Carbureted LSX forum - Carb hat/plenum vs air cleaner assembly

So I've been searching around but I can't seem to come up with any solid numbers... maybe it hasn't been done, but I'll ask for at least some opinions from the more knowledgeable members here.

For a while I was planning on running a carb hat to the stock lid location. I've seen a pic here while searching around for hood clearance solutions and saw an efi with carb manifold setup doing that. I've done some reading outside the board where people don't seem keen on using a carb hat with an N/A carbureted setup because they seem to think it can be a bit of a power killer.

So I'm looking around and see there are some small diameter air cleaner setups. I'm seeing some 6"-8" diameter air cleaners that I think may fit my setup. Question is, what do you think is worse? A 6"x 2-3" tall filter air cleaner assembly or a carb hat (like the Spectre with 4" inlet) that will have some piping and fit up to the stock lid?

I have never back to back tested any of the alternate filter location set ups on a N/A carbed car. It will be interesting to hear if anyone else has.

I think a lot of the differance will depend on where the carb hat inlet is ducted from. If you can grab an outside air source, and the hat is tall enough to not be a restriction, the hat would win, VS an open element 3 inch air cleaner. JMHO. In for actual results. Eric L

Path of least resistance will usually always win.

The path of least resistance that will supply the coolest supply of air will usually win.

I ran a specter carb bonnet on my 95 z28 I used to have with a SBC swapped in, had. O choice, it seemed to run the same with or without it pulling the old cammed 357 to 6000, if it is all you can do to clear, sure it would be good, but with a 7000 rpm screamer, there may be a point of restriction, otherwise, look at the factory inlets for many older carb and TBI setups, the front air inlets were pretty small, yet again, they werent high rpm from the factory, usually 5000 rpm.

Im in build stage at moment but plan on runnin carb hat in my fox body to the inner fender cold air location. I believe if u tune it with the air intake setup on it should b just fine, in my opinion.

The best way is with a air pan that is fed by the cowl of the hood from the rear or a over the radiator from the grill area.

Carb hats and air filters will hurt power.

A 4" tube with bends in it will hurt power to some extent. I tested all this stuff years ago at the race track. Dynos dont really tell the whole story.

Tim

the early 90's small Cadillac 4.1(?) had a similar hat on its TB I have a few of them and plan to run one ducted to a fender well cold air kit if I have to so i can go back to a flatter hood. otherwise i'm going to run the biggest air cleaner i can w/ a pan under it if i'm stuck w/ the outlaw hood I have. have you considered a larger diameter filter? like a 16 on a drop base? that may clear the linkage enough to really get it down. couple it w/ a properly shaped lid and you might be ok.