Fuel Injection upgrade

[Gary Lewis]

Basically none of Ford's dual snorkel air cleaners were balanced, meaning had both snorkels coming off at the same angle left vs right.  But my cleaner cleared the valve covers for my Scorpion rockers on Dad's engine.  So I think you can get it done.  Mock it up and play with it some.  I really think it'll work.

And save for the piece that goes directly to the radiator support, all of the Ford cold air pieces work on the driver's side.  However the one that goes to the radiator support is going to take some surgery.

Also, since you have EFI and don't need heated air, you can cut the fitting for heated air off each snorkel and that gives you a bit more clearance.

[Rusty_S85]

I noticed that after I made the post as I was doing a bunch of reading.

I also came across a listing on ebay for an insanely priced 5.8L HO aircleaner more money than I want to spend but I can see just how offset they had the snorkel.



And I did this quick overlay of the aircleaner to verify what I was seeing, looks to be quite a offset on the driverside snorkel.  Looks like its moved over enough to allow access to the breather cap.



I know with the location of the breather filter on the back of the aircleaner tells me with this aircleaner the breather was in the back and pcv in the front like my '78 Mercury.  I dont want to do that how ever as the IAC on the sniper stealth 4150 is in the front and running pcv off the front manifold vacuum port actually will over time gum up the IAC.  I had planned on running this on the rear.  So what I will have to do is drill a hole to locate the breather filter in a position to use a driverside front breather cap.

I might have to rethink my breather cap though.


This is a oil separator breather, I got this as Ive had problems with my stock 302 seeping oil out of my OE twist in cap with OE valve covers, so I figured this with the oil separator baffling along with the baffling in the valve cover itself should stop any oil leakage.  I also got it with the 45 degree angled nipple as my idea with the OE single snorkel aircleaner I have a NOS snap in elbow for the pcv filter and was going to run a short length of hose and have it snap in.

But with a dual snorkel setup this would result in a problem as the snorkel is right where the filter should go.  I could put the filter on the back side of the snorkel but this would present a problem of having to have the hose run a long ways and this hose is not exactly a soft flexible hose.  I think my only option would be to put the filter in the front but then that poses a problem as Id have to loop the hose.  I think what my first course needs to be is to either locate a reasonably priced dual snorkel or source a single snorkel and use my stock engine still in the truck to space out where I need the driver side located at.  Then once I get the snorkel mounted right then when I assemble my engine I can play with the breather and routing on the engine stand as the snorkel itself would have already been set for the truck and how the A/C is laid out.

For the duct work itself I plan to use the replacement style duct but I do have a duplicate passengerside duct and I would do like was shown over on FTE and cut the duct and flip it around so it will mount properly on the driverside.  After doing that I can blend it in and use some of that Eastwood plastic resurfacer to make both ducts look like fresh black plastic.

On the heated air aspect.  I thought about possibly doing like you did and just have one side active, not really for the maintaining ambient air temp but more so to stop icing, I know carbs can ice when cold and humid and I know TBI`s can as well and here in Texas near the coast it is like 80% humidity nearly year round.  But I also thought about at least hooking it all up because I do have the duct work to clamp to the header tubes but I could always plug the vacuum hose with a BB before installing it on the vacuum motor to make them non functional.

[Gary Lewis]

I think your plan to get the engine together and put a single-snorkel HO air cleaner on and figure out where to attach the second one is the best approach.  And you may find you need a different breather.  But with the right droop to the snorkel you may not have a problem.

On the heated air, yes it is possible to have icing.  I remember a few times in the six years we lived in Katy where it got cold and was humid.  But usually the cold comes after a front passes through and pushes the humidity out in the Gulf.

I think I'd try it w/o the hot air ducting.  You can always add it if needed.

[85lebaront2]

I like the oil separating breather cap, looks suspiciously like something off a Mopar engine. Ford had a similar design back in the 60s & 70s, but the PCV valve or closure hose went in the top of it.

[Rusty_S85]

Thankfully I havent taken my stock engine out just yet.  So I can use my stock engine to figure where the snorkel will fit best and mark it out.

Then since I am running an aftermarket intake with a 1" phenolic spacer with a 1/8" heat insulating gasket I will do my final mock up on the built engine to make sure it will clear the valve covers I will be using.

There are other breathers out there I was looking at but this was the only one in the right size for my valve covers that had a crimped in nipple for a hose to be attached to.  The others had a rubber grommet that a hose connector slipped into and lots of reviews talked about how it doesnt stay in place.  I will try my best to make what I have work before I bin it and come up with something else.  If need be ill get just a plain old breather with the rubber grommet that holds the hose connect in and take and weld it up then have it coated.  Really would like to maintain the chrome breather how ever to complement the polished stainless steel bolts I picked up from ARP for my valve covers.  I always did like the polished stainless bolts on my OE ford blue valve covers.

I probably will try it without and if it seems to work fine I might take and do like you were saying and just cut off the attachment point on the underside and just plate it in.  Might even just out right remove the vacuum motors as well and plate it in on top as well.

[Rusty_S85]

Moroso might have got the idea from them for the design.  I went to summit punched in the nipple size for the valve covers to only view what will fit my aftermarket valve covers then I punched in the size of the barb for the breather hose to the aircleaner based off the OE 90* snap in elbow on the aircleaner and this was one of a handfull of hits I got.  most of the other hits didnt have the nipple actually attached to the breather but was held in by a grommet.

Ive seen too many bad reviews of those about the nipple falling out and we had one at work we had that was similar and it kept falling out as well.  Not sure if its because they use a straight smooth tube with no kind of flare to help hold it in or what.  But the attachment is what sold me on this one and the fact that it is an oil separator breather it tells me it should help solve problems of oil mist and oil getting up into the breather element in the air cleaner.

[Rusty_S85]

Ok aside from the air cleaner aspect I got two new areas that I may or may not make a change.

I already mentioned finding a 3/8" hardline stainless steel fuel supply line that I could cut up to mount on my truck and use it for routing my fuel along the frame the factory route and using the vapor guard fuel hose to make connections from fuel tank to fuel filter/regulator and between hardlines.

Well this would require I buy extra fittings.  Either buy three -6 male to male adapters to connect the female end of a AN flared hardline to the female barbed hose end.  Well I looked and found that Earls make a black Vaporguard hose end with a -6 male threaded end for $7.55.  So I could just buy three of theses and use them to make my connections at the hardline on the frame and the engine.  But it also requires I invest in the eastwood AN flare tool to make the flares.  I also will have to invest in AN tube nuts as well.  Really not sure if I want to go this route.  I think it would look cool having the metal hardline instead of all this rubber hose and I can make it look legit like a carb setup.  Would also save me from having to buy the 25ft roll of hose as the little hose I will need I should be able to get by with the $50 10ft roll.

740166ERL - Earls Performance Vapor Guard Hose End - 3/8" hosebarb to -6AN male thread x3
SS581806ERL - Earls Performance Tube Nuts SS - -6AN pair x3 to x4
SS581906ERL - Earls Performance Tube Sleeve SS - -6AN pair x3 to x4 (questionable)

The stainless steel tube nuts I am not sure about, I like to keep like metals when it comes to stuff like this where possible.  I do not know if I want to try and attempt to have stainless steel coiled tubing to make up the hardline on my engine itself.  I feel that might be a pita to try and shape properly.  But if I do decide on stainless then it would mean I would have to get 3 pairs for the engine alone, a pair at the front and rear TBI, a pair for the two TBI feed lines at the Tee, and a pair for the hardline from tee down to mechanical fuel pump location to make my hose connection.

There is also another problem.  I dont see no mention of the tube nuts coming with the tube sleeve that you have to have with 37* AN flares.  If the tube nuts do not come with the tube sleeves then I may just scrap this whole fancy idea and just run a vapor guard hose down the frame to the transmission and up the bell housing to the TBI.  Cause the SS tubing nuts are $11.42 a pair and the tubing sleeves are $10.27 a pair.  So for 3 of each would set me back some $65.07 which would negate the $50 I save by going with hardline over 25ft of hose.

I really need to verify if these tube nuts come with the sleeves cause if they do come with the sleeves like traditional tube nuts then im looking at less than $40 for these fittings not including the $100 for the AN flare turret adapter for my flare tool.

On a side note I also got in the mail my newer gas pedal that I will be trying to take measurements of this weekend to compare to my OE pedal and see if it really does have more pull for the cable or not.

[Rusty_S85]

Might have found a aircleaner to modify from a single snorkel to a dual snorkel.

First one I came across that isnt too crazy on the price is a used aircleaner from a 1985 F150 5.0L with AC.  it is quite dirty but it appears it may be a HO style steel base.

Second one I came across that might work is a 5.0L EFI aircleaner that came off a '83 foxbody Cougar.  It looks similar to the truck units but there is only one photo.

Third one I found that is a bit on the pricy side being closer to $200 but it is quite clean its a 5.0L EFI aircleaner with decals and its listed as for a '85 Ford/Lincoln/Mercury with it working great on foxbody mustangs.  To me this looks kinda like the '85 Mustang single snorkel unit.  Not sure how good of a base this would be for modifying and maybe it might be fine to just leave it the way it is considering its a legit aircleaner for a earlier EFI setup.  But for some reason I dont think it is cause I dont remember Foxbody mustangs having a TBI like EFI reusing the carb style aircleaner.  Going to have to message the individual and see if they can give me the measurement of the opening on the aircleaner as part of me is a little worried it may be just like the aircleaner I already have that has the 1/8" larger opening.  But I have a sneaking suspicion that this aircleaner is just like the one I currently have that doesnt fit based off the identical locating tab layout to the one I have.  Doesnt have the locating tab positioning like the 5.8L HO dual snorkel setup posted above.

But if this one is legit I may very well just purchase this one and modify this one for a dual snorkel setup.  The 5.0L EFI is quite clean and would go nicely with my EFI upgrade.

This is a photo of the unit in question.  I wish I could make out what the sticker on the aircleaner says and I wished I would have noticed it before I messaged the owner about the diameter of the mounting neck.

[LARIAT 85]

Rusty_S85 wrote

Might have found a aircleaner to modify from a single snorkel to a dual snorkel.

First one I came across that isnt too crazy on the price is a used aircleaner from a 1985 F150 5.0L with AC.  it is quite dirty but it appears it may be a HO style steel base.

Second one I came across that might work is a 5.0L EFI aircleaner that came off a '83 foxbody Cougar.  It looks similar to the truck units but there is only one photo.

Third one I found that is a bit on the pricy side being closer to $200 but it is quite clean its a 5.0L EFI aircleaner with decals and its listed as for a '85 Ford/Lincoln/Mercury with it working great on foxbody mustangs.  To me this looks kinda like the '85 Mustang single snorkel unit.  Not sure how good of a base this would be for modifying and maybe it might be fine to just leave it the way it is considering its a legit aircleaner for a earlier EFI setup.  But for some reason I dont think it is cause I dont remember Foxbody mustangs having a TBI like EFI reusing the carb style aircleaner.  

The only Ford vehicle in the 1980s that got a dual snorkel air cleaner was the 1982 - 1985 Ford Mustang GT.  The 1982 version was unique in that it was smaller because it was designed to fit over the Motorcraft 2150 the Mustang GT used that one year.  The 2V carburetor was replaced by a 4V Carburetor in 1983, so they used a larger air cleaner that was the same size as the one used on the 460 engine.  

The 1983 - 1985 Mustang GT dual snorkel air cleaner used the same size [metal] base as the 460 and 351 H.O. engines, but the air cleaners on those engines only had one snorkel.

Mustang GTs with a manual transmission used one version of the dual snorkel air cleaner, while the 1984 and 1985 models with an AOD transmission used another.  Why?  Because the manual transmission model used a Motorcraft 4180 carbureted setup, while the automatic (AOD) model used throttle-body fuel injection.  The air cleaner locating prongs are spaced further apart to fit over the throttle body.  The sticker on the air cleaner lid reads "5.0 Liter E.F.I. H.O."

[Gary Lewis]

I knew Rick was the right one to answer that. Far better than I could have done.

I believe I have one of the Mustang dual snorkel cleaners. It may wind up on Big Blue as at first blush it is close to fitting.

[Rusty_S85]

Oh, im not looking specifically for a dual snorkel.  Im looking for any steel based aircleaner and will do like Gary did and custom fit the second snorkel to the aircleaner to clear my york compressor and dealer A/C hoses.

I did find some dual snorkels but they are just so expensive for how little you get.  Like right now I found one without snorkels that has some dings and dents for $120.  Not horrible but I just feel I might be able to find a single snorkel assembly for less but everything I find is insanely priced.

For example I found a late 80`s 5.8L HO 4V bronco aircleaner that looks like the 460 aircleaner might have had the lid changed or a decal change but it has the huge trap door on the back side like the 460`s have.  I would consider that as an alternative $180 without shipping.  Then I found some dual snorkel aircleaners complete but they are pushing $500.

This one I am seriously considering is an actual dual snorkel but has some broken vacuum hose clips on the under side, no snorkels and there are scratches and dings and dents in it but it is $120 which isnt horrible price.

I found a complete 5.0L HO air cleaner assembly looks pretty decent starting bid $100 with $15 s&h but the snorkels have screws holding them to the aircleaner which makes me question why there arent rivets holding them.

This is the one I am currently looking at but not sure if $120 is a fair price considering how I will have to restore it and I dont even know if I can get the plastic pieces on the underside of the aircleaner.  Snorkels I am not concerned with I will source truck ones.





Also looks like the rear locating pins if there are any may be damaged.

[Rusty_S85]

Im seriously considering getting just a dual snorkel cleaner off the bat vs custom fitting.  I did find what may be a great deal but I also found a comparably priced 5.8L 4V HO cleaner that looks like a 460 cleaner with the trap door on the back.

Not sure if that would be a option to consider or if I should stick to my plan with actual cold air induction.

I did find some math online when browsing.  It was a forum post where they said a 3 1/2" or 4" 'powerpipe' would supply enough air for a stroker on an EFI setup.

He posted to figure the cross-sectional area (length x width since the snorkel appears rectangular) multiplied by 2 for 2 snorkels.

Basically said 4" single pipe intake would come back as 12.57sq in and a 2" x 3" or larger snorkel would equal to the same amount for a dual snorkel.  So may be something I need to figure.

I just am a bit anxious to source an aircleaner but keep finding a bunch of insanely priced ones.  Found one the aircleaner is clearly marked $30 but the guy is selling it for $150 without snorkels that he removed and is selling individually.  I dont know why people do stuff like that, people are not that hard up for OE aircleaners that they will pay $150 for one that is clearly marked as $30.

But I did find some numbers on some listings, look like E7TZ-9600-J is a number for the '85 - '87 Bronco/F150 5.8L non efi under 8500 gvw aircleaner.  Could possibly be the same for an 84 as well.  Im fixing to boot up my parts and illustration guide and check the application for that airfilter number.

~Update~

Ok found what I could on the E7TZ-9600-J aircleaner assembly which is as follows

E5TZ-9600-H was replaced by E7TZ-9600-J.

E7TZ-9600-J : 85/86 F150/350 & 87 - F150/250 U/8500# GVW with 351.  Was also used on the 85/87 U150 which replaced the same E5TZ-9600-H assembly.

Also has the Identification number E7TE-9600-JA

[Rusty_S85]

Is there anything to look for to tell the difference between the 82 and 84-86 cleaners?

I looked at the decals and the $140 one I am looking at has a 1982 decal on it but the guy states '84/'85 fitment while the cheaper $120 one that has some damage has a 1983 decal that has the black band and he lists his as fitting '82/'85.

Way I feel, I feel the cheaper $120 one with the black band aircleaner decal should be the larger nect as the '84/'85 and from the article I read it seems like 82 was smaller neck for 2V (which makes no sense cause 2150 carb I have has the same size neck as my holley 4V) and was a taller aircleaner and the '84/'85 was a larger 4V neck but was a larger diameter as the aircleaner was shortened to clear the flatter hood.  Not that I need a shorter aircleaner being this is a truck but it seems like I might have to just take a chance on this cheaper one and hope for the best.

Could always sell my NOS tbi aircleaner to cover the cost of this one.

[LARIAT 85]

1982 is smaller diameter and taller.  The sticker is a black band that reads 5.0 Liter H.O.


1983/1984 has a larger diameter and is flatter.  The sticker is a black band that reads 5.0 Liter 4V H.O. on the carbureted version.

The TBI version reads 5.0 Liter E.F.I. H.O. and the opening is larger to clear the throttle body.  The locating prongs are spaced much further apart.

1985 looks like the 1983/1984 version except the sticker changed from a black band to black letters and the locating prongs are spaced slightly different on the carbureted version. (This one didn't fit on my Autolite 4100 very good, but the carbureted 1983/1984 version fit perfectly.)


The 1983 - 1985 lids are all the same size, along with the lids found on the 5.8L 4V H.O. and 460 air cleaners.

[Rusty_S85]

See thats what is confusing me cause in photos its hard to tell size of the aircleaner itself at least I havent been able to.

The one I am looking at has a black band that reads 5.0 Liter 4V HO with the black band which fits the '83/'84 as you mentioned.  I found some reference photos and found some reference data.  Just hate to spend $120 on the aircleaner and it is a bust.  id still have to source snorkels as this one doesnt include them.

1982 Reference


1983 Reference


1985 Reference


If I do end up getting this one and it is correct and I can make it work and clear my A/C I will strip the paint down and strip the lid down and refinish the whole unit.

The only thing I need to look up is the little plastic piece that snaps into the bottom of the aircleaner for the vacuum lines to attach to.  The one on the unit I am looking at is broken and even though I may not have this vacuum system functional I would at least like to have the hoses there to give the illusion of functionality.

This is the reference material I found in some forums ive been reading.  I will post this to hopefully help others that may decide to do this.

'82 : 15" diameter air cleaner
'83/'85 : All 17" diameter air cleaner

'82 : 2V, will need custom fitting to clear Holley/Ford 4V front and back float bowls.
'83/'85 : 17" dual snorkle trucks 5.0/5.8/460 4V and CFI '84/'85 17".  All look the same externally but flange differences for the CFI and sensor color differences for trucks.

Twin snorkle 5.0/5.8/460 truck / CFI/4V '83/'85 3" dual snorkle air cleaner flows 535 cfm at the operating pressure drop.

Internal filter 13" element, up 1" on the 15" external '82 2V GT's dual inlet housing.

Every M code CFI aircleaner uses the 5-3/8" 2V CFI flange tangs.  A 1/4" bigger base diameter than the 4V, so wont fit any 4150/4160 or 4180c without work.

Every M code 4V HO has the Ford's smaller version of the 5-1/8" Holley 2V and 4V upper carb flange, but with a tight twin metal tang.

So visually a CFI aircleaner can be spotted by if it has a tight twin locating tang it is not a CFI and if it has wide spaced tangs it is a CFI aircleaner.  But for '82 and '83-'85 only way to tell is by the lid itself which isnt interchangeable.  The '82 has a taller lid that is quite obvious and the '83-'85 has a flatter lid.  So decal aside if its a flatter lid aircleaner then it is the larger 17" aircleaner for '83-'85.

Looks like I will be purchasing this aircleaner I found cause as far as I can tell its the larger 17" dual snorkel and it should properly fit my 4150 flange.

Would be nice if the '82 had the same size cause I dont really need a flater aircleaner in a truck application but long as it fits.  Decal wise I dont know what I will do, the decal will be removed as my plan is to clean the lid and polish it out before sealing it.  I think a polished lid and having the snorkels and base a OE underhood black would go nicely with complimenting my OE black/zinc phosphate colored bracketry on the front of my engine and help to offset the dark corporate blue of the engine.

[Gary Lewis]

Turns out I don't have a lid for my Mustang twin snorkel so I can't tell you what it is off of.  However, it measures 15 1/1" OD and it appears to take a filter that is 9" ID and 10 1/2" OD.

To compare, my 351HO air cleaner bases that I make the twin snorkel units from measures 17 1/2" OD (the lid is 18" OD) and takes a filter that is 11" ID & 12 1/2" OD.

So my Mustang housing is 2" smaller than the 351HO housings.  Hope that helps.

[Rusty_S85]

From the reading I have done it looks like 83-85 dual snorkel air cleaners are 17" external diameter with the '82 being 15".

I also was reading that the car and truck aircleaner are the same thing.  I couldnt say as I couldnt find any OE part numbers for the mustang dual snorkel systems to compare to my truck catalog but from what I am seeing it appears trucks used the same aircleaner just that if you had AC you didnt get the dual snorkel.

Im very tempted to buy this '83/'84 aircleaner I found its only $120 but no snorkels and I browsed ebay and couldnt find any '80-85 F150 snorkels so I dont know how hard that would be but I did pick up one NOS unit that I thought would work but its shorter than my OE one on my truck if I can just find another snorkel just like my truck has I can use it on this dual snorkel element.

I just have to think on it cause I could get a complete unit with snorkels for more money but like you found out the mustang snorkels droop too much which is why I think I want to go with a truck unit.

I did find this snorkel part number

E3TZ-9A626-C : 83 F100/250 and under the description it lists these two numbers #E3TE-9D626-CA, E4TE-9D626-KA.  I am strongly theorizing that the E3TE and E4TE are part numbers for the left/right snorkel.  Couldnt be the vacuum motor as the diagram lists the vacuum motor and snorkel as one unit.

But at last those two numbers along with the E3TZ-9A626-C and the E0PZ-9A626-A return no results online for me.

[LARIAT 85]

No 1980s truck ever got a dual snorkel air cleaner from Ford.

However, I put a 1984 Ford Mustang dual snorkel air cleaner (with a 1985 style lid) on Lucille and it cleared the stock A/C compressor just fine.  The only modification I had to do was to relocate the PCV valve to the driver's side valve cover, and the oil filler cap to the passenger's side.  That is how the Mustangs (and 1970s trucks) were set up, and that took all of one minute to switch around:

[Rusty_S85]

Yep, but I am looking for the truck style snorkels to graft on or at least attempt to graft them on with the hopes that they would fit my truck better than the mustang snorkels that are angled for hood clearance.

For me I have taller than stock valve covers for my roller rockers so I dont think I could use the mustang drop snorkels.

But maybe they would work though and allow the snorkel to pass under my AC hoses but that would make it a pita when it came time to remove the air cleaner for what ever reason.

But I will keep it in mind.  Just dont think I want to spend $400 for a complete mustang aircleaner setup which is what it seems to be to buy the units.  I can pick up the lid and base sans snorkel for $120 - $140 but then the fun of trying to locate truck snorkels.

I did find a NOS D7AZ-9A626-A snorkel for $140 which is listed as 82/ F150/350 M/T Unleaded.  Not sure what the difference would be for a snorkel between a manual transmission and a automatic transmission.

[Gary Lewis]

Don't miss that you can drill the spot welds out on the part of the snorkel where the droop is, reposition it, and either tack them back or braze them back.  That's how I got the droop I wanted.

Also, the different snorkels have different offsets, meaning how much angle they take as they exit the air cleaner's base.  And you can adjust that to some extent with the spot welds drilled out.