Air Cleaner for 304 V-8

My 74 has the original Carter 2-BBL carb and I want to get an open element air cleaner. I have the original sitting nicely on a shelf with new stickers on it. I tried a Moroso air cleaner but it did not fit correctly at all. (and it was really crappy thin metal w unfinished edged) What does anyone else have if anyone is still running the lil ole 2-BBL. Would love to find one in black!!

 

Replase your manifold with a Edlebrock intake 4Bbl. Add a nice air cleaner.R)

 

What's wrong with the stock air cleaner? I would guess that it's as efficient as any aftermarket cleaner on the stock Motorcraft 2100. Plus it has the snorkel so you can keep your vapor recovery system. If you're concerned about the heated air flap, it only improves cold weather operation and does not affect performance. Plus the stock air cleaner used a cool oil-wetted foam wrap around the paper element - much better in dusty conditions.

If you want an open element style, K&N makes a wide assortment. Not cheap though IIRC.

sagegoat is right about the manifold - Edelbrock manifold with the small Holley Truck Eliminator, or maybe an Edelbrock carb, will help the AMC V8 a lot. If you want power though, the best bang/buck upgrade is a 360 (or 401, but way more buck).

 

For my 73 CJ5 project, we were going to replace the 304 with a 360. But, we recently found an AMC 390. This should work as well for an upgrade? Did I read somewhere that the 401 is a stroked 390? Are there any pitfalls to the 390 that I should be aware of?

-mh.

 

Oh gosh.

The 390 is the predecessor to the 401. Both have forged steel cranks and forged steel rods, unlike the 290/304/343/360. Both have a special high-nickel block material, which allows the large bore in the relatively small AMC block. The 401 can only sometimes be bored to 60 over, and the 60 over engines often suffer from overheating. It's better to sleeve a 401 block than to bore it out that much IMO. Not sure that the 390 suffers from the same fate, but maybe it does.

There are two revs of the 2nd gen AMC V8 - the 290/343/390 and the 304/360/401. Only the 304 etc were used in Jeeps, and I think there are some minor differences between the engines that may make replacing a rev 2 engine with a rev 1 engine troublesome. IIRC the heads and manifolds are different, and the pocket for the pilot bushing in the crank is different. If you really want to use the 390, post or search on IFSJA - this question has come up there before, and these guys know more about the AMC engines in Jeeps than do, say, the AMC car boards.

That said, I'd suggest you don't use it. Check on the AMC boards - the 390 was used in the early AMC muscle cars, and there's probably a market for it. You may be able to sell it and buy a 401, which is the later, better engine and will fit in your CJ like a hand in a glove.

 

My Jeep is fully restored to factory specs so changing the manifold is out of the question even though I do have 4 bbl envy!!!

I would keep the stock air cleaner on but I put on the 304 V8 sticker and the underhood heat has made 2 of them fall off so the original air clear will be used for show only. Cold weather operation is not too bad of a problem here in Ft Lauderdale

K&N's web site sucks. I was on there for a while the other night and could not find the right air cleaner for my carb. I mught have to give them a call and see if that works. I was just hoing someone here might have put an open element air cleaner on their 2bbl (ok, who the hell keeps the 2bbl????) and have a part number or specific brand that would fit.

 

Oh. Try the IFSJA - you can get an AMC V8 air cleaner there for cheap or free, probably for the cost of the ride. Either that, or the pick-your-part will probably have Grand Wagoneers and their air cleaner will fit.

The Motorcraft 2V air horn is the same size as the Holley square pattern 4V air horn (5.25" diam? something like that). Any air cleaner that will fit a Holley 4150/4160 (very common!) will fit your carb. You may need a plastic collar between the air cleaner and air horn to clear the bowl vent. My local Autozone has them, or a speed shop will have them. You can get air cleaner cover studs of different lengths from Pony Carburetors or maybe Parker Carburetion - or use a piece of 5/16" all-thread and a wing nut from the hardware store. Not pretty, but you can make any length.

hth!

 

I'm curious as to why the Moroso filter doesn't fit. If you have the regular Motorcraft 2-bbl, it has the same air cleaner flange as Holley, Quadrajet, Thermoquad, and AFB 4-bbls. I agree that Moroso filters feel pretty chintzy at times, they're generally thin aluminum. A cheap Mr. Gasket filter is a lot more sturdy.

 

The Moroso air cleaner was a drop down design. The diamer of the opening was good (5 1/8 In) but the carb interfered with the bottem of the air cleaner.

Link to Moroso:

http://moroso.com/catalog/categorydisplay.asp?catcode=34003

 

You need the plastic collar that raises the air cleaner. I use one with the 2100 on my truck and the Autozone air cleaner.

 

Finally got one! Thanks to Autozone and Mr Gasket I now have a nice 9in. open element air cleaner on top of the 304! Looks Great! I will post some pictures in the next week.