Replace my 56 oil bath air cleaner?

[gunjeep444]

I'd like to put on a regular air cleaner and ditch the oil bath. Anyone do this? How do you find the right air cleaner set up?

[lotuslover]

I haven't tried this yet on a 50's GM but I did this on my '39 Cadillac. The principle is the same: get rid of the oil bath element, insert a dry filter into the cavity, and from the outside, it looks the same. I've attached a couple of pictures of my conversion. The theory goes like this:

Remove the top of the air cleaner, remove the oil bath element (wire brillo-type stuff) from the bowl and find a dry filter that measures the cavity.

In my case, it was necessary to block the bottom of the wire mesh container (after removing the mesh and the top of the container) and drill a series of 3.75" holes around the lower perimiter of the container. That was necessary to direct the inflow of air thru the new dry filter, rather than up thru the center of the mesh container. 50's filter assemblies are probably different but the oil bath element has to work in the same theoretical way.

I'm now using a Fram CA146 where there once was an oil bath and it is hardly discernable from the outside. And I don't miss cleaning the oil bath either.

you can e-mail me if you need to discuss: baxterculver@yahoo.com

[sledhead]

sold the orginal complete for $175.00 on ebay
depending on if you have a 4 barrel or 2 barrel I put on a used base from the bone yard and a high efficiency element. 16 mph now

[gunjeep444]

I have a four barrel. Would just like to get rid of the old big thing. Selling it for that price would be fun! So, just find a air cleaner with a hole the right size in the junkyard? Is that what you did?

Jerry

[NTX5467]

The key dimension would be the diameter where the air cleaner sits on the top of the carb. It's probably a smaller diameter than the later models, so finding one that can be used without an adapter might be a trick.

To get a base plate with the smaller air horn hole size, you might need to crossbreed a '67 and earlier Chrysler 4bbl air cleaner with a Buick nailhead top, or look for a complete assembly for a '64 or so GM car with a 4bbl. Seems like the GM filter was a smaller diamater than what Chrysler used, but if you find the Chrysler base plate, the outer diameter can be trimmed to just larger than where the air filter element sits on it. Then possibly the earlier GM filter top might fit and have enough clearance between the filter and the GM air filter top?

Otherwise, you'd need an adapter ring to go from the later style bigger air horn hole diameter to the smaller (earlier size) carb air horn diameter. Possibly from Spectre chrome accessories or TransDapt? Or machine a base plate from a flat piece of 1/4" (approx) aluminum to match the carb size and air filter element size?

Maybe something from an earlier '60s Olds might work? They had some larger diameter air cleaner housings that had fit the earlier smaller air horn diameter carbs. Possibly a salvage yard trip?

Modifying the existing air cleaner to upgrade it to a dry element might be an incognito thing to do, which could surely draw a crowd at cruises when you show people what's been done, but there might be others who would need the OEM filter assy (as is ) for their $40K restoration.

The theory of operation of the oil bath air cleaner was to have the air change direction quickly, making the larger and heavier particles "fall out" first, then the "oiled hogs hair" was supposed to catch the smaller stuff. In reality, even back then, you didn't need to clean them that often. Yep, it was messy, but in a car you're going to drive only every so often, such maintenance might not be that big of a deal. Still, though, the dry element was a more efficient and better filter.

Might be able to find a '57 or '58 Buick air filter assy somewhere? Trades?

Just some thoughts,
NTX5467

[BigRivy]

What carb do you have? I you have a Rochester 4G or a Carter AFB you should be able to find a later Nailhead air filter assembly without too much trouble. Hell, other GM divisions that used those carbs would possibly be donors also. Take the carb gasket off the top of the carb to your local chain parts store and see if it will fit what ever cheap import chrome open element air cleaner that they usually have in their "performance" add on section.

[gunjeep444]

Thanks Big, I'll try that option.