L88 air cleaner

[pcf_mark]

I have the full L88 intake, inner air box and hood on my '68. This includes the spark arrestor on the carb and the air filter element and wire form in the hood.

I had the spark arrestor off today and had a mean spit back starting in the cold (tuned for 60 - 90 degrees F but it was 20 degrees F now). Long story short the factory foam air filter element starting burning like crazy. I yanked it out before things got crazy but now I need a new alternative. Anyone? It has to deform to fit into the air box.

Thanks!

P.S. - I almost needed to change my shorts with the smoke pouring out of the back of the hood. I have engine fires and they go out when you crank it. This one was being fed by the squierters when I was pumping to get it re-started!

 

[7t2vette]

I am using a K&N 14" x 3" filter in my L-88 hood. It is flexible enough to get in there. You will need to make a gasket to hold the filter in place, I used a 1" wide piece of the factory foam filter between the top of the filter and the underside of the hood. Have been using this set up for 5+ years now with no issues.




As a side note, in back to back chassis dyno tests, with no other changes except removing the factory L-88 screen and air cleaner lid, the car gained 12 rwhp!!!!!! I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it with my own eyes!!! That was enough for me to look for an alternative, and this is what I came up with:

 

[pcf_mark]

Thanks fro info on the K&N I'll give that a try. The spark arrestor screen looks like it all bad for power so I see why you gained some. I guess it was there to meet legal regulations in some states or something. Who made that sweet base you are using now?

 

[7t2vette]

Thanks fro info on the K&N I'll give that a try. The spark arrestor screen looks like it all bad for power so I see why you gained some. I guess it was there to meet legal regulations in some states or something. Who made that sweet base you are using now?

Here is a pic of my old engine with the factory L-88 filter base set up; it was the wire screen and that little lid that restricted the airflow enough to lose 12 rwhp:



The new spun aluminum base is from: http://www.universalspinners.com/ and it weighs almost nothing as a bonus!

I made the hold down bar from some 1/2" aluminum bar that I cut and drilled to fit, and then polished. Nothing to restrict air into the motor anymore!:



Here I found a better pic of the air filter in the hood; you can see the cut piece of the old filter that I used as a "gasket" between the filter and the hood:



Hope this helps, any questions, just ask.

:beer:

 

[pcf_mark]

Thanks for the tip on the K&N with gasket! I may shamefully copy the base too!

 

[Bee Jay]

Thanks fro info on the K&N I'll give that a try. The spark arrestor screen looks like it all bad for power so I see why you gained some. I guess it was there to meet legal regulations in some states or something. Who made that sweet base you are using now?

Here is a pic of my old engine with the factory L-88 filter base set up; it was the wire screen and that little lid that restricted the airflow enough to lose 12 rwhp:




Here I found a better pic of the air filter in the hood; you can see the cut piece of the old filter that I used as a "gasket" between the filter and the hood:

Hope this helps, any questions, just ask.

:beer:

A little off topic, but where did you get that power steering pulley. I need that pulley to complete my '79 Vette serpentine conversion.

Bee Jay

 

[7t2vette]

A little off topic, but where did you get that power steering pulley. I need that pulley to complete my '79 Vette serpentine conversion.

Bee Jay

The PS pulley is from the March serpentine kit I used on the car. They sell a keyway version and a pressfit version; you just need to verify which style pump you have on your car.

:beer:

 

[Bee Jay]

A little off topic, but where did you get that power steering pulley. I need that pulley to complete my '79 Vette serpentine conversion.

Bee Jay

The PS pulley is from the March serpentine kit I used on the car. They sell a keyway version and a pressfit version; you just need to verify which style pump you have on your car.

:beer:

Can I tell by just looking at it. It's a 79. What did they come with?
Bee Jay

 

[7t2vette]

Can I tell by just looking at it. It's a 79. What did they come with?
Bee Jay

I'm not 100% sure what kind of PS pump your car came with, but I think 1978-87 small blocks used a press fit Saginaw metric pump.