Air Cleaner for HEI Distributor

P

patrick flowers

New member
Sep 19, 1997
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Can someone with the orginal HEI distributor and air cleaner assembly
check and let me know how much clearance there is between the
distributor and air cleaner in the factory installation?

I checked the clearance on my 73 last night, and there's about an inch
clearance between the air cleaner and the points-type distributor. It
looks like that would have the air cleaner up against the top of the HEI
distributor and I'm wondering how much I'll need to mangle the original
air cleaner housing to make it work.

I'm searching for a factory HEI air cleaner assembly, but not holding my
breath.

Patrick
- --
Patrick Flowers
Mailto:patri63

The GMC Motorhome Page
http://www.gmcmotorhome.com
 
>
> Patrick,
> I'm using the original air cleaner with HEI on my '73 - tight fit and at
> first would miss on 2 cylinders when the hatch was closed, but would run fine
> with hatch open. Found front two plug wires to be compressing under air
> cleaner and arcing - used shorter plug wire caps and all is well.
> Lanier

Yagottabekiddinme! You mean the original aircleaner will work? I'll
give it a shot - certainly nothing to loose by trying.

Thanks Lanier!
Patrick
- --
Patrick Flowers
Mailto:patri63

The GMC Motorhome Page
http://www.gmcmotorhome.com
 
Emery:

Are you kidding, "take a ball peen hammer ..."? Have you or anyone actually
tried that? If so, I find it hard to believe that the air cleaner housing
wouldn't look very distorted and amateurish appearing. Now someone might
say, nobody sees it anyhow. Sorry, but that's not my standard.

Paul Bartz

From: EMERYSTORA [mailto:EMERYSTORA]
Sent: Thursday, February 11, 1999 1:27 PM
Subject: Re: GMC: Air Cleaner for HEI Distributor

In a message dated 2/11/99 11:47:40 AM, patri63

Yagottabekiddinme! You mean the original aircleaner will work? I'll give
it a shot - certainly nothing to loose by trying.

You can also take a ball peen hammer and dent in the curved bottom just over
the distributor in order to get more clearance. Since this is outside the
sealing point of the air filter it won't interfere with the operation of the
filter.
"If all else fails, use a hammer"
 
>Can someone with the orginal HEI distributor and air cleaner assembly
>check and let me know how much clearance there is between the
>distributor and air cleaner in the factory installation?

Just about 0" clearance.

>I checked the clearance on my 73 last night, and there's about an inch
>clearance between the air cleaner and the points-type distributor. It
>looks like that would have the air cleaner up against the top of the HEI
>distributor and I'm wondering how much I'll need to mangle the original
>air cleaner housing to make it work.

You can probably get by with a minimum amout of mangling. A little
massaging with a ball peen oughta take care of it. Black Krylon will fix
'er right up.

>I'm searching for a factory HEI air cleaner assembly, but not holding my
>breath.

I took a couple pictures of mine for ya. They're at

http://www.web-access.net/~bmassey/sweetpea.html

Notice how the side nearest the distributor is factory 'massaged' to allow
for it.

Hope this helps
 
I just measured mine, and it is quite unsymmetrical. To begin with, the
center of the outer circumference of the air cleaner is biased 15/16"
forward of the center of the carburetor, In addition, there is a 1" deep by
7" long indentation at the rear of the air cleaner to give additional
clearance to the HEI distributor and spark plug wires. Because of the size
of the filter element (13.3125"), an indentation large enough to accommodate
the HEI distributor and wires on an air cleaner that was centered on the
carburetor, would interfere with the element by more than 1/4".

If the original air cleaner is offset by the 15/16", then I think you could
make the 1" indentation without too much trouble. Making the 15/16" offset,
is another matter.

I hope this helps.

Scott Shean
78 Royale
Baton Rouge, LA

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-gmcmotorhome
> [mailto:owner-gmcmotorhome]On Behalf Of Patrick Flowers
> Sent: Thursday, February 11, 1999 10:10 AM
> To: gmcmotorhome
> Subject: GMC: Air Cleaner for HEI Distributor
>
>
> Can someone with the original HEI distributor and air cleaner assembly
> check and let me know how much clearance there is between the
> distributor and air cleaner in the factory installation?
>
 
Terry:

Sheet metal I understand. Sheet metal an air cleaner housing ain't.

How many air cleaner housings have you modified with a hammer????

Paul Bartz

From: Dr. Terry A. Wallace
To: gmcmotorhome
Sent: 2/11/99 11:42 PM
Subject: Re: GMC: Air Cleaner for HEI Distributor

>
> Emery:
>
> Are you kidding, "take a ball peen hammer ..."? Have you or anyone
actually
> tried that? If so, I find it hard to believe that the air cleaner
housing
> wouldn't look very distorted and amateurish appearing. Now someone
might
> say, nobody sees it anyhow. Sorry, but that's not my standard.
>
> Paul Bartz
>
> From: EMERYSTORA [mailto:EMERYSTORA]
> Sent: Thursday, February 11, 1999 1:27 PM
> Subject: Re: GMC: Air Cleaner for HEI Distributor
>
> In a message dated 2/11/99 11:47:40 AM, patri63

> Yagottabekiddinme! You mean the original aircleaner will work? I'll
give
> it a shot - certainly nothing to loose by trying.
>
> You can also take a ball peen hammer and dent in the curved bottom
just over
> the distributor in order to get more clearance. Since this is outside
the
> sealing point of the air filter it won't interfere with the operation
of the
> filter.
> "If all else fails, use a hammer"
Paul:
Find a female form shape you like and hammer it on that. We do
that
all the time with sheet metal. You may want to repaint afterward.

Terry Wallace
 
>
> Emery:
>
> Are you kidding, "take a ball peen hammer ..."? Have you or anyone actually
> tried that? If so, I find it hard to believe that the air cleaner housing
> wouldn't look very distorted and amateurish appearing. Now someone might
> say, nobody sees it anyhow. Sorry, but that's not my standard.
>
> Paul Bartz
>
> From: EMERYSTORA [mailto:EMERYSTORA]
> Sent: Thursday, February 11, 1999 1:27 PM
> Subject: Re: GMC: Air Cleaner for HEI Distributor
>
> In a message dated 2/11/99 11:47:40 AM, patri63

> Yagottabekiddinme! You mean the original aircleaner will work? I'll give
> it a shot - certainly nothing to loose by trying.
>
> You can also take a ball peen hammer and dent in the curved bottom just over
> the distributor in order to get more clearance. Since this is outside the
> sealing point of the air filter it won't interfere with the operation of the
> filter.
> "If all else fails, use a hammer"
Paul:
Find a female form shape you like and hammer it on that. We do that
all the time with sheet metal. You may want to repaint afterward.

Terry Wallace
 
If I understand your query correctly, you are attempting to put an HEI type
distributor in a 73 that originally came with a conventional ignition
system. In which case, if you have access to a band saw, the mod is
relatively easy. Slice off the interfering portion of the air cleaner
housing, and then patch the side with a flat sheet of steel or aluminum,
held in place with a pair of riveted tabs. The gaps can be sealed with
Silicone, you will need to fashion a seal between the edge of the plate and
the lid. but it isn't that difficult.

It all hinges on wether you have access to a band saw, or a shop is willing
to do this for you at a reasonable cost.

I will say this it looks a lot better than bashing the side in with a
hammer, Neanderthals :>) Just Kidding.

Dave

- -----Original Message-----
From: Patrick Flowers
To: gmcmotorhome
Date: Thursday, February 11, 1999 08:17 AM
Subject: GMC: Air Cleaner for HEI Distributor

>Can someone with the orginal HEI distributor and air cleaner assembly
>check and let me know how much clearance there is between the
>distributor and air cleaner in the factory installation?
>
>I checked the clearance on my 73 last night, and there's about an inch
>clearance between the air cleaner and the points-type distributor. It
>looks like that would have the air cleaner up against the top of the HEI
>distributor and I'm wondering how much I'll need to mangle the original
>air cleaner housing to make it work.
>
>I'm searching for a factory HEI air cleaner assembly, but not holding my
>breath.
>
>Patrick
>--
>Patrick Flowers
>Mailto:patri63
>
>The GMC Motorhome Page
>http://www.gmcmotorhome.com
>
>
 
If you have an acetylene torch recurving the air cleaner is quite easy, if
you have the body mandrels and hammers, and are willing to repaint it. heat
the metal up cherry red and carefully rework it. It is done all the time.
GM did it easier using a press and molds.

>

>
>actually
>
>tried that? If so, I find it hard to believe that the air cleaner housing
>
>wouldn't look very distorted and amateurish appearing. >>
>
>Yes, it has been done. When I put a Holly ProJection throttle body fuel
>injection system on my 455 I had to "modify" the air cleaner to provide
>clearance. It is not at all amateurish appearing. The small curved
>depression on the bottom is very artfully done and should not embarrass you at
>all. However, If you are a Nerthanderal with your tools perhaps you had
>better not try it. Paul Revere used a hammer to make many of his copper pots
>and they are widely sought after. Perhaps my air cleaner will be worth a lot
>of money someday because it doesn't look exactly like yours!
>
>Emery Stora
>77 Kingsley
>Santa Fe, NM
>
>
Tom & Marg Warner
Vernon Center NY
1976 palmbeach
 
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