Flipping Your Air Cleaner Lid = More Power w/ PROOF!

[ChargerM440]

When I was 15 this was the first "mod" I did to the 440 in my 69 Charger. It was the first time the old dog ran for more than 10 seconds without coughing fuel and fire out the carb. My dad suggested that when I install the air cleaner I should flip the lid upside down to get a little performance. I thought it sounded ridiculous, but the old man hadn't steered me wrong before.

I was just watching the newest Engine Masters air filter shootout. Luckily Steve Dulcich, Mopar madman, was there to suggest the age-old idea of flipping the air cleaner lid. They gained 42HP over the stock Mopar dual snorkel air cleaner and 84HP over a single snorkel! They used a big block chebby with 752 HP @ 6600 RPM as the test bed.

I know that flipping the lid on a bone stock 440 won't see an extra 40+ horsepower, but it might be good for a little something. The second interesting thing is that it actually outperformed a few "high performance" air filters. It placed 11th out of 19 filter combos tested besting at least 2 combos running the expensive K&N filters. It was a cool experiment and worth a watch.

 

[tnfastback]

My Mom had a 2 door 455 Boneville and I would flip the air cleaner lid to hear that old "Sloberjet" moan

 

[Cranky]

It's been a long known fact that Mopar air cleaners were very restrictive....especially the snorkel types.

 

[YY1]

Me and a buddy did that on every car we worked on in the 80's.

More air flow is almost always better.

...and you get that extra "ba-waaaaaaaaaoooop" that goes along with it.

 

[Yatzee]

When I was 15 this was the first "mod" I did to the 440 in my 69 Charger. It was the first time the old dog ran for more than 10 seconds without coughing fuel and fire out the carb. My dad suggested that when I install the air cleaner I should flip the lid upside down to get a little performance. I thought it sounded ridiculous, but the old man hadn't steered me wrong before.

I was just watching the newest Engine Masters air filter shootout. Luckily Steve Dulcich, Mopar madman, was there to suggest the age-old idea of flipping the air cleaner lid. They gained 42HP over the stock Mopar dual snorkel air cleaner and 84HP over a single snorkel! They used a big block chebby with 752 HP @ 6600 RPM as the test bed.

I know that flipping the lid on a bone stock 440 won't see an extra 40+ horsepower, but it might be good for a little something. The second interesting thing is that it actually outperformed a few "high performance" air filters. It placed 11th out of 19 filter combos tested besting at least 2 combos running the expensive K&N filters. It was a cool experiment and worth a watch.

So basically, your creating a gap between the lid and the base of the housing?

 

[YY1]

gap between lid and top of housing= an inch or so of unobstructed air, all the way around.

 

[idrivemopar]

I just run a taller filter.

 

[ChargerM440]

So basically, your creating a gap between the lid and the base of the housing?

Yeah, that's right. Like this:

 

[PurpleBeeper]

I "flipped my lid" MANY times back in the day, mainly for the sound....BUT DON'T DO THIS WITH A LEAN BURN SYSTEM! I burned out the "lean burn" on the air cleaner of my dad's car doing this.

 

[ChargerM440]

It's been a long known fact that Mopar air cleaners were very restrictive....especially the snorkel types.

Indeed, it's no secret, but I guess I never realized just how restrictive they were. I think what surprised me the most, was that using a paper filter it outperformed some of the aftermarket filters people swear by. Like these:

 

[493 Mike]

This video validates my purchase of a 16"x4" setup for my 540!
Mike

 

[Gone]

So if I understand the video, I gain nothing but noise if I flip the lid on my stock dual snorkel air cleaner that attached to my Edelbrock 4 bbl that's attached to my stock 383. Do I have that right?

 

[oldbee]

Nope,flipping the lid will help. Air doesn’t like to turn 90*,so anything that kinda straightens it out helps.

 

[Cranky]

I "flipped my lid" MANY times back in the day, mainly for the sound....BUT DON'T DO THIS WITH A LEAN BURN SYSTEM! I burned out the "lean burn" on the air cleaner of my dad's car doing this.

Don't know about the lean burn being 'burned' out by flipping the lid....after all, they crapped out all by themselves on a regular basis.

Indeed, it's no secret, but I guess I never realized just how restrictive they were. I think what surprised me the most, was that using a paper filter it outperformed some of the aftermarket filters people swear by. Like these:

View attachment 539127 View attachment 539128 View attachment 539129

The one in the middle....foam filters were the demise of many of cars. If the engine back fired, that foam usually lit off in fire was was pretty hard to put out.

 

[Cornpatch MO]

Indeed, it's no secret, but I guess I never realized just how restrictive they were. I think what surprised me the most, was that using a paper filter it outperformed some of the aftermarket filters people swear by. Like these:

View attachment 539127 View attachment 539128 View attachment 539129

My experience with a filter like the top one--must have had a flaming backfire cause when I took the foam element out, the under side of it had crumbled real bad and went into the engine. Thankfully it didn't clog the carb...........................MO

 

[Photon440]

Chrysler flipped the lids as well. In 1978 a tri-level car carrier came through the shops where I was learning to fix rail cars. There were fifteen Plymouth Fury police cars on it, all with 440 Pursuit engines. Opening the hood on a couple, they had the air cleaner lids upside down. Also, maybe because they were for Canada, they had 2 1/2" dual exhaust without converters.

 

[BeeKool]

Do even better, remove the air cleaner!

 

[Bruzilla]

Hmmm... makes me wonder if I need to start playing around with the fresh air system for my 74 Roadrunner. When I made that mod on a 73 in the 80s, I got pretty good results, but was running air in from the sides of the filter. If I ducted air in from the top, and going downwards, that might work even better.

 

[ChargerM440]

The one in the middle....foam filters were the demise of many of cars. If the engine back fired, that foam usually lit off in fire was was pretty hard to put out.

My experience with a filter like the top one--must have had a flaming backfire cause when I took the foam element out, the under side of it had crumbled real bad and went into the engine. Thankfully it didn't clog the carb...........................MO

I had one on my car for about a week before it caught fire. Luckily I was able to see the smoke from inside the restaurant. Never again.

 

[oldbee]

Do even better, remove the air cleaner!

Nope, the cleaner base helps shape the air flow going in.