A question about air filters

Over the course of the past few years here, I've come to know of the various types of air filters that folks are using for the HS4 carb set up on the B's. When I originally got my car, it had no air filters...which I knew to be a bad thing, so to improve that situation and at the same time try to dress up my engine bay, I bought a pair of pancake style K&N filters. I installed them and the first time I closed my hood, a crease appeared in the brand new hood right over where the rear filter was ( Insert appropriate swear words here!!) Turns out that it's critical to keep them adjusted as low as possible...but I digress.

I've come to understand that the filters I'm currently running may not be the best filters to allow the engine to breathe, and I've been contemplating a return to the stock Cooper filters. Before I do anything, can anyone offer advice on what filter allows the stock B engine to work best? The current K&N pancake filters, the conical K& N filters, the stock Coopers, or perhaps a filter set up I don't know about.

I certainly hope this topic isn't as contentious as "what type of oil is best in my engine" , but I would genuinely like to know so I don't pi$$ away money on something I don't need. Any and all advice welcome.

Thanks in advance.

There are a couple different "pancake K&N filters"

The ones I use are about 3" deep and maybe 6" across. They do not have the aluminum cross piece. Then there are thinner versions of the same thing. Then smaller diameter with the aluminum cross piece (same filters, by the way, as would be used in the coopers cans.

I believe that the stock paper filters, the kind that fit into the coopers cans, are the best way to go. Economical, effective, and less hassle (it is a PIA to wash, dry, and reoil K&Ns every "change" interval.) Someone has said you can get caps that fit just right on these filters at Home Depot...door knob shields or something...and you can bolt them up just like K&Ns. Or get a used K&N kit (the kind with the alloy cross piece...look in Moss catalog, that's the one they show) and use the paper filters. This will give you the look, the effectiveness, and the breathing capacity.

I usually associate the term "pancake" filters with very thin metal mesh stuffed "rock strainers" that were popular in the fifties. These are not good things to use.

Earl, shouldn't you be doing 'Winterlude' or whatever?

Ecletic Motorworks says K&N are best, give a slight boost in HP. But from my experience nothing beats the Coopers cans and the radiused inlet for flow, economy and performance.

Hope this helps,
dave

I use K&N filters in my original Cooper cans on my 72 GT with twin SU Carbs. They were described as ' Rover MGb 1800 Carb 67-80 K&N Airfilter Part number E-2400 ' They were supplied by YBFilters on UK Ebay for about the equivalent of $100. I'm told they run a slightly weaker mixture, due to the increased airflow, but 1500 miles with no problems, and I get great mileage - over 30 mpg on a run.

I use K&N RU-4410's on stock baseplates as pioneered by Hap Waldrop I believe.I love that you can adjust the HS4's without removing the filters.(tu)
You will need to get taper head screws and recess the holes on the baseplates a bit so you can use a uni syn tool and the screw heads won't get in the way.
I used 1 1/2 inch allen headed ones,The filter clamps fit around the baseplates like they were meant for it. The unisyn lays flat on the baseplate with no leaks when i need to tune them.
Cleaning and servicing the K&N's??? I will hold judgement on that one as I only have about 200 miles on my new ones and haven't done them yet.
I do like the look of them though but to each his own.

Mark

Earl -

I found this: http://www.napacanada.com/en/PartsAccessories/PartsSearch/SearchByKeyword.aspx#Detail

Fill in your postal code, etc. and you can get them there! $7.49/pr in USD.

I checked the link - type in "air filters" I chose 1970 because that's my GT, but they're the same filters.

Let me know it this works for you.

Otherwise, PM me & we can do it!

Unless you know the year,make and model of the vehicle you need the K&N's for,you might as well ask a brick wall when you go to canadian tire.:S
Ask me, I've been down that road. Even argued with an assistant manager:I3:. Avoid the hassle and just go to a napa or parts outlet that deals in them. You will get a lot better success ratio.

For the RU-4410's at least.Most likely would be the same there with any parts number first approach.

Sad.

Mark