
I have thought about using the K&N top, but I am actually using the Edelbrock Elite that I posted the link to in my first post. By the way, I found out today that a 14" is possible to use with a strut tower brace, but there is only about 1/64" of clearance between the two.