81 Air Cleaner debate....
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,227
Likes: 50
From: Pomfret, CT
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Unmodified
81 Air Cleaner debate....
Hey guys. My buddy has a stock 81. He has the complete stock air cleaner assembly on it. Including the oil filter (??) on the inside of the regular filter.
My suggestion to him to help the car breathe is to get rid of all that stuff and just put an open breather on it. He thinks that it is better the way it is.
What do you guys think?
My suggestion to him to help the car breathe is to get rid of all that stuff and just put an open breather on it. He thinks that it is better the way it is.
What do you guys think?
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
If his stock assembly goes over the core support and gets cold air from in front of the radiator then all he needs is a better filter, maybe a K & N, and that's better than an open element carb top filter.
The carb top filter gets too much hot air. The stock setup is basically a cold air kit and flows very well with a good filter.
The carb top filter gets too much hot air. The stock setup is basically a cold air kit and flows very well with a good filter.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 3,758
Likes: 3
From: Surrey
I've left the stock setup as it is on my '81. I figure that the cold air intake is a good thing. Have you ever noticed how much better an engine runs on a cool evening than it did in the heat of the day? The "oil filter" is for something that's been removed on mine (PCV system??) & is also worth keeping as it doesn't sap power, etc.
Even though I've got a K&N filter on mine, there's nothing really wrong with the stock one, as long as it's in good condition. The only reason I've got a K&N is for the stickers (they add power you know?!). Nah, seriously, I'm useless at changing air filters at regular intervals & one of the things about maturing in life is knowing and accepting your own faults. Mine include not changing filters until they're caked in crud, so a K&N is easy as I can just wash it when I remember that there's a filter that needs looking at, rather than having to order one from a specialist, or importing one from the US (which I'd forget to do
).
I vote for keep the stock setup & spend the money on something more useful (decent exhausts, Pirelli tires, beer, etc).
Even though I've got a K&N filter on mine, there's nothing really wrong with the stock one, as long as it's in good condition. The only reason I've got a K&N is for the stickers (they add power you know?!). Nah, seriously, I'm useless at changing air filters at regular intervals & one of the things about maturing in life is knowing and accepting your own faults. Mine include not changing filters until they're caked in crud, so a K&N is easy as I can just wash it when I remember that there's a filter that needs looking at, rather than having to order one from a specialist, or importing one from the US (which I'd forget to do
).I vote for keep the stock setup & spend the money on something more useful (decent exhausts, Pirelli tires, beer, etc).
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
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From: Exiled to Richmond, VA - Finally sold my house in Murfreesboro, TN ?? Corner of "Bumf*&k and 'You've got a purdy mouth'."
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St. Jude Donor '06-'10, '13
Hey guys. My buddy has a stock 81. He has the complete stock air cleaner assembly on it. Including the oil filter (??) on the inside of the regular filter.
My suggestion to him to help the car breathe is to get rid of all that stuff and just put an open breather on it. He thinks that it is better the way it is.
What do you guys think?
My suggestion to him to help the car breathe is to get rid of all that stuff and just put an open breather on it. He thinks that it is better the way it is.
What do you guys think?
People always replace the breather and PCV with a pair of push in breathers on the valve covers. That is one of the worst things you can do on a daily driver engine. Keep the PCV on one side and if you want a better looking filter on the other valve cover that is fine (not by EPA / state emission standards). Without the PCV working you are just venting blow-by and oil vapors into the air and all over the engine / air filter housing.
Get the PCV working right and your engine will be much cleaner.
As for the stock air filter housing and all the plastic parts -- keep them. One part blocks the top of the radiator and without this you will not get proper cooling or air flow through the radiator and condenser. Also, it is a great cold air induction system, works very well.
