Oil Bath Filter, how can I change to dry filter?

Good evening,

Have any of you changed the stock oil bath air filter out on your Jeeps to something you can pick up at NAPA? If so, do you mind letting me know how you went about doing it? I hate to take a vintage part off my 1956 CJ5 but I plan on using it as a quasi-daily driver and expect to put some miles on it so I'd like to rig up an air filter system I can change without having to order from specialty stores online/through a catalog.

Any tips? I tried search and only got one post which was pretty unrelated. Also been googling like crazy.

Thank you,

-Grant

 

Glenn,

You are not pulling my leg?

How much oil goes in the cup? Also should I clean the filter out somehow?

Thanks,

-Grant

 

Oil bath filters are the most efficient filter. Nothing will filter better (foam, paper, gauze) to keep the dirt out of your engine.

They went the way of the dodo bird because changing out a paper filter is more 'user friendly' (no oil to mess with), but they do filter better, and don't restrict flow as they become dirtier.

In order of best filtration, it goes Oil Bath, Foam, Paper, Gauze (K&N style). When clean, all of the listed filters will provide adequate airflow as long as the filter size is matched to the engine. They are designed so that they can become dirty before they start restricting. K&N makes the claim "more flow, more power". That statement in itself is true, but what they don't tell you is the stock paper filter flows as much air as the engine is pulling. There is no advantage and independent tests have shown. Saw one dyno test with a new (at the time) Vette. 500+ HP. They tested it with a clean paper filter, a K&N filter, and without the filter completely. All tests netted within a couple HP which would happen between identical pulls anyway due to regular variances.

There is no power difference switching from one style filter to another. So why not stick with the one that filters the best and doesn't restrict as it 'collects' more dirt? Oil bath is the way to go. If you got it, definitly keep it!

 

There is a fill-line in the bottom, you can't miss it. When you change the oil in it, clean out the bottom pan. Once in a great while (I go years) rinse the upper section in kerosene and let it air-dry/drain overnight.

 

Grant, the easy answer is Yes. Here is what I have on my 225. This air cleaner uses a Fram (or NAPA) cartridge.

http://www.zianet.com/jworman/jack.html

A bit harder answer is where did it come from? I wasn't too crazy about the mess from the oil bath air cleaner, so I changed it out right after I bought the Jeep (Aug, 1966). I just don't remember where this air cleaner came from, but it was either a parts store or my local Jeep dealer. The 225 has a crankcase vent to the top of the oil bath cleaner and the new cleaner didn't have one. I just cut the tube out of the oil bath and welded it into the new air cleaner.

Looking at the tag, it looks like it was made in Canada. As it has been so long ago, I'd be surprised if the company is still around.

John

 

If your heart is set on a modern high efficiency paper air cleaner assembly and you want to preserve the original look of a firewall mounted canister consider some of the units with the additional safety filters made for small equipment designed to be used in medium to heavy dust conditions.

For example if you go to" Donaldson Air Cleaners" on the net and take a look at their FPG series model #065411 with the 90 degree outlet tube, It can be mounted vertically where your existing oil bath is now and uses the same size hose to the carb.

I have considered a paper filter myself for several reasons but have allot of other stuff I want to work on first, Your existing oil bath will serve you well for daily driving if properly serviced. If you were going to be driving on mostly dirt roads that have allot of "powder dust" You could lighten the dust load on the oil bath by using a snorkel set up with an inertial pre cleaner rather than taking the air from under the hood.

 

Also a 'cyclonic' prefilter works very well also. I've seen them used on Synchro (4wd) Vanagons. Wonder if anyone makes them for the 'universal aftermarket'? My friend with his Synchro says his paper filter doesn't even get dirty, but catches a ton of dirt in the cyclonic filter when out driving the dirt roads.

 

There may have also been some emissions impact of the oil bath filter, so there are likely better engineering reasons why they were deleted from passenger cars. Heavy equipment and industrial engines use them to this day.

If the OBAF element is covered in oily dirt, you can wash the whole assembly in solvent. Otherwise, yeah, just change the oil. There should be a fill line on the housing.

 

Thank you everyone.

Glad I didn't toss the oil bath filter and consulted you guys first.

Cleaned up the filter, sanded and repainted the housing to a nice flat black (leftover BBQ paint lol) . Going to keep her since it sounds like a good thing to have. Dealing with oil isn't that big of a deal anyways especially if it cleans the best.

One more question, what type of oil should go in it?


Thanks again,

-Grant

 

A 40 or 50 weight oil..so says the book.

 

Seems like most said to use 30 wt motor oil. The old Ford tractor uot back says to use 80 wt...