How to figure air cleaner heighth?

[shadango]

Right now I have a 10"x 2"  edelbrock air cleaner with a paper element.

I want to get a K&N /reusable type that flows better....one that is taller and has the "open" top.

What is the best way to figure out how high a filter  (total height) I can go?

What tricks do you guys use?

[Bullitt-]

ball of play dough on top of your current filter top...close your hood measure the dough & that's how much extra space you have.

[LAA66]

 Don't forget the difference in base heights if changing the whole unit.

[shadango]

Yeah....in fact I was all over a setup that was for sale here, but I have an eddy carb and cant use a 'drop' style base....

[Bullitt-]

You could get a 10" K&N element that is taller...Should be sufficient, doubt your car would see an advantage from the filter top.

[shadango]

I may have to go slightly bigger...not sure I have the heigth...thats why I was thinking of going with the top...to gain the additional surface area/input that I cant get from going up.

Plus, it looks cool.  LOL   

[Bullitt-]

I'll just throw this out there FWIW... Not long after I joined C-C.C a member, CODY if i recall, had a cool looking open top oiled foam filter that after a backfire went up in flames, luckily his hood was up and the only real damage was to the filter.   Now it must not be a common occurrence or even an issue with the K&N but I don't really want oil soaked cotton exposed to a free supply of oxygen sitting on top of my carb. 

[shadango]

Hmmm...thats an interesting point.

Like you said, maybe not a real big deal if K&N is selling them...seems like it would have to be a true carb fire (not just a backfire) to actually be an issue...at that point, any oil-soaked filter could go up in flames I suppose......

But...hmmm.

If I can just go a big larger in diameter and a bit taller I would be ok with it.......