Air Cleaner Clearance

[Matt Boggs]

I have a installed a 2098 Edelbrock upgrade kit on my 70--350. I am going for the LT1 lookish and purchased a double snorkel air cleaner. Has anyone ever used a 7501 RPM Air Gap intake with the dual snorkel and a flat hood. I am panicking a little.

 

[COPO]

You might be ok. Mine below.

 

[BARNFIND]

I have a installed a 2098 Edelbrock upgrade kit on my 70--350. I am going for the LT1 lookish and purchased a double snorkel air cleaner. Has anyone ever used a 7501 RPM Air Gap intake with the dual snorkel and a flat hood. I am panicking a little.

Are you using a Edelbrock Carb or a Holley? The reason I ask is I am not sure the Dual Snorkle will fit an Edelbrock. Someone chime in who has done it.

 

[Steemo]

I've got the same setup (Holley 750 and RPM Air-Gap and GM HEI dizzy) and am currently facing the same dilemma. Don't have the hood on yet, but I fear it's going to be touch and go. I would like to use a dual snorkel as well. I was close to pulling the trigger on a Corvette base. and just get an open element top to trial fit. Have not ordered yet. https://www.corvettepacifica.com/products/6737/base-air-cleaner-396-427-l88-lt1-65-72/ It's pretty cheap, so no biggie if you have to return or re-sell.

You might be ok. Mine below. View attachment 158306 View attachment 158307 View attachment 158308 View attachment 158309

That's not an Air-Gap by the look of it. I'm guessing that's a "regular" non air-gap Performer RPM. Is it the same height as the Air-Gap version?

 

[COPO]

Dual snorkel or open element will not clear the HEI dizzy. I remember a friend of mine having a ‘73 Z28 w/open element breather had to pound in the rear air filter. He had the 70-72 Z intake and Holley.

 

[Chevyforever]

As far as hood clearance, EDELBROCK 7501 carb pad height vs GM factory dual plane height. EDE is 4.72" and as far as I recall the factory approx. 4.88"

 

[FS87LT]

Agree with #5 above. The Z/28 dual snorkel and HEI do NOT mix. Hate to pound on an expensive air cleaner for any reason!

When I did the 4bbl upgrade on my '77 Camaro LT 305, I was concerned about hood clearance with the normal 4bbl intake (as in Holley Z-Line 4bbl I used). So I looked at my options and ordered in a new Chevy base for the open element air cleaner. Compared to the aftermarket look-alike items, the base on the factory unit was specifically formed to clear a Holley 3310 carb with divorced choke. AND it was 1" LOWER than the base of the aftermarket unit. But that lower base also meant the air cleaner lid was a bit closer to the carb air horn, too.

Stock clearance was that the top of the air cleaner should be right at even, elevation wise, with the top of the cowl. Even then, a sagging factory hood insulator pad will wear the paint off of the center top of the air cleaner and the wing nut might abrade the hood pad too.

No hood pad and you can go about an inch or so above the cowl level, the way it looks to me. Discretion is the better part of valor in this case!

Some manifolds will tilt the carb pad forward (lower in the front rather than level) for hood clearance. Seems like the Edelbrock catalog has that information?

I always use the OEM thicker carb base gaskets, so using a thinner one might be needed in some cases. Even if it is about 1/4" thicker than the thin ones!

Measure and look carefully!
FS87LT

 

[Steemo]

And don't slam the hood without checking!!! So if we're using HEI , then I guess the recommended way to go is use a 75 or later air cleaner (base at least).

 

[Matt Boggs]

Agree with #5 above. The Z/28 dual snorkel and HEI do NOT mix. Hate to pound on an expensive air cleaner for any reason!

When I did the 4bbl upgrade on my '77 Camaro LT 305, I was concerned about hood clearance with the normal 4bbl intake (as in Holley Z-Line 4bbl I used). So I looked at my options and ordered in a new Chevy base for the open element air cleaner. Compared to the aftermarket look-alike items, the base on the factory unit was specifically formed to clear a Holley 3310 carb with divorced choke. AND it was 1" LOWER than the base of the aftermarket unit. But that lower base also meant the air cleaner lid was a bit closer to the carb air horn, too.

Stock clearance was that the top of the air cleaner should be right at even, elevation wise, with the top of the cowl. Even then, a sagging factory hood insulator pad will wear the paint off of the center top of the air cleaner and the wing nut might abrade the hood pad too.

No hood pad and you can go about an inch or so above the cowl level, the way it looks to me. Discretion is the better part of valor in this case!

Some manifolds will tilt the carb pad forward (lower in the front rather than level) for hood clearance. Seems like the Edelbrock catalog has that information?

I always use the OEM thicker carb base gaskets, so using a thinner one might be needed in some cases. Even if it is about 1/4" thicker than the thin ones!

Measure and look carefully!
FS87LT

So, i had purchased the HEI and the dual snorkel without ever doing a check. sounds like the answer is going to be a different air cleaner.

 

[Matt Boggs]

You might be ok. Mine below. View attachment 158306 View attachment 158307 View attachment 158308 View attachment 158309

So, is your distributor ah HEI and what air cleaner are you using?