currently i have a circle air filter with a base and top and its open all the way around. wondering if this is taking to much underhood heat into my intake or not. been starting to look at intake tubes specifically a plastic one with a air box on the end.

 

I'm sure a cold air box would be the best, but what you have is just fine. My wife's dad has a 91 with a 350 and he has just a round open one but with a filter top also. He said the filter top made a difference.

 

You can remove the rubber insulation piece by your windsheild to make redneck cowl induction. It worked for me. Just cut a piece off and place it above the distributor to keep water from dripping on it. Think of it as a temp fix until you get an airbox or cowl hood.

 

Will this damage the engine? No. It would certainly help to re-route it. Check the junkyard for a newer year and pull the intake. Some of the trucks have just a cap over the TB and tube to the filter. If you got the cap you could make your own CAI.

 

i just wasnt sure if the difference in temp would help much

 

As far as the underhood temps go, the only time it is really killing performance with an open air cleaner is in traffic on a hot day. I did the redneck cowl induction and had a plate to cover the foremost section of the filter. This allowed the air to be pulled from the back of the engine bay moreso than the front. I was still pulling heat from the engine, but also some fresh air from the back of the hood. They make a $50 Ram Air type set up for a 14" air cleaner. It has a air duct on either side of the air cleaner (instead of just the one on the passenger side) and you route the air ducts where ever you want. The one I saw in the picture (in the back of a hot rod magazine) had the air ducts behind the headlights. I have no idea where you can find it or who makes it tho. I'll keep my eye out for it.