Air filter

[Hulkjoegan]

1985 454 w/quadrajet
It still has the stock air cleaner, inside of the replaceable air filter is a metal screen air filter. I'm assuming that is a washable filter, correct?

If I ditch the stock cleaner and go with an open element filter, will there be much adjustment to the carb? Or is it really plug n play?

[bd]

The metal screen is a flame arrestor to protect the filter element from backfire.  Eliminating the factory air cleaner will also eliminate TAC, which may introduce cold driveability problems.  TAC warms the air entering a cold engine to aid fuel vaporization.