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1970 Cutlass 455 with Performer/Quadrajet OAI Air Cleaner clearance?
Is there a way to make the original style OAI air cleaner with flapper fit and function on a 455 with an edelbrock performer manifold and a quadrajet in a 70 Cutlass. I was just looking and found people saying they could make it work but could not find any pictures or details. Thanks.
Install the air breather, and use clay to check clearances, I seem to remember guys said it would clear, but the performer is higher than the original intake.
Your combination puts the OAI adapter top 2" higher than as built. That will not fit.
But there's a clean way to do this.
Use an air cleaner adapter for Chevelle Cowl Induction (CI). Put W-31 OAI foam on the CI flange.
The mounting surface of the CI adapter will be 3/8" lower than that on the OAI top as built. The taller W-31 foam will make up that difference.
You will not be able to use the traditional OAI air cleaner top with the flapper door. Your air cleaner will always be open to the scoops, so you may want to block the air cleaner housing snorkel inlet to avoid taking in engine-compartment air at idle.
Here's a picture.
Last edited by VC455; April 19th, 2020 at 09:07 AM.
Reason: spelling
Your combination puts the OAI adapter top 2" higher than as built. That will not fit.
But there's a clean way to do this.
Use an air cleaner adapter for Chevelle Cowl Induction (CI). Put W-31 OAI foam on the CI flange.
The mounting surface of the CI adapter will be 3/8" lower than that on the OAI top as built. The taller W-31 foam will make up that difference.
You will not be able to use the traditional OAI air cleaner top with the flapper door. Your air cleaner will always be open to the scoops, so you may want to block the air cleaner housing snorkel inlet to avoid taking in engine-compartment air at idle.
Here's a picture.
That is clean. I may consider this, I would guess that the chevelle cowl induction adapter would be a lot cheaper then the OAI lid. Thank you for the response.
So I ended up buying a used Corvette cowl induction dual snorkel air cleaner base with the cowl flange adapter already on it for a little more then a new cowl flange adapter. I had to use a spacer between the carb and the air cleaner base because this base was designed for a factory Holley carb and was hitting the throttle bracket, dashpot, fuel inlet and the choke pull off on my quadrajet. I also used the w30 foam which is 2 inches tall compared the w31 foam at 3 inches. Here is pictures of it mocked up with a 14 x 4 K&N extreme filter and lid. I plan on sending it out for powder coating in a few weeks.
Last edited by 4speed455; December 24th, 2020 at 05:14 PM.
See write up in other thread below , ( closer to 1" has to be milled.) Works great ( Sorry Joe !) flows better than stock w-30 intake , easy to obtain . No drop base either. ( looks factory !)
i am putting a 455 engine in a 1970 cutlass for a friend. The engine has a edlebrock air gap intake on it.he also bought the OAI air cleaner set up and hood. From what I'm reading here there is no way that is going to work. What intake manifold to i need I have a stock iron q-jet intake from a early 70's 455 will this work or was it a different one just for the OAI set up?
I don't know of a currently-manufactured intake manifold that is short enough to allow you to install an OAI adapter top and have enough clearance to the OAI hood.
As detailed in this thread, you have a number of intake choices if you use a Chevelle Cowl Induction adapter top.
Many 1960s and 70s intake manifolds have identical height to the 1970 406115 (aluminum W-30) intake manifold. You may interchange among those and still keep correct fitment to the OAI hood.
However, Toronado intake manifolds are too short. And they make less horsepower.
I just talked to the owner turns out he had a old edlebrock 04B under a bunch of stuff in his garage. I just picked it up it looks good as far as I can tell. hopefully this solves my problem. thanks for the replys.
...a old edlebrock 04B... looks good as far as I can tell.
The foam can take up an extra 3/8". However, the top of the plastic OAI adapter will be VERY close to the screen on the hood. Be cautious when first closing the hood and use clay on the adapter high point to confirm your clearance.
Things such as wrong engine mounts can cause a clearance problem.
Joel this looks really good with the Corvette double snorkel air base. I would like to copy-cat you on this and have been looking at Corvette dual snorkel cowl induction air cleaner bases. One question I have is was the base unit you used for 73-74-75 Vettes with the cowl induction? I see where this type of base becomes available again on Vettes in '78 but looks a wee bit different than the 73-75 years. I have an old Holley Street Dominator manifold and use an MSD Atomic EFI fuel injection unit on it. Hoping I can put it together like you did. Thanks, Ed
Hey Ed, thanks for the compliment. I do believe it was off a 73-75 Corvette. I tried to double check the eBay listing but it has expired. The title says it’s for L48 C3 Corvette. When I was looking I did see similar ones advertised for 70-72 Z28 Camaro. Good luck in your search!
So I ended up buying a used Corvette cowl induction dual snorkel air cleaner base with the cowl flange adapter already on it for a little more then a new cowl flange adapter. I had to use a spacer between the carb and the air cleaner base because this base was designed for a factory Holley carb and was hitting the throttle bracket, dashpot, fuel inlet and the choke pull off on my quadrajet. I also used the w30 foam which is 2 inches tall compared the w31 foam at 3 inches. Here is pictures of it mocked up with a 14 x 4 K&N extreme filter and lid. I plan on sending it out for powder coating in a few weeks.
What is the difference between the Olds OAI air cleaner and the Corvette? Is the Corvette more lower than the Olds?
What is the difference between the Olds OAI air cleaner and the Corvette? Is the Corvette more lower than the Olds?!
The Olds OAI setup would not fit with my current intake manifold. I could have used the factory Olds base with the Chevy cowl induction adapter flange and the olds foam, but I didn’t have the Olds base. I liked the look of the dual snorkel corvette base and it since it was a cowl induction air cleaner it already had the adapter to mount the foam. This was a comprise to be able to make the hood functional. I plan on drilling drain holes in the base so rain water can drain and blocking the snorkels so it is only pulling air through the hood.
I have used Chevy parts on my Cutlass air cleaner for many years.
I used the Olds OE air cleaner base and added an adaptor and seal
from a 69 Camaro with the cowl induction hood. This sits on top of
a 455 with a Torker and a Holly. A Chevy chrome air cleaner lid fits
if you use the Delco A212CW. The Olds W-30 and W-31 with the
flapper door adapters use a smaller A366CW filter element and they
can be used as well.
April 15th, 2020, 12:27 PM
