Effect on engine run without air cleaner
 

Assuming small furry animals and large rocks don't find their way into the carb, what problems may arise from not running an air cleaner?

I just put a BB in my '69 and even with an aftermarket L-88 hood, I have no room for an air cleaner. I've already had the carb mounting surface on the intake milled down as far as possible. From what I can tell, I have about 2" from the surface on the carb where the air cleaner sits up to the hood. This engine is new and in all reality, will be lucky to see 5000 miles before I replace it with something bigger and better. And no, I'm not cutting a hole in the hood.

there is a lot of particulate floating around in the air and a lot of raod dirt makes it's way under the hood. Think of your engine as a LARGE vacuum cleaner and everything that goes in will pass through your valves into the compression chamber. Lots will burn, some will find it's way between pistons and cylinder bores.
I wouldn't run any engine for long without an air cleaner. I've gotten ovre 200k miles out of several cars through good preventive maintenance.

my $.02

just buy a good cold air duct & filter and use it on this engine and the next

Where would I get something like this?

Have you tried a drop base filter? Typically are 1 1/4" drop.
That should do it. Which intake?

I haven't physically tried one, but with a 1-1/4" drop I would still be at least 1-3/4 above the carb. I'm afraid a 14" diameter would still hit around the edges.

Not sure what intake. It came already polished with the engine. No markings left on it.

you can have it in a race car because you'd probably rebuild the engine every couple of races (not talking about quartermile runs though) but on a street engine it will probably shorten its life by two thirds...

i used to have a racing abarth 695 with twin dell'ortos 48 and open ram pipes and they sounded like a philarmonic orchestra...:rolleyes:

You could try it.
Slightly shorter elements are available.
K&N element E-3742 2.8"
Deutsch A1400 2 7/8"

Find some sort of thin, aftermarket air cleaner and flame arrestor. Keeping the dirt out is important for engine life; keeping the engine bay from catching fire from a carb backfire, is just as important [or maybe, MORE important]. How much distance is there between the highest point on the carb (not including the stud) and the underside of the hood?

Without the stud, the front vent tube is closest, probably 1/2"-5/8" from the hood. I'm using a Barry Grant Race Demon so there is no choke or air horn.

you will suck dirty air and junk into the carb and eventually screw the motor up

I am always cleaning dirt, grit and small sandlike stuff off my intake and I only drive on good roads, because for the most part I don't even have to be driving it :lol: .

The engine bay is open to the road and all the dust, dirt and crap that is on the road gets flung up under the hood, I wouldn't drive mine for five minutes without an air cleaner :D

Change your furnace filter at home. Shake it out well onto paper. Dump that in the carb. Get it?

69 502 750 Holley/Torker 11 intake...14" drop base/K&N 2" filter (for a 1980 Peugeot.)...
Nut clears L-88 hood by 3/4"....:thumbs:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y20...lockintake.jpg

If you run without an air cleaner,you may as well just pizz in your carb....:lol:

Rich

If you had built the engine intending to not run an air cleaner, you would have used chrome-faced rings. If you did not, then you can get to 5k-10k miles before you start seeing the affects. But that depends on how dusty it is where you live. Mostly compression going away and maybe some smoking. You'd need more frequent oil changes. Not something I'd do to an engine if I could avoid it.

I ran into the same issue, but i don't have a BB hood. So, while i wait to get a BB hood i temporally use an edelbrock filter. It is soft so in case the engine torques it wont crack the hood. I took a pair of wire clippers and cut about 1/4 inch off the bottom of the metal casing for extra clearance. It costs about $20 at Autozone with replacement filters for $10. Not sure if even this will fit, but it is the lowest profile filter I have been able to find.

http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u...53/elb1002.jpg

73' 454
 

I am using an old Holley street dominator single plane port matched w/3310 ( 780) holley , 1 1/4 drop base , Xtreme lid. It all fits under stock 73' hood w/ 1/2" clearance . I did remove the choke tower and shorten the bowl vents on the carb.

Oh yea, it's the 2 7/8 " 14" element

why don't you try www.sbfilters.com they will custom build you a filter that will fit. they did for me, and my L-88 hood.

Be careful with these type of filters. My buddy ran one and when his carb backfired (he installed distributor backwards) and he spent a month picking out the melted foam with an ice pick.

trw