found this on another message board: Unsilenced air cleaner -Any difference in performance street cruising vs open element does anyone have more input?
I think the only way there'd be any difference was if the open element filter was sealed to the hood with a functional hood scoop.
Depends — some "unsilenced" air cleaners can be pretty restrictive. For example, on slant sixes, some of the 10" baseplates leave something like a 1/8" gap all the way around — that's not much area for air intake. On the other hand, most V8s have a much larger gap that is effectively the same as an open element. Consider — larger diameter means more intake area. So the big 20" diameter unsilenced can feeding a 15" diameter filter element is effectively identical to an open 15" element, because the intake area of the air cleaner is so much larger than that of the element that it might as well be infinite.
Flipping my lid on my six cylinder Ford maverick sure got me excited back when I was 16. Voom vooooom
The engine masters episode where they tested a bunch of air cleaners and elements was VERY interesting. Not completely relevent to most of us, they tested on a Big power big block. Among those tested was a two snorkle mopar, with one snorkle blocked off, unblocked, and with the lid flipped.
I fixed that on mine. I used the later model larger diameter top on the smaller base. Results in a two finger wide gap all the way around. Did it help? I don't know, but I can hear that one barrel really moan when I lean into it. lol
I'm sorry, i dont. I saw it a few years ago when motor trend allowed average joe nonsubscriber to see them on their app, a month or so after subscribers. They stopped doing that quite a while ago. You might find snippets of it on you tube. Memory is all that i am going by, but i believe they tested 18 or 19 different a/c and filter setups on a 700hp big chevy. The best setup actually added hp, compared to no filter at all, the worst cost nearly 100 hp! The mopar, with one snorkle blocked cost 50-70 hp (memory is fuzzy), opened up it still cost around 20hp (remember, this is on 700hp), and the flipped lid version only cost about 5hp. Upshot of the episode was that airflow direction into the carb was more important than lack of restriction. The winners were all some form of a velocity stack. One of the biggest surprises (at least to me!) was that a k&n housing with a 3x14 filter, and a filter lid worked better (for hp anyway) with the 3x14 taped off, using just the lid. Flow directed down into the carb, not across the carb throats. I wish i could see it again, but i dont subscribe to m/t on demand.
I was going to mention the engine masters episode too. It was a decent video. I think they tested a bunch of aftermarket and some factory air cleaners as well. Im looking on youtube but not finding anything yet.
Stroker small block Ford. Motor trend on demand is subscription TV to multiple TV series. You’ll have to figure out if it is worth it to yourself. I like it. SALAD BOWL!!!!!
I like engine masters a lot. The rest....so-so. I dont want to pay the subscription price for one show.
On early 70's 440 police cars, there was no difference between no air filter and a dual snorkel air cleaner.
The premise of Chevrolets' "cowl induction" was to grab the air from the low pressure area at the base of the windshield. Wind tunnel testing I guess. Makes sense to me as my Human self has experienced breathing difficulty in windy conditions. I have thought about a Mopar air cleaner system that is plumbed through the firewall into the cowl vented area, much like the intake for the cabin.
Okay I got it backward. Ha, welcome to my life. Anyway I think that is the desirable area to grab some air but getting off subject a little.
