Re: air filter

Posted by Rusty O\'Toole On 2017/8/21 18:50:07

There are 2 different kinds of air cleaners. The first is the mesh type. It has a filter medium of metal mesh like kitchen scrubbing pads. You coat it with oil by pouring oil on it, let the excess drip off, and put it back on. As the air flows through the little passages the dust and dirt sticks to the oily mesh.

The other kind is more efficient but more expensive. It is called the oil bath type. If you took the top off and looked inside you would see a reservoir. It is supposed to have about an inch of 50 motor oil in it. There should be a line and the words "Level" or "fill to here" or similar.

In this type, the air first goes down, and strikes the surface of the oil before reversing and flowing up through the filter medium. Most of the dirt gets stuck in the oil bath. The rest gets stuck in the filter which is soaked in oil.

Tim you have the more expensive, and more effective, oil bath filter. They were offered as an extra cost option on the cheaper cars, standard equipment on the expensive models.

Either of these will last the life of the car. The oil bath is more effective. It only requires servicing every 10,000 miles or so. More in dusty service, but today, if you drive on paved roads and don't live in a desert it seldom needs service.

I can tell you very easily how to service either one if you wish.