thermoquad > what air cleaner?

[spudsterier]

i am putting a thermoquad on my 360 but i cant find an air cleaner that will fit it.
i want a nice chrome one, but i dont want to buy one that wont sit ontop of the thermoquad properly.
is there a special air cleaner that i need to get?

 

[66340SEDAN]

Any Air Cleaner That Fits A Holley (common) Should Fit A Thermoquad, Should Be Able To Find An Aftermarket One.

 

[AdamR]

You probably need a flat base and not a dropped base or you can try a spacer that edelbrock sells for there carbs. Your air cleaner bases are probably hitting the fuel line.

 

[2 Darts]

I disagree with 66340Sedan. The large secondaries on the Thermoquad prevent a common Holley or AFB/AVS air filter housing to fit at the base. If you look for a base for a Quadrajet, you should have better luck. These can be found on most post 65 GM cars with 4bbls and Diplomat/Fifth Avenue cop cars with the 318 4 bbl.

 

[rumblefish360]

I think Adam hit that one on the head. Being a wide carb, a typical drop base air cleaner doesn't sit to well. I'm in the same boat on the aftermarket cleaner lid. If I can get one that also fits the MP striped lid, I'd be in good shape.

Spud, just food for thought, the MP unsilenced air cleaner fits.

 

[spudsterier]

i was looking at the carb a bit ago and noticed that there isnt a stud comming out the middle of the carb....there are 3 studs though, but they are all offset.
you can kinda see them in the pic:

 

[rumblefish360]

Those are not studs! Those are vent tubes. The air clenaer stud will go right in the middle of the carb right by the cross bar that holds the rods for the primaries.

 

[MopaR&D]

I tried trial-fitting the air cleaner I got off eBay to my ThermoQuad and for mine it didn't match up because of the raised area around the air cleaner mounting "pad" for the floats or whatnot. I'll try again with a rubber gasket as that time it was just metal-to-metal but if it still doesn't sit right I (and you) might have to grind that area just a smidge. BTW the air cleaner I got is a flat-base 3x14" model.

 

[AdamR]

I disagree with 66340Sedan. The large secondaries on the Thermoquad prevent a common Holley or AFB/AVS air filter housing to fit at the base.

Actually if it fits an AVS it will fit the TQ. They both have the fuel line in the same place. AVS also have interference issues with drop bases.

Some AFBs have a smaller diameter then Holley/AVS/TQs and use a different air cleaner.

 

[rumblefish360]

Do not gring the carb what so ever.


Adam, that would be the early AFB's and Mr. Gasket has a adapter ring to mate with the standard air cleaner sizes. But I think you knew that.

 

[spudsterier]

i was looking at some air cleaners at JEGS and found that most use a 5 1/8 inch center base or a drop base....
but some used a 7 5/16 centered dominator base

which one would i need?

 

[rumblefish360]

Do you have a dominator carb?

 

[spudsterier]

not that i am aware of, but i also dont know what a dominator carb is.....
so then a drop base or a center base?

 

[MopaR&D]

Do not gring the carb what so ever.


Adam, that would be the early AFB's and Mr. Gasket has a adapter ring to mate with the standard air cleaner sizes. But I think you knew that.

Even just a few thousandths with a light, small sanding roll on my Dremel? It's just the outside of the top part of the body surrounding the air horn/valve.

 

[rumblefish360]

Would it not be easier to add a second gasket to the air horn???????????

 

[MopaR&D]

I looked at it last night and to do that I'd need a gasket over 1/4" thick. The air cleaner neck barely goes on before hitting the edges around it, and I tried moving it around every which way.

 

[rumblefish360]

You don't have that much aluminum on the carb to grind. It's at best a 1/8 thick.
Look for a new base lid or find a spacer.

 

[rumblefish360]

not that i am aware of, but i also dont know what a dominator carb is.....
so then a drop base or a center base?

A dominator carb is a full race carb found on cars like, Pro Stock cars. The 500 incher engines running a pair of them.

Heres a Holley Dominator from Summit racing.com
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=HLY-0-8896-1&N=700+115&autoview=sku


Heres pages full of regular carbs; http://store.summitracing.com/egnsearch.asp?Ntt=holley+&N=700+115+4294919007&Ntk=KeywordSearch

Note the size of where the air filter sits.

 

[spudsterier]

i finally found the hole where the stud goes....i didnt realize that it was in the butterflies....

so would a cheap drop base air cleaner work with maybe a 1" riser?
http://www.jegs.com/p/Mr.+Gasket/743370/10002/-1

 

[rumblefish360]

This one, http://www.jegs.com/i/Mr.+Gasket/720/9340/10002/-1 IS exactly what I was thinking about and would not use one any taller. I'd avoid a drop base due to clearance problems, but then again, if you can find one that works........

I'd avoid useing the air cleaner spacer if you can.

 

[spudsterier]

this figures...i hate trying to find parts that will work
i know i sound dumb about all this stuff, but this is the first carburated car ive ever really owned....
i could tear apart and put back together a neon in my sleep...but im completely clueless about these cars...
i am clueless when it comes to rear wheel drive, v-8, and carbs.....so yeay...everything that this car is...
i dont even know what to expect out of this car when its done...i just hope it really gets up and goes

 

[6T9 V-100]

You are in the right place...the cars do have the potential to really move, brake, and handle. Patience, the willing to learn, and asking questions will help you the most.