Oil bath air cleaners?

[RGardner]

I was cleaning the oil bath air filter in an old grain truck and got to wondering if the reason that automakers went away from them was due to the superior cleaning ability of paper filters or the terrible mess of having to change the oil bath type. Any one have thoughts on the subject?

 

[rrausch]

I've got an oil-bath air cleaner on my tractor and I've had them on several older cars and trucks I've owned. In my opinion they are superior to the paper element. I think the manufacturers switched because of the bottom line. I think they thought they could make more money selling the paper elements, plus the housings were probably cheaper to make. Since about the mid-1950's I don't think the auto makers have ever made a change to a vehicle unless they thought they could make a lot more money, and many of the changes they made were worse. (Remember when Ford did away with grease zerks to save money? )

 

[The patriot]

What he said.

I didnt own any cars with the ol oil bath, but I remember helping my Dad with his B-61 air filter. It was an oil bath type.

Eric

 

[bmoeller]

What he said.

I didnt own any cars with the ol oil bath, but I remember helping my Dad with his B-61 air filter. It was an oil bath type.

Eric

Yep. The paper element is cheaper and don't have the mess.

 

[RGardner]

But I wonder if any know the filtering ability of the oil bath vs paper?

 

[Bill Stockard]

But I wonder if any know the filtering ability of the oil bath vs paper?

Paper elements have the same air cleaning ability at all engine speeds. Oil bath air cleaners do not. Also an overfilled oil bath air cleaner on a diesel can cause "engine run away" or uncontolled acceleration until the engine self destructs from over speeding. A very unhealthy occurence if you are nearby.



Bill

 

[Greenleaf]

I have worked with oil bath filters for years both in the oil filed and farmng industry. They work well only at the proper engine speeds and providing the oil is of the proper weight (given the ambient temps) and quantity.



Paper is less of a hassel.



GL