how to clean a vertical oil bath air cleaner

[Freoway]

Hi everyone. I'm servicing my '36 Ford Roadster which I acquired recently. It has a vertical type 3 pint air cleaner. the bottom reservoir comes off relatively easily by loosening two wing nuts and swivelling. However, there doesn't appear to be any simple way to remove the dry element, which I understand requires washing with petrol. Has anyone any experience with these?

Cheers, Lloyd

[Sixseven]

When my wife goes out of town I use the dishwasher.

I'm not as familiar with yours as with another but wouldn't a solvent sloshed around the inside clean it up?

[Terry,OH]

Typical service is to clean the lower tray only and refill to the mark with USED engine oil, until your next oil change then repeat.

[Kurt in NJ]

The oil in the bottom circulates ,as it drains back it brings along the dirt, if it hasn't been maintained properly or run low on oil the mesh in the upper section pretty much self cleans

[Freoway]

Great. Thanks guys. I head heard that you could clean the mesh with petrol, but it's fully encased and not easily removed. I'll just replace the oil instead.

[Freoway]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Originally Posted by Sixseven

When my wife goes out of town I use the dishwasher.

I'm not as familiar with yours as with another but wouldn't a solvent sloshed around the inside clean it up?

Thanks for the reply on the oil-bath. My life wouldn't be worth living if I stuck it in the dishwasher. Just wanted to say I have a '40 pickup too - a very are factory RHD. Used for war service.

[Sixseven]

Very nice truck Lloyd. Do you have any detailed history of your truck during the war years?

I agree, life would be tough if either of us used that household appliance for a very dirty oil-bath air filter. My comment was mostly tongue in cheek, though I have used the dishwasher on a very limited basis for small parts cleaning like glass and the rubber inserts of modern car consoles. Gritty and oily stuff is cleaned out in the garage wearing gloves to protect my hands, safety glasses and careful, appropriate disposal of waste cleaners. That is another topic!

[Terry,OH]

They can be taken apart and the "Horse Hair" can be soaked in K1 and then replaced if they clog up.

[38 coupe]

I have cleaned the mesh in the smaller oil bath air cleaners a couple times. I never got any contaminants out of them and don't bother anymore. Kurt in NJ has it, the mesh cleans itself if you maintain the oil.

[supereal]

The mesh in oil bath cleaners does a good job of catching the gravel, but nor the airborne dirt. I converted mine to use a modern fiber insert.

[Sixseven]

I was reviewing the mechanical system for a old Sears and Roebuck building in Atlanta about 20 years ago before they modernized the air handler air filters. The old filters consisted of a rotating wire screen on two drums separated by several feet. The wire mesh was rotated into an oil bath and while dripping of oil, passed in front of the air stream used to ventilate the building. Cool huh? It's gone now.

[Freoway]

Originally Posted by Sixseven

I was reviewing the mechanical system for a old Sears and Roebuck building in Atlanta about 20 years ago before they modernized the air handler air filters. The old filters consisted of a rotating wire screen on two drums separated by several feet. The wire mesh was rotated into an oil bath and while dripping of oil, passed in front of the air stream used to ventilate the building. Cool huh? It's gone now.

Sorry for my late reply. This Christmas stuff chews up all the spare time. The air handler system described sounds amazing, and probably very effective.

You asked me earlier about history on my vehicle. I'm actually meeting the guy who sold it to me in Febvruary (I bought it sight unseen from a fella in Darwin in the Northern Territory (probably 3000 miles from here). He told me it ended up on a cattle station for a long time after the war, but was then found and resurrected 15 or 20 years ago. To say it did war service (I don't think it's military spec in any way) is to say that it was probably reclaimed by the government like just about every vehicle in Darwin was (when the Japs bombed us). Being a pickup, it was probably handier than most other vehicles. Cheers, Lloyd

[Freoway]

Originally Posted by 38 coupe

I have cleaned the mesh in the smaller oil bath air cleaners a couple times. I never got any contaminants out of them and don't bother anymore. Kurt in NJ has it, the mesh cleans itself if you maintain the oil.

The guy who sold it to me didn't maintain the oil. There was barely a spoonful of dirty black oil in the bottom. A friend of mine who has a 35 Chev, said he soaks the whole thing in a bucket of petrol. Would make it nice and flammable! Cheers, Lloyd