SpeedyGeek

iTrader: (2)

I have seen a lot of posts from users asking what type of air cleaner setup they should use for low hood clearance. Here is what worked perfectly for me.

I have an 87 Formula and I just put a Blueprint 355 in it. First of all for those of you who want to do this and keep your regular Firebird, Formula or TA hood you will need to take the intake off that it comes with and replace it with an Edelbrock Performer EPS or something else with the same height. The one that comes on the engine is just way too tall. The Edelbrock Performer EPS has the exact same specs, same RPM range, just shorter.

None of the air cleaners I had would fit. I tried the 14" open element drop base from Edelbrock, it got dented and scratched up from the screws to the hood scoop parts. I tried the triangle of death from Edelbrock which got dented, pushed in really, from the passenger side of the hood pushing down on it. I tried the $200 Blueprint oval air cleaner I got for free when I bought the engine from Jegs and it rubs constantly on one spot in the front passenger side of the lid. So, i spent some time looking into a cold air intake setup. It was too hard to tell what was really going to fit right just from looking at parts online. But after measuring the BP oval air cleaner (3 inches tall) I decided that a plenum that was 3 inches tall or less, but smaller around would do the trick. I didn't like the plenums I've seen, all of them looking like these...

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SPE-98499/

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SPE-9843/

I found this one and bought it...

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/TNT-10351/

It sits at 2.75 inches tall and I could turn it to the side so the front wouldn't rub on the hood as it slopes down. Also it's a lot bigger inside than the other plenums so you're not forcing all that air from three inch tubes into a smaller skinny plenum. This one is typically used for turbo setups and works perfect on my car as a regular cold air intake plenum.

Next, it was tough to figure out what tube kits and filter I would need just looking online, so I went to AutoZone today and got the following parts. They let me take them outside to my car and place the items where I would want them and figure out what I needed.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SPE-8208/

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SPE-8708/

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SPE-8136/

Here's some pictures of the setup I did. I rearranged the parts while they were loose to get it all to fit really well then tightened them all up. From the plenum I have a straight piece, then the 45 degree angle, then two straight pieces and then the filter. I took out the straight piece that came with the kit that has the 3 plugs in it for sensors since I have no sensors. If my car doesn't need something I remove it. So since I took out the pipe with the plugs (shorter than the rest) I bought that extra tube which is the same length as the rest.







Because I am only allowed 3 attachments in this post I'll continue the rest in the next post...

SpeedyGeek

iTrader: (2)

Next I took the metal strip they included with the kit and bolted it into the last clamp before the filter, bent it down at the end so it would rest on the fender well, drilled a 1/4" hole and used a bolt a washer and a nut to bolt the strip onto the fender well so it would hold the weight of the air intake...





In all this cost me $190.00. I bought the plenum from Jegs and the rest at AutoZone for about $73 bucks after tax. It was cheaper at AutoZone than at Summit or Jegs. I got the blue filter because my car will be painted blue soon. They have red and silver available too.

Hope this helps someone else out there.