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Turbo301 View Drop Down
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    Posted: 29-March-2010 at 3:52PM
I've seen a number of '77-'78 Cougars (all 351s, I think) that have the breather inlet nozzle/tube/whatever you want to call it on the air cleaner painted blue, to match the engine block; at least a few of these seem to be on very original vehicles. However, the breather tube on my air cleaner looks to have been the same silver colour as the rest of the air cleaner, but obviously a different metal or finish as it has faded considerably compared to the air cleaner body. There is no sign of blue anywhere on it, though.
 
Did the 302s receive different breather tubes to distinguish their air cleaners - i.e. did they have different air cleaners from the 351s and 400s? Or did different suppliers just colour them differently? Mine has some stenciled writing on it and, given the originality of the rest of the engine, I'm better it is also original.
 
Thanks for any insight on my latest minutae question :)
1977 Cougar XR7
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psquare75 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29-March-2010 at 5:34PM
My 1977 302 LTD II was aluminum colored. 

my 1978 351w Cougar was as well.



Paul
77 XR7 460/C6/3.00:1 *SOLD*
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mcford Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29-March-2010 at 11:58PM
snorkle is the same color as the base so the one in your picture would be correct.  i have never seen a blue snorkle on a natural base.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Turbo301 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-March-2010 at 1:06AM
Good to know, thanks!
 
I noticed that that 351 air cleaner has a larger dome on the top than mine, which is essentially flat. Is that a difference between the 302 and 351/400 cleaner bases?
 
Below is a link to a Cougar's engine with a blue snorkel; there's also a 400 ci Cougar I've seen with the blue snorkel.
 
 
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psquare75 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-March-2010 at 1:14AM
I'm not so sure if the 302/351 air cleaner is different, I need to take a pic of mine.
Paul
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psquare75 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-March-2010 at 1:15AM
I've seen a few like that. I always assumed it was dealer changed if the snorkel was bad. 
Paul
77 XR7 460/C6/3.00:1 *SOLD*
78 XR7 523/C6/3.5:1
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'I also have some left over potatoes-I understand you can generate electricity from them'- Foote500
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Turbo301 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-March-2010 at 1:21AM
Originally posted by Psquare75 Psquare75 wrote:

My 1977 302 LTD II was aluminum colored. 
 

 
There is definitely a difference, though; mine is like a flattened version:
 
 
 
It takes a super-thing air filter element, too, that was actually really hard to get (but eventually found a stock pile of Frams of the right P/N, and bought them all!). Is the 351's also really thin, or would that doming of the cleaner top allow for a more regular-proportioned unit?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psquare75 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-March-2010 at 1:32AM
My 302 piece is identical to my 351 piece I pictured. What year is your car. 
Paul
77 XR7 460/C6/3.00:1 *SOLD*
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Turbo301 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-March-2010 at 2:13AM
It's a '77
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psquare75 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-March-2010 at 3:24AM
I've never seen an air cleaner like yours, to be honest. Have you done some Craigslist/Google/Ebay searches to find another on a Cougar?
Paul
77 XR7 460/C6/3.00:1 *SOLD*
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Turbo301 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-March-2010 at 3:28AM
No, I didn't really think about it until I saw that yours was different. Maybe it's a Canadian thing?
 
What is your air filter element like?
 
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psquare75 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-March-2010 at 3:37AM

That is *my* 351W I used to have.


Thats the 302 in my LTD II.


Paul
77 XR7 460/C6/3.00:1 *SOLD*
78 XR7 523/C6/3.5:1
79 F100 460/TKO500/3.25:1
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psquare75 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-March-2010 at 3:38AM
Looking at your engine pic, you have an...... interesting.. windshield washer tank. Smile And you are missing the radiator > core support seal. 



Edited by Psquare75 - 30-March-2010 at 3:39AM
Paul
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Turbo301 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-March-2010 at 10:10AM
Yup, no idea what the washer tank is all about. It works fine, but it's mounted where the juice can usually goes... it is Ford-branded, but looks like it's from a newer car. Any ideas? 
 
I've never seen that radiator seal before, very interesting! Not surprised it's gone from my car, though: the original owner had screen door material put in in front of the radiator to block bugs and such. A good idea in concept, but it killed flow at low speed. I remember seeing that on the car back in '03 when I saw it at cruise night for the first time...
 
On the topic if seals, what's the useless strip of rubbery cardboard stuff on the front of the radiator support that seems to shield nothing?
 
My car has been a country car its whole life, so it had that radiator protection, air horns in place of the stock horns, and it had deer deterent whistles on the bumper guards when I got it. I've taken it all off except the air horns... 'cause at some point someone is going to do something in front of me that warrants them :D.
 
None of this answers the air cleaner question, though; my lid is clearly original to the base (aged identically), and that base is 99% guaranteed to be original to the car, so is it just a supplier difference?
 
Kind of funny how Ford didn't make the snorkel out of the same material as the rest of the body... probably looked fine when new, but 30 years later, it might as well be painted a different colour!
 
 
 


Edited by Turbo301 - 30-March-2010 at 10:16AM
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Turbo301 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-March-2010 at 10:14AM
Originally posted by Psquare75 Psquare75 wrote:

Looking at your engine pic, you have an...... interesting.. windshield washer tank. Smile And you are missing the radiator > core support seal. 

 
My fan shroud is different, too: "CAUTION" is a decal, not moulded in like yours. Again, though, I have no reason to suspect it wouldn't be original to the car.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psquare75 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-March-2010 at 2:18PM
I've got a seal if you want one.. The one you have just sorta seals the hood to the core support (poorly). I think as air flows, it 'flips up" to create a barrier. The other seal keeps air going into the radiator instead of over it. 
Paul
77 XR7 460/C6/3.00:1 *SOLD*
78 XR7 523/C6/3.5:1
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Turbo301 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-March-2010 at 2:44PM
Oh, that makes sense, for both seals. I think I'm okay, though: even my old radiator worked really well at speed, it was just sitting in traffic that caused the needle to climb (which I'm hoping the new rad, fluid and no screen corrects).
 
Speaking of radiators and such, when I was getting new hoses, I was glad I took the old ones with me: the guy at Parts Source gave me a lower rad hose that was close but not quite the same as my old one. When I pointed that out, he said, "Oh, there's another number here, too (looking at his computer screen), let me try that one", and it was correct. Geez, why would he have two P/Ns? One with A/C and one without? He had already asked me that to narrow it down, though. Anyway, a good lesson learned!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psquare75 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31-March-2010 at 3:13AM
Probably the a/c radiator has a different outlet size than the non a/c. All I can think... Edit, Nope. Its water pump outlets. Odd.





Edited by Psquare75 - 31-March-2010 at 3:23AM
Paul
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78 XR7 523/C6/3.5:1
79 F100 460/TKO500/3.25:1
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 78sport Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29-May-2010 at 4:54PM
I have always put a stainless steel screen in front of all my vehicles radiators and never had an overheating problem. Certainly easier to clean the caked bugs off than trying to get them out of the radiator cores. However I do run a cooler thermostat because the car only gets run in the summer. I removed all the air conditioner components because it takes up too much space under the hood. Having the evaporator core removed from in front of my radiator helps a great deal also. I even modified the air conditioner core box on the firewall for easier access to the tranny dip stick.
My 78 LTD II sport coupe with the 351W had the bare aluminum air cleaner assembly. I took it off and put a brass edelbrock air cleaner normally used for four barrel carbs but it fit on my two barrel just fine.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Turbo301 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-May-2010 at 2:53AM
Originally posted by Psquare75 Psquare75 wrote:

I've never seen an air cleaner like yours, to be honest. Have you done some Craigslist/Google/Ebay searches to find another on a Cougar?
 
I've seen a couple of T-birds at cruise nights this year, and a couple more Cougars on the net, and still I've never seen one with my "flat" air cleaner. However, when I had the Canadian Tire guy search for air filters for my car, the P/N that came up was indeed the super-thin kind to fit my air cleaner body/lid. So I don't know what gives ^_^. It's a tight fit in there with the flat lid, I can't imagine the taller lid fitting, but it seems to on everyone else's car.
 
Maybe if you got the light jade green and no A/C you got a special air cleaner... the '70s were like that with weird options, after all! (just kidding of course LOL)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psquare75 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-May-2010 at 11:19AM
I've got an actual aluminum one that 'everyone else has' if you are interested. 
Paul
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Turbo301 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-May-2010 at 11:41PM
Originally posted by Psquare75 Psquare75 wrote:

I've got an actual aluminum one that 'everyone else has' if you are interested. 
 
I might be later, but as long as I can get air filter elements, I like my apparently-ultra-rare "lost child" of an air cleaner lid  LOL
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Turbo301 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09-June-2010 at 5:47AM
Aha! Check this one out:
 
 
This car has the same air cleaner top as mine, so I'm not on crack LOL!
 
That's actually a really nice car, with the buckets, sport gauges and engine-turned surround. A pretty rare vehicle! Kinda cool to have all of that sporty stuff mated to the weak-kneed 302... yeah, only I'd think that was cool LOL!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psquare75 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09-June-2010 at 5:48AM
And I said "too bad it's a 302". WinkLOL
Paul
77 XR7 460/C6/3.00:1 *SOLD*
78 XR7 523/C6/3.5:1
79 F100 460/TKO500/3.25:1
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Turbo301 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09-June-2010 at 5:58AM
Heck, if you could get these cars with I6s, I'd want one fo those, just to have a total anti-musclecar LOL. It's nice to be different sometimes.
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