Oil Bath Air Cleaner? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

69_hafton · 11-26-2005, 05:43 PM

How does the factory oil bath air cleaner work? Is there a element that you soak with oil, or is there a pool of oil as the name might imply?

Just wondering, I've heard of these and have a chance to buy one, but don't know what I'd be up against if trying to buy filter elements for it.

**Yukon Jack** · 11-26-2005, 06:15 PM

My 69 had one on it when I bought it. It had a wire mesh type filter media. You put oil in the bottom of it. Seems there was a mark that told you how much. Wasn't much oil in the bottom of it. Not exactly sure how it worked. I think they were designed to be used in dusty farming environments.

Tx Firefighter · 11-26-2005, 06:52 PM

They actually work better than paper elements do. That's the reason heavy, demanding applications used them more.

Most folks couldn't be bothered with messing with the dirty old things, so paper is the rule now.

I'd certainly run one if I had one.

Fatback · 11-26-2005, 09:54 PM

I didn't know I had one till I took a look to see how dirty the filter was ....or if it had on at all. It was a suprise.
Here it is.....

ChevLoRay · 11-26-2005, 10:05 PM

I don't know why anyone would want one, unless you're operating a vehicle in a dusty environment. Before the advent of paper filters, it was all there was. There was a portion, usually the top of the assembly, that had excelsior in it. The oil would impregnate the excelsior and it would trap the dirt and dust. It had to be serviced, usually at every oil change if you took the vehicle to a service station. Back then, all of them were full service stations, and that was just part of the "lube, oil and filter" routine. When the air cleaner was serviced, the entire unit would be checked and oil would be added to the cleaner housing to bring it up to the level that was shown. The base of the air cleaner, attached to the carburetor venturi flange, with the top of the air cleaner being held on by the wing nut on top of the stem from the top of the carburetor.

If you are into restoration, you might want one, but honestly, I know of no other reason. But, you gotta know that there was a lot of doubt about the ability of a paper filter to properly clean the air going into an engine, when they came out. Nowadays, we impregnate the cotton filter media of our K&N filters and it cleans the air beautifully for 50K miles!!

LSGarage · 11-27-2005, 01:04 AM

If you cornered too hard the oil would spill out over the engine. That's why the hot rodders of the day started lookin for some other solution and they come up with dry paper element.

Longhorn Man · 11-27-2005, 01:12 AM

I'll agree with everything said here except...

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChevLoRay

Nowadays, we impregnate the cotton filter media of our K&N filters and it cleans the air beautifully for 50K miles!!

Might want to do some research by some one other than K&N on that...it simply isn't true.

Robert1970C20rstbukt · 11-27-2005, 01:17 AM

The bad thing is that they're hard to find for 4bbl carbs. I've been trying to find one for my truck. There's one on the 1953 Buick Roadmaster that my Dad has, the engine is the original Nail-Head 322 V8 with a 4bbl Stromberg carb.

69_hafton · 11-27-2005, 02:41 PM

Thanks for all the info, I didn't realize that I knew so little about the history of air filters... I was looking for a air filter housing for a straight 6 with power brakes and came across this. Long term, if I do everything I want to with this truck, the oil bath cleaner wouldn't be practical.

For day to day operation, I was hoping having the heat riser on the air filter housing would help with cold weather driveability with this 1 bbl carb. That'd be the only reason to pursue this now it looks like. Right now, I've got a chrome jobber on there with a tall paper filter and in cold weather it runs about as good as any carbed engine ever has. Kind of sluggish and slow to respond to the accelerator.

RANDY COX · 11-27-2005, 03:15 PM

OIL bath I have one on my 41 chevy big 1 barrel

jacobs · 01-17-2006, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

They actually work better than paper elements do. That's the reason heavy, demanding applications used them more.

Most folks couldn't be bothered with messing with the dirty old things, so paper is the rule now.

I'd certainly run one if I had one.

Engine rebuilders loved oil bath air cleaners. Engine rings usually wore out within 75,000 miles. That all changed when the pleated paper element was introduced.

Fred T · 01-18-2006, 01:48 AM

Oil baths did an excellent job of filtering if you kept oil in them. Had one in my 52 when I bought it. My biggest problem was bouncing the oil out going over bumps. When I swapped engines I put on a paper filter.

I always took off the hot air ducting on my trucks. The sheet metal on the exhaust manifold would make a hot spot, more prone to cracking. It was put on to help with pollutants when cold, but I never could tell the difference. If your truck is sluggish on acceleration check the accelerator pump in the carb, they were a problem with the Rochesters.

jacobs · 01-18-2006, 09:33 AM

[QUOTE=Fred T]Oil baths did an excellent job of filtering if you kept oil in them. Had one in my 52 when I bought it. My biggest problem was bouncing the oil out going over bumps. QUOTE]

If you order the research paper "Ingested Dust, Filters, and Diesel Engine Ring Wear" published by the Society of Automotive Engineers publication #680536 available at: http://www.sae.org/servlets/productD...PROD_CD, you'll never allow any oil bath air cleaner to be installed on ANY engine you own - even a Briggs & Stratton.

11-26-2005, 05:43 PM	#1
69_hafton Sleep-Deprived Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma Posts: 445	Oil Bath Air Cleaner? How does the factory oil bath air cleaner work? Is there a element that you soak with oil, or is there a pool of oil as the name might imply? Just wondering, I've heard of these and have a chance to buy one, but don't know what I'd be up against if trying to buy filter elements for it. __________________ 1971 K/10 Long Fleetside 350/350 - 6" Lift 1969 C/10 SWB 292 - Sold It

11-26-2005, 06:15 PM	#2
Yukon Jack Post Whore Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Rose Hill, KS, USA Posts: 12,684	Re: Oil Bath Air Cleaner? My 69 had one on it when I bought it. It had a wire mesh type filter media. You put oil in the bottom of it. Seems there was a mark that told you how much. Wasn't much oil in the bottom of it. Not exactly sure how it worked. I think they were designed to be used in dusty farming environments. __________________ 1970 Blazer with a 400 sbc and 4" lift 1980 Pontiac Trans Am, 455 Oldsmobile 2012 Kawasaki Concours 14

11-26-2005, 06:52 PM	#3
Tx Firefighter Watch out for your cornhole ! Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Azle, Texas Posts: 14,162	Re: Oil Bath Air Cleaner? They actually work better than paper elements do. That's the reason heavy, demanding applications used them more. Most folks couldn't be bothered with messing with the dirty old things, so paper is the rule now. I'd certainly run one if I had one. __________________ I'm on the Instagram- @Gearhead_Kevin

11-26-2005, 09:54 PM	#4
Fatback Registered User Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: North Central FL Posts: 126	Re: Oil Bath Air Cleaner? I didn't know I had one till I took a look to see how dirty the filter was ....or if it had on at all. It was a suprise. Here it is..... __________________ 70 C/10 LWB 69 Cougar 68 Mustang 68 GMC 4X4 SWB

11-26-2005, 10:05 PM	#5
ChevLoRay Old Skool Club Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Benton, AR "The Heart of Arkansas" Posts: 10,880	Re: Oil Bath Air Cleaner? I don't know why anyone would want one, unless you're operating a vehicle in a dusty environment. Before the advent of paper filters, it was all there was. There was a portion, usually the top of the assembly, that had excelsior in it. The oil would impregnate the excelsior and it would trap the dirt and dust. It had to be serviced, usually at every oil change if you took the vehicle to a service station. Back then, all of them were full service stations, and that was just part of the "lube, oil and filter" routine. When the air cleaner was serviced, the entire unit would be checked and oil would be added to the cleaner housing to bring it up to the level that was shown. The base of the air cleaner, attached to the carburetor venturi flange, with the top of the air cleaner being held on by the wing nut on top of the stem from the top of the carburetor. If you are into restoration, you might want one, but honestly, I know of no other reason. But, you gotta know that there was a lot of doubt about the ability of a paper filter to properly clean the air going into an engine, when they came out. Nowadays, we impregnate the cotton filter media of our K&N filters and it cleans the air beautifully for 50K miles!! __________________ Member Nr. 2770 '96 GMC Sportside; 4.3/SLT - Daily driven....constantly needs washed. '69 C-10 SWB; 350/TH400 - in limbo The older I get, the better I was.

11-27-2005, 01:04 AM	#6
LSGarage Registered User Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Mechanicsburg, PA Posts: 86	Re: Oil Bath Air Cleaner? If you cornered too hard the oil would spill out over the engine. That's why the hot rodders of the day started lookin for some other solution and they come up with dry paper element. __________________ 67 GMC 4x4, 305 V-6, 4-spd 86 S-10, 2.8 2WD LWB 01 Suburban (family hauler) 13 Honda CRV (wife's wheels) 03 Malibu (daughter’s car)

11-27-2005, 01:17 AM	#8
Robert1970C20rstbukt Registered User Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Beeville, Texas Posts: 1,943	Re: Oil Bath Air Cleaner? The bad thing is that they're hard to find for 4bbl carbs. I've been trying to find one for my truck. There's one on the 1953 Buick Roadmaster that my Dad has, the engine is the original Nail-Head 322 V8 with a 4bbl Stromberg carb. __________________ RJD 1984 Chevrolet C30 welding truck 454/SM465 1977 GMC C15 pickup 350/TH350 1970 Chevrolet C20 pickup 350/TH400 1970 Chevrolet K20 Suburban 454/TH350 1969 GMC 8500 478M V6/5 spd winch truck

11-27-2005, 02:41 PM	#9
69_hafton Sleep-Deprived Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma Posts: 445	Re: Oil Bath Air Cleaner? Thanks for all the info, I didn't realize that I knew so little about the history of air filters... I was looking for a air filter housing for a straight 6 with power brakes and came across this. Long term, if I do everything I want to with this truck, the oil bath cleaner wouldn't be practical. For day to day operation, I was hoping having the heat riser on the air filter housing would help with cold weather driveability with this 1 bbl carb. That'd be the only reason to pursue this now it looks like. Right now, I've got a chrome jobber on there with a tall paper filter and in cold weather it runs about as good as any carbed engine ever has. Kind of sluggish and slow to respond to the accelerator. __________________ 1971 K/10 Long Fleetside 350/350 - 6" Lift 1969 C/10 SWB 292 - Sold It

11-27-2005, 03:15 PM	#10
RANDY COX Registered User Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: RADFORD, VA Posts: 2,651	Re: Oil Bath Air Cleaner? OIL bath I have one on my 41 chevy big 1 barrel __________________ 1964 BBC 402 4x4

01-18-2006, 01:48 AM	#12
Fred T Cantankerous Geezer Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Bel Aire, KS Posts: 6,264	Re: Oil Bath Air Cleaner? Oil baths did an excellent job of filtering if you kept oil in them. Had one in my 52 when I bought it. My biggest problem was bouncing the oil out going over bumps. When I swapped engines I put on a paper filter. I always took off the hot air ducting on my trucks. The sheet metal on the exhaust manifold would make a hot spot, more prone to cracking. It was put on to help with pollutants when cold, but I never could tell the difference. If your truck is sluggish on acceleration check the accelerator pump in the carb, they were a problem with the Rochesters. __________________ Fred There is no such thing as too much cam...just not enough engine.

01-18-2006, 09:33 AM	#13
jacobs Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: 9000' Mountain Man Posts: 326	Re: Oil Bath Air Cleaner? [QUOTE=Fred T]Oil baths did an excellent job of filtering if you kept oil in them. Had one in my 52 when I bought it. My biggest problem was bouncing the oil out going over bumps. QUOTE] If you order the research paper "Ingested Dust, Filters, and Diesel Engine Ring Wear" published by the Society of Automotive Engineers publication #680536 available at: http://www.sae.org/servlets/productD...PROD_CD, you'll never allow any oil bath air cleaner to be installed on ANY engine you own - even a Briggs & Stratton.



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