I have an SS 396 325 HP 1968 El Camino and in need of a stock air cleaner assembly. Locally here in San Diego, a guy has one for a 1968 350. Is this the same air cleaner other than decals? His is off a 4 Brl. Quadrajet also.

Thanks, Phil Swanson

I don't think small blocks used the same air cleaner. The BB AC's are pretty unique with the snorkel pointing towards the pass. side and angled down a bit.

can you post a pic?

it will probably fit. measure the diameter of the carb and compare it to the 350 breather base opening.

I am not looking for one that just fits, I would like to find the correct one.

Thanks!!!!!!! Phil Swanson

http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/data/500/57-11.jpg

correct AC for a 396/325 with auto trans.

The pic posted by ss70chev454 is correct. I might add that air cleaner is correct only for a 1968 396 cu. in. with 325 hp. There is even a difference between the air cleaner for an auto trans and a manual trans. The air cleaner for a 69 325 hp is different still. The base should be somewhat obtainable but usually the chrome lid is shot. There is a high quality repo lid sold by Eckler corvette which is very, very close to being correct. If you search through the archives there is a thread about the 68 325 hp air cleaner and even gives the part number for the Eckler lid. I believe the lid I'm speaking of is from the 1970 Corvette year but I don't recall the engine designation. By the way the 350 air cleaner or any other air cleaner is not correct. The air cleaner for the 69 is similar so if you are seeking a correct air cleaner you will need to know the diff. On the 69 the snorkel points a little more forward and the breather tube is on the same side as the snorkel. If you notice on the pic of the 68 cleaner the breather tube exits the cleaner base on the drivers side.

The Chevelle Restoration Guide by Paul Herd shows the correct 68 air cleaner with the auto to be a smooth snorkel and states that the thermostat on the snorkel to be on the 69 and but not on the 68. Is this picture wrong or is the book wrong? What is the physical difference in the 68 air fillter for the automatic vs. the manual trans? Anybody know?

Thanks, Phil Swanson

The Chevelle Restoration Guide by Paul Herd shows the correct 68 air cleaner with the auto to be a smooth snorkel and states that the thermostat on the snorkel to be on the 69 and but not on the 68. Is this picture wrong or is the book wrong? What is the physical difference in the 68 air fillter for the automatic vs. the manual trans? Anybody know?

Thanks, Phil Swanson

That damn book is filled with inaccuracies.:sad:

1968 325 HP 396's have two styles of air cleaner, based on the transmission.
Automatic transmission cars have a snorkel that goes to the right side, slanting down with the TCAC (Thermostatically Controlled Air Cleaner) vacuum motor on the snorkel and a heat stove on the exhaust manifold with a hose going into the air cleaner through a tube on the snorkel.
Manual transmission cars have the snorkel going to the right side with no TCAC or heat stove.
The reason for the two designs is emission controls. Automatic transmission cars don't have the on/off, on/off, on/off, acceleration like a stick car has, so they were able to pass emission tests with only the TCAC.
The manual transmission cars all had a smog pump to pass the tests, and used the air cleaner without TCAC.


TCAC-thermostatically controlled air cleaner. The idea is to keep the inlet air temperature over 100 degrees to improve emissions, especially during cold start & warm up conditions. A temp sensor inside the air cleaner opened or closed a vacuum switch that would apply vacuum to a vacuum motor (pod) on the air cleaner snorkel. When the pod was activated, a door would open and allow heated air from the heat stove on the right exhaust manifold into the air cleaner.
The manual trans cars 325 HP cars didn't have TCAC because they used the AIR (smog) pump for emission control, as did all of the higher horsepower, open element air cleaner motors.

Good thread on '68 air cleaners here- http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=216880
BillL

Bill,

Thanks for all the great information! Take a look at these 68 Caprice under hood pictures. I think this is the same air cleaner except the lid is black. Very nice pictures of an original car although the big car may have some differences like the chrome lid. The photos show the hose and stove pipes very well too. http://rodenvy.com/caprice/

Thanks, Phil

Could be. As far as I can tell, GM never offered the air cleaner base as a separate part. If you needed a base, you had to buy the entire air cleaner assembly. The assembly part numbers are different between Chevelle and Impala, but that could be because of the difference in the lids.
BillL

You have to admit that the Impala air cleaner looks exactly the same as the Chevelle except for the top not being chrome. The ducts and stove is all in the right place. Why would they make it different if its that close for the same year and the same engine with the same transmission? I for one would be willing to use one and have the lid plated unless you can see a big difference somewhere.

Phil

Thanks to everyone that helped on this. I just wish I had saved air cleaners all these years instead of blocks. I'd be a multi-millionare by now. Like many of us, I have thrown them away like crazy. They are gold and the hardest part to find.

Phil Swanson
68 Elco SS396