Air Cleaner

[71383bee]

I never heard of them before this post either. I am interested in any data, bbut my thought is it would have a potential to be better performance in the sense that it COULD allow more air to the card. Like the carb butterfly valves that open when vacuum is strong enough. It allows more air when needed. Cool idea. My only concern is that it is getting warm air off the manifold, but that may not be any worse than from the air horn on the cleaner. I doubt it would be a lot cooler anyways.

Seems like a cool idea

The front snorkel is connected to the heat riser with a vacuum operated flap.  The air cleaner has a temperature sensor that allows manifold vacuum to pull open the snorkel valve when temperatures are in the freezing range.  Otherwise the valve stays shut and the snorkel pulls air.  The trap door bypasses the valve and is hooked direct to manifold vacuum.  Then you hit the gas the vacuum signal drops and the door opens.  i actually video taped it somewhere.  The thing actually works! 

[blown motor]

There's a trap door air breather for sale here in Ontario for $300 Cdn.

[Shane Kelley]

Funny thing about the trap door air breather. It's not even designed for performance reasons like me and most always thought. It's designed intention was to draw warm air from the back of the engine in cold weather. (according to Ma Mopar) Which makes more sense when you think about it. Why would you want hot under hood air drawn into the engine from that location?  What's even more odd is why it's a 340 only air breather. 

[headejm]

  Is that really @Shane Kelley ?

[70vert]

Funny thing about the trap door air breather. It's not even designed for performance reasons like me and most always thought. It's designed intention was to draw warm air from the back of the engine in cold weather. (according to Ma Mopar) Which makes more sense when you think about it. Why would you want hot under hood air drawn into the engine from that location?  What's even more odd is why it's a 340 only air breather. 

@Shane Kelley  Makes sense. The snorkels would pull air from in front of the engine/exhaust and would most likely be cooler than from behind or beside the engine. No clue on why used just for 340s.

[blown motor]

Funny thing about the trap door air breather. It's not even designed for performance reasons like me and most always thought. It's designed intention was to draw warm air from the back of the engine in cold weather. (according to Ma Mopar) Which makes more sense when you think about it. Why would you want hot under hood air drawn into the engine from that location?  What's even more odd is why it's a 340 only air breather. 

@Shane Kelley  Makes sense. The snorkels would pull air from in front of the engine/exhaust and would most likely be cooler than from behind or beside the engine. No clue on why used just for 340s.

Because 340s are the cool kids with the cool toys. 

[71383bee]

Funny thing about the trap door air breather. It's not even designed for performance reasons like me and most always thought. It's designed intention was to draw warm air from the back of the engine in cold weather. (according to Ma Mopar) Which makes more sense when you think about it. Why would you want hot under hood air drawn into the engine from that location?  What's even more odd is why it's a 340 only air breather. 

@Shane Kelley  Makes sense. The snorkels would pull air from in front of the engine/exhaust and would most likely be cooler than from behind or beside the engine. No clue on why used just for 340s.

Because 340s are the cool kids with the cool toys. 

Hence the theory that it is a performance item.  More air to the carburetor whether hot or not is going to be better for performance.  The 70 unsilenced 340 air cleaners had 2 oval holes on the front sucking in plenty of engine air.  Same with the standard 383 N code and 440 dual snorkel air cleaners. 

I think the interesting part of the story is that Chrysler would rather go through the expense to design and manufacture a vacuum operated trap door rather than go to a dual snorkel design. 

[71383bee]

There's one on moparts right now in the E body parts for sale 4th quarter section.  Page 10.