Fitting a stock air cleaner on a Weber 32/36 - a few ?s

[malagalaga]

I have a stock air cleaner manifold that is correct for my 73 and I have a Weber-badged adapter. I put the two together and they fit beautifully on top of my Weber 32/36... but the air cleaner sits just a little too high for the hood to close.

Now, I have a roughly 1/2" thick insulation pad in the center of the hood. I'm hesitant to remove it since it is held in with an adhesive and I figure I'll probably ruin it if I pull it out.

Is the insulation thick enough to prevent the hood from closing? Am I missing some other way to get the air cleaner manifold to sit a bit lower?

Thanks for the help!

[John_in_VA]

I had to do that with my JAM Engineering adapter to keep the filter cover off the hood.

[malagalaga]

I had to do that with my JAM Engineering adapter to keep the filter cover off the hood.

You removed the insulation?

I measured and the Weber adaptor couldn't possibly sit any lower... there's just enough clearance as-is.

Thanks!

[c.d.iesel]

it's happening right here -=>

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/content/view/60/61?cx=partner-pub-2478521489155222%3Aeolm2n-2i1w&cof=FORID%3A9&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=stock+air+cleaner+32%2F36+RIMSPOKE&sa=Search&siteurl=www.bmw2002faq.com%252Fcontent%252Fview%252F60%252F61%252F&ref=www.bmw2002faq.com%2Fcontent%2Fview%2F60%2F61%2F

[John_in_VA]

between the carb & filter housing, and I left the foam on the hood in place for sound deadening & paint protection.

You might be able to raise your hood a hair.

[malagalaga]

Thanks John, CD. I tried searching the archives earlier, but the only mentions I found of this problem never seemed to be resolved.

John, I'll take a peek at my hood to see how much I could raise it.

Thanks for you help.

[eastsidebimmer]

The flange of the 2bl intake muffler on my car was hacked off and it sat on 1/2 width of the original seal and a Weber adapter. Once bolted down with the three mounts, it worked fine. Not using it now in favor of a cannon intake and redline filter kit, can take pictures if you need it.

Ben

[mattdanchris]

If you know how to weld or have someone to do it for you, don't use the adapter. Cut a circle out of the bottom of the air filter box. Then weld in a piece of sheet metal in its place. Use your adapter to trace the carb opening shape onto the new piece of metal. Cut it out with a jig saw. Put the stock air cleaner directly on top of the carb.

Carl

[ziff73]

If you know how to weld or have someone to do it for you, don't use the adapter. Cut a circle out of the bottom of the air filter box. Then weld in a piece of sheet metal in its place. Use your adapter to trace the carb opening shape onto the new piece of metal. Cut it out with a jig saw. Put the stock air cleaner directly on top of the carb.

Carl

Yep...there are a few 'invisible mods' to get it to fit. I did it to my old 76', 8 or 9 years ago...

[jgerock]

[malagalaga]

Thanks all. If the JAM one works, it seems like an easier solution than hacking up the housing I have now. I just blasted and painted this one, so I'd rather not go crazy on it.

[Napes]

With a Jam Eng'r. riser you still need to "Dremel" out a bigger opening in the bottom of the air filter housing. I took my Jam riser to a friend who milled off about 1/8", but be careful or you'll get interference with the choke butterflies. I also have only about a 3/16" isolation gasket between the bottom of the carb and the top of the intake manifold, have raised the front hood hinges a scosh, and still get a slight inprint from the top cover in my 3/8" Woody underhood insulation pad. With those adjustments, it all works out fine.

Bob Napier

['76mintgrün'02]

I finally acquired and installed a stock air cleaner on my 32/36 Weber and I highly recommend doing the same.  The biggest improvement I am noticing (after one test run) is that the stock housing is MUCH quieter than the little rectangular filter that came with the Weber.  I believe there will be improved airflow, in spite of a slightly reduced intake opening, due to the way air is routed in; plus the advantage of sucking cool air from outside the engine bay.

A prior owner of this set up had height clearance issues, like the ones discussed in this thread and their solution was to beat the top of the air cleaner down flat.  I saved the reshaping of the lid for last, once I had worked the assembly down as far as I could.

The set up I was given came with an adapter, which eliminates the need to open up the bottom of the housing, but what I found is that it DOES require modification of the outer bottom flange of the filter outlet.  That flange is too tall and rides on the adapter, causing a gap at the throat of the carb and holding the housing up high.  I used little balls of clay to check clearance in several areas.  You can see the marks where the flange had dug into the adapter.

 

To cut the flange down, I attached a block of 3/4" thick wood to the inside of the housing, so it would ride flat, when placed on the drill press table.

 Using an almost worn out cut off wheel (I like the thin ones) installed in the drill press (finally an excuse to use the highest speed), I was able to very accurately slice the flange down to the same height as the inner flange, which makes the housing sit on this inner flange, down tight to the adapter.  

(note, this was the second slicing.  the first time I removed twice this much, but it was not enough.  see photo below)

 

I added a piece of VW wiper fluid tubing between the flanges, which seals the connection and makes for a nice snug fit.  If you cut the tubing about an eighth long, it will be a press fit and stay put.

That was the only tricky part of the installation.  

 

I do not have the proper rubberized mounting bolts, so I just used some old rubber sway bar bits.  

The housing sits nice and level.

This guy got the job of assessing final clearance to the hood, which is about  half an inch.

 

I gave up my IE strut brace in favor of this set up, but I have a replacement in the works  

 

EDIT:  I mistakenly called my adapter a JAM adapter, I edited it out of this post

Edited May 25, 2018 by '76mintgrun'02

[Stevenc22]

As usual, ,76mintgrun'02 doing outstanding work and taking good pictures along the way

[JohnP_02]

Thanks Mintgrun for the excellent write up - it's very helpful! I am getting ready to do the same conversion, except using a Weber adaptor. Did you happen to get a measurement on the height of the JAM adaptor? I am curious how much adjustment I will need to do if any to the adaptor or the airbox. I was fortunate enough to find a basically NOS airbox and I really do not want to smash it on the hood. Will post pics on my results soon. John

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