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73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Engine/Drivetrain => Topic started by: Skunksmash on September 06, 2008, 12:18:02 am

Title: Good aftermarket Air cleaners?
Post by: Skunksmash on September 06, 2008, 12:18:02 am
Is there a good aftermarket cold air intake kit for the '87 Tbi trucks? (5.7liter) Or maybe one that has been made for some of the older trucks will fit the 87? Or maybe even one that has been made for a newer truck could work. I saw some for the 93 TBI. I know most people just do away with the factory stuff when upgrading the air cleaner assembly. Usually you just see an air filter just held down by a metal lid, and the rest is all gone. I guess that would be ok, but it seems to me like you would just be sucking hot engine air and i thought the idea was to get cooler air in there. Which would be cooler if it was coming from inside the fender or something like that. Anyone know of any of the aftermarkets out there that might fit this application?
Title: Re: Good aftermarket Air cleaners?
Post by: Dragon on September 06, 2008, 01:04:00 am
http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=9257.msg62448#msg62448
Title: Re: Good aftermarket Air cleaners?
Post by: Skunksmash on September 06, 2008, 02:09:31 am
Thanks for the link. But to reply to the pic of the home made cold air thing on that car... I dont know, man. I dont know. It looks as if by the time the air actually gets to the TBI unit, (or carb, or whatever) that it is squeezing through just as small of a hole as the factory air setup on our trucks. In short, that black piece in the pic does not look any bigger. Correct me if i am wrong here. But i looks like the black piece is not to much more of an improvement.

1.As for exhaust, you seem to know a good bit about that. Which long tubes would you recommend for max flow/power/fuel economy?

2. Which mufflers would you recommend for best flow/power/mpg? Glass packs? I guess they flow the most...?

3. Which X-pipe? Same criteria. Needs to at least have a chance of fitting the long tube headers. All of this is for a stock TBI 5.7 liter.
Title: Re: Good aftermarket Air cleaners?
Post by: Skunksmash on September 06, 2008, 06:11:45 pm
Found another good cold air intake option. You can put your own together with their kit, and then send back and not be charged for what you do not need. Pretty cool. Can't find the link to the actual one that i would need, but i saw it on an episode of "Trucks"

http://www.spectreperformance.com/#HOME
Title: Re: Good aftermarket Air cleaners?
Post by: eventhorizon66 on September 06, 2008, 08:29:35 pm
Here (http://www.schmidtmotorworks.com/ram%20air.html) is yet another option.  Similar to the fiberglass boxes made by Air Inlet Systems, but cheaper.  Not 100% on whether it has the height necessary for tbi injector clearance, though.
Title: Re: Good aftermarket Air cleaners?
Post by: team39763 on September 07, 2008, 12:20:33 am
I was actually thinkin' of grabbing a turbo/super carb bonnet/hat and running silicone couplers and routing it to the passenger side of the firewall and having it go through to a cone filter mounted in the cab(or is that a bad idea). 
Title: Re: Good aftermarket Air cleaners?
Post by: eventhorizon66 on September 07, 2008, 10:53:01 am
team: I looked into that a while back.  There are a few bonnets that would work, but keep in mind that many are actually restrictive to a naturally aspirated engine and only work properly when the air charge is under pressure.  Here (http://www.superiorairflow.com/store/viewitem.php?id=1) is one that would likely work, but it's pricey. 

You'd probably be happier with the air cleaner option in my last post.  No HEI distributor (or any distributor for that matter) on your engine to create clearance problems.  And, as you can see, it is clearanced for holleys.  I don't have any experience with this company or this air cleaner, but it looks to be a nice piece, at a reasonable price.
Title: Re: Good aftermarket Air cleaners?
Post by: Skunksmash on September 08, 2008, 06:39:58 pm
Yeah but some of those bonnets look as small as/smaller than the factory stuff. It may just be the pictures i dont know.
Title: Re: Good aftermarket Air cleaners?
Post by: team39763 on September 08, 2008, 06:44:06 pm
I was looking at one of those bonnets on ebay with the dual 2" inlets.  But they don't have those nice smooth turns/curves like the one you posted Eventhorizon66.  That dual snorkel air cleaner you posted is nice especially for that price.  Other places want a lot more for similar stuff.
Title: Re: Good aftermarket Air cleaners?
Post by: Captkaos on September 08, 2008, 09:16:55 pm
The Ramair Box should fit with two connections.
Title: Re: Good aftermarket Air cleaners?
Post by: Skunksmash on September 09, 2008, 11:39:43 pm
Anyone know if that plenum from the caddy is as big as the aftermarket ones that they sell? If it is, then yeah i would have to say that it is best to just try and do that one.
Title: Re: Good aftermarket Air cleaners?
Post by: Dragon on September 11, 2008, 03:17:31 am
Anyone know if that plenum from the caddy is as big as the aftermarket ones that they sell? If it is, then yeah i would have to say that it is best to just try and do that one.
Give or take slightly in the size differences, yes you can get Bigger Ones through the Aftermarkets, but really why would you want to??? There is no Real Benefit from having the larger ones(K&N Makes one for the 93-96 crowd, but it's price never made it very popular), and the Turbo/SuperCharger Guys have been using Carb/TBI HATS/Bonnets successfull for years... http://www.vs57.com/bonnets.htm

NOTE: Ofcourse you're going to want to run a decent sized Conical/Cannister Style Filter(Like the one in the pic of the Caddy Setup), just remember to duct some colder air to it, and sheild it from any radiant heat source(s) for Optimal Gains.....

For it's time, the '86 & Up Caddy Bonnet/HAT actually offered the Best Airflow to it's TB, even when it was still connected to the rest of its restrictive Air System.....