Airfilter question

[Dead Kings]

Hi!

I´ve got an old airfilter that you fill with oil, it´s on a 55 Buick Special.

I´ve cleaned up the airfilter, but afterwards it looks messy in the bottom (if you turn upside down, it´s the top when you have it over the carburator). Anybody who knows iwhat that brownish net..something is in the bottom? Is it anything that is important to have in the airfilter? What is it for? My guess is that it´s only some kind of muffler in the airfilter, can that be right?

I would like to get rid of that because it´s a bit messy and I don´t want any rubbish in my carburator.. But first I want to know if I can take it away.

How much oil do I have to fill the filter with?

If I buy a modern airfilter, what model would fit? It´s a Carter 2bbl carburator and it´s a stick that goes up in the middle of the filter.

I hope someone can help me a bit. Got pics here too.

[rogbo1]

Had one on my 56 which I no longer have, but I do remember there being
a fill to line in the bottom. I don't remember any goey mesh in the top part
but don't know if I ever turned it over to look. I would remove it for sure.
Mine was held to the carb with like a clamp arrangement around the bottom of the filter housing, didn't have the threaded rod up the middle.
I too looked for a way to convert in to something else but never did.
I have seen others though and would recommend it because I never thought
that oil bath thing worked worth a damn.

[Dead Kings]

OK, I have removed it now. But still I would like a modern airfilter, so any ideas of what would fit is welcome.

[tlivingd]

fyi, your oil bath air cleaner is one of the best filters ever made for the ability to clean the air. they removed them from engines because of cost and not meeting emissions requirements due to oil vapor being drawn into the top end of the engine.

[dukec]

While Nate may be right about them costing more to build, the big issue is that they are not as efficient (taking the contamination out of the air stream) as a pleated paper style element.

An oil bath air filter performing at it's optimum level is at best only about 95-96% efficient. And that is running at optimum highway speed. While a pleated paper automotive air cleaner is about 99% efficient and gets better as it is used right out of the box and at any speed.

[Dead Kings]

Alright, different views about old vs new.

[austingta]

And a third view is mine: keep your old car original just because you don't want to ruin the value, and because you can. To illustrate, just put that oil bath air cleaner on eBay and see how many people want it...

[Dead Kings]

Thanks for all replys. I´ve checked out some new filters but it seems like no adapter fits, so I have to make one if I want it to fit. But for now I´ll stick with my old oilbath filter, it works and I don´t have to worry no more.

(About keeping it original doesn´t matter, my car is already a bit custom)

[rogbo1]

It does look funny with an adapted paper one on top.
After a while you do remember to keep the thing level when you remove it!:Dou: :grin: