AirCleaner clearance

[toxiq]

Hello everyone, just finished the swap in my 84 cutty, mildly modded 350. The problem I face, my intake is a little tall, I don't think the breather will fit on the carb with the hood, what did you all do?

 

[megaladon6]

mine scrapped the hood until i got rid of the "o-ring" gasket between the carb and air cleaner. i have a 3" filter, performer intake, and holley 4175 carb

 

[Tony_SS]

Get a drop base air cleaner.. if that doesnt work, get a 1.5" filter element.

 

[beeterolds]

if your running a Performer RPm intake it wont work...drop base aircleaner maybe..... all i know is that i have a holein my hood now!!

 

[82355supreme]

I have an RPM Air-Gap, 3" K&N, & a drop base bottom and have no clearance issues. The wing-nut just barely leaves a mark on the fabric of the hood.

I see in the above post that the engine is an Olds, mine is a Chevy. I'm guessing the taller deck height of the Olds is where the problem lies??

 

[beeterolds]

I have an RPM Air-Gap, 3" K&N, & a drop base bottom and have no clearance issues. The wing-nut just barely leaves a mark on the fabric of the hood.

I see in the above post that the engine is an Olds, mine is a Chevy. I'm guessing the taller deck height of the Olds is where the problem lies??

that just dawned on me as i read your post! yes... at the time i had an Olds 403 in my Cutlass...now a 455 with a performer intake and its still too tall Ooops!

thanks for pointing that out!

 

[toxiq]

Well I have a SBC 350, performer intake, carb adapter, spread bore 650 holley, the top of the carb sits about 3/4" above the sides of the hood, sure the hood is curved, and might clear it, im just unsure of my clearance, i will find out tomorrow i guess

 

[megaladon6]

why do you have the adapter? the performer intake should have both bolt patterns on it.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

You don't need the adapter with a Performer intake. It will seal with either a spread bore or a square flange carb. I have run both on my Cutlass with no issues, and currently run a Q-Jet for even more clearance.

 

[82355supreme]

Everyone is correct, you shouldn't need an adapter. That's what's causing the height/clearance problem. Pretty much all aftermarket intakes are drilled for square & spreadbore carbs. Is it an adapter OR is is a carb spacer????

If it's a spacer, ditch it. Spacers do help with power, but not until 6,000+ RPMS. It adds plemun volume, but your runner length is what ultimately controls the powerband of the intake, not the spacer.

I guess worst case senerio is you'll have to buy a drop-base air cleaner. You can get them off eBay for cheap. Just make sure you get one that also has the hole offset for your distributor, or that will be your next clearance problem.