Stelling/Helling Air Fltr Restriction

[Excaliber]

We've heard about this issue before, thought it was time for a refresh.

The small round typical Stellings and Hellings air cleaners, readily available from places like "Finish Line" are pretty restrictive. So how restrictive are they you might ask?

I've been playing around with my jetting and power valve settings and vent tube modifications and have discovered this:

The Stellings/Hellings are good for about 4 jet size's. I can run a 64 jet WITH the air cleaners or I can run a 68 jet WITHOUT the air cleaners and both setups are equal. 64 jets and NO air cleaners is lean to the point where the car has a severe stumble. 68 jets WITH air cleaners is rich to the point where it occasionally belches "black smoke", but runs pretty darn good. Rich is better than lean after all.

For me, 64 and air clearners for the street. 68's and no air cleaners for the track.

Oh! I'm running dual four barrel Holley's, 600 cfm each, 1200 total. I've disconnected one carb and tried that, run's like a dog, BIG loss of power. Yup, I need both carbs.

High Riser intake, no freakin' way I can run anything taller than a Stelling/Helling, the rear air cleaner already "just touches" the back of the hood when it's closed.