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New to the Corvette world. Finally bought my first one 3 weeks ago. I purchased a OEM air cleaner off CL to replace the one on mine cause it is rusted through on the bottom. The one I bought has an extra tube coming from the bottom and a metal/mesh type filter glued to the inside. Is this a cleaner from a California emissions motor. There were no pictures of the inside on the ad but I bought it anyway because I drove a good distance to get it. If I use this on my Base motor will that mesh filter restrict air flow? I tried to remove it but the darn thing is glued tight.
New to the Corvette world. Finally bought my first one 3 weeks ago. I purchased a OEM air cleaner off CL to replace the one on mine cause it is rusted through on the bottom. The one I bought has an extra tube coming from the bottom and a metal/mesh type filter glued to the inside. Is this a cleaner from a California emissions motor. There were no pictures of the inside on the ad but I bought it anyway because I drove a good distance to get it. If I use this on my Base motor will that mesh filter restrict air flow? I tried to remove it but the darn thing is glued tight.
The mesh is a spark arrestor in case of a backfire thru the carb.
The hose fitting goes to the charcoal canister "I believe."
A "spark "arrester" on a C3 air cleaner housing? Spark arresters are used on mufflers to prevent red HOT carbon particles from blowing out and catching grass on fire and the flame arresters on marine engines because of the explosive fume environment they operate in. I am sure he's referring to a wire mesh filter that G.M sometimes used instead of a replaceable paper element.
Last edited by toobroketoretire; 09-04-2015 at 07:37 PM.
If this is a small diameter hose with a little dome mesh on it? Sounds like the breather hose that is usually connected to one of the valve covers. The other valve cover hose comes from the PCV valve and goes to the inlet manifold.
A "spark "arrester" on a C3 air cleaner housing? Spark arresters are used on mufflers to prevent red HOT carbon particles from blowing out and catching grass on fire and on marine engines because of the explosive fume environment they operate in. I am sure he's referring to a wire mesh filter that G.M sometimes used instead of a replaceable paper element.
Sorry, GM lists it as a flame arrester. It is in case of a back fire:
I found some on Ebay and they are calling it a flame arrester and it was on the 81 & 82. I guess my question is - Does this restrict air flow and could I use it on my 80 without issue?
I found some on Ebay and they are calling it a flame arrester and it was on the 81 & 82. I guess my question is - Does this restrict air flow and could I use it on my 80 without issue?
I managed to get mine out.
I really could not tell you the flow rate.
Sorry, GM lists it as a flame arrester. It is in case of a back fire:
It is NOT an air filter
Okay, after doing a Google search I found pictures of them and they are calling them "flame" arresters but I can't imagine it being all that effective at stopping a flame. I want to see what actually attaches to it on the underside so I get a better understanding of it's function. The flame arresters I have seen in the past were used on marine engine carburetor intakes and they were constructed from thin strips of metal spaced real close together to absorb the heat of a momentary flame. Much like a heat sink would do.
Last edited by toobroketoretire; 09-04-2015 at 07:55 PM.
If you can find a picture of one please post it. I have seen a few over the years but I can't remember what engines they were on nor how they were used.
64-72, not all models, had a deal that looks like a flour sieve.
I have an '82 and it doesn't use that; just two filters in one housing. But I'm now wondering why they started using them after so many years of NOT using them. What changed?
I have an '82 and it doesn't use that; just two filters in one housing. But I'm now wondering why they started using them after so many years of NOT using them. What changed?
I purchased a OEM air cleaner off CL to replace the one on mine cause it is rusted through on the bottom. The one I bought has an extra tube coming from the bottom and a metal/mesh type filter glued to the inside.
If the air cleaner you bought looks the same as the one in the ebay link posted by Big2bird (http://www.ebay.com/itm/1981-CORVETT...-/120639814200), then what you bought is an 81 only air cleaner. It will work on your 80, but it is a little different than the original air cleaner. 81 was the only year to use that mesh filter, in the air cleaner base.
That filter is not a "flame arrestor" though, it is actually an activated charcoal filter element. It was bonded into the air cleaner base, and was not meant to be serviced or replaced. Chevrolet never offered the mesh filter as a separate part, but only as a complete assembly, as part of the air cleaner. The charcoal filter was used in all 81 air cleaners, both California and Federal.
As an additional note, the 81 air cleaner came with a chrome lid, while the 80 used a black painted one.
If I use this on my Base motor will that mesh filter restrict air flow?
I have no idea how much the filter restricts air flow, but it has to have some effect.
Originally Posted by toobroketoretire
I have an '82 and it doesn't use that; just two filters in one housing. But I'm now wondering why they started using them after so many years of NOT using them. What changed?
Your 82 is completely different than the 80-81. 80-81's are carburated, while the 82 has the "Cross-Fire" fuel injection. The intake, induction system, air cleaners, basically everything above the intake mating surface, is different on an 82.
That filter is not a "flame arrestor" though, it is actually an activated charcoal filter element. It was bonded into the air cleaner base, and was not meant to be serviced or replaced. Chevrolet never offered the mesh filter as a separate part, but only as a complete assembly, as part of the air cleaner. The charcoal filter was used in all 81 air cleaners, both California and Federal.
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09-04-2015, 01:33 PM
Air cleaner for 1980
