FancyFarmSS

iTrader: (5)

Maybe I'm just crazy, but I've never been satisfied with the way my SLP lid sealed against the air filter. I've posted pictures of my solution in the attachments.

All I used was the Duck brand foam weatherstrip seal from Wal-Mart. It's the self-stick kind, and is about 3/8'' wide and 5/16" tall (I don't have the package, I just measured it myself). I used it on the bottom of the frame that the filter sits in. This effectively raises the filter so that it makes a better seal against the lid. I also used some silicone grease on the filter and lid to make sure nothing gets by.

Makes me feel better anyway

1st picture is the weatherstripping
2nd is the bottom of the filter frame
3rd is the frame installed

ShortChevy

iTrader: (21)

What kind of filter are you running?

Engine_HP

iTrader: (1)

not a bad idea.

FancyFarmSS

iTrader: (5)

I just installed a stock AC Delco filter today.

For the last 8,000 miles I used a Blackwing. When I first got the car it had a Fram on it. Of all these filters, the stock one I installed today seemed to fit the tightest (without the foam). I noticed it had a different rubber rim around it than the first stock filter I purchased a while back (new rim is black instead of pinkish and has beveled or chamfered edges instead of rounded ones).

The previous owner with the Fram had tried something similar to what I did by putting the same foam weatherstripping on top of the filter rim itself. It looks like having the rubber rim contact the lid the way I did would create a better seal than the foam tho. You don't have to worry so much about it working itself off the filter either. There are also other materials besides foam that could be used to accomplish the same thing.

02TransAm/Batmobile

iTrader: (32)

I put a piece of wax paper over my filter, applied some Great Stuff expanding foam around the inside edge of my lid and fit it against my filter. After awhile I remove the wax paper, trimed the excess foam and voila! Perfect seal.

TORCHD 02 TA

iTrader: (39)

How I did mine was seal the perimeter of the lid itself, sealed the tray where the air filter sits, and sealed on top of the radiator support and sealed the front like you did where the air is 'ramed' in


The only place my car gets the air from is under air damn going into my home made FTRA

FancyFarmSS

iTrader: (5)

Interesting solution. So you basically molded the foam to the filter.

I didn't seal the part where the air is rammed in on my car because that's the only place it gets air from. In your case tho, sealing off that part would probably help.

The way you have your filter lid with the foam strips is how I started out. I found that they would fall off and get twisted as I put the lid on, so that's why I had to rethink it.

99'CajunFirehawk157

iTrader: (57)

Funny you brought this up: My blackwing's gasket was torn and I reguled it but recently I had it painted to match so I took it off when I sent it off to paint. When it came back I was so excited I put it back together and I think I am still missing my gasket BUT doesn't the seal around the element (fram, a/c, etc) act just like a gasket itself? The filter seals it self to the top of the lid/bottom of the airbox and unfiltered air is forced thru the bottom of the filter into the lid up / onward, so in essence isn't the lid gasket overkill or maybe not? My Blackwing gasket is so thin I cant imagine it being very effective, IMHO

FancyFarmSS

iTrader: (5)

I assume you're missing the black rubber strip that SLP sends with their lids that is supposed to go along the back part of the lid. I think the reason they send this is because the back part of the lid seals the worst.

Yes, the rubber seal around the element (that comes on all filters) is definitely the main gasket that does most of the sealing. The problem is that this seal is not tall enough on its own to push firmly against the SLP lid and create a seal. This is where SLP's rubber strip comes in to take up some of this space. Note that another brand of lid beside SLP may seal better as may the stock lid, but I do not have experience with anything but SLP's lid.

This is also what the foam strips along the bottom of filter tray do. They push the filter tray up, which pushes the filter up and more firmly against the lid. Another variation of this that I have tried that works well is to put the strips between the tray and the filter. This also pushes the filter up without having to worry about the foam getting twisted or not creating a good seal against the lid.

Dal1as

I did the exact same thing. One of the things I love about having a clear lid is that I can see how well it seals. I'd bet a lot of people are letting dirty air in to their intake with loose fitting lids. Just a poor design.

99'CajunFirehawk157

iTrader: (57)

NO, I trashed my SLP lid long ago for the Donaldson Blackwing lid, better flow and quality.

FancyFarmSS

iTrader: (5)

If you've got the rare Donaldson Blackwing lid then I bet it seals fine, probably just like stock. This improving the seal business is mainly for other aftermarket lids that just don't seem to fit as tight as they should.