The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Air cleaners/ oil or no oil

Hi guys I have the two small air cleaners on my 51 pickup.
235 dual intake. These are not the big old oil bath cleaners.
I was at a car show this weekend and a guy was telling me I needed to soak the red metal mesh in my air cleaners with oil. I have not done this yet and would like to know if this is something I should be doing.
Thanks
Paul

It depends on what they were designed for. If they were designed to be oiled then by all means. If not you could ruin the filter elements by oiling them. More info is needed. "Two small air cleaners" is too generic.

Without seeing them, I don't know, but oil soaked foam filter flow very little compared to a dry element. A friend of mine swapped a K&N oil type filter on to his race car and lost about 30 hp. Dirt is suppose to stick to the oily surfaces.

Not sure how to describe the air cleaners ,about six inches in diameter they are from the 50's seems to have been a option rather than oil bath cleaners. They have a red wire mesh between cap and floor of cleaner assembly.
Truck seems to run fine so far

oil bath air cleaner vs oil wetted air cleaner

Old thread discussing air cleaners.

http://www.1954advance-design.com/Web%20images/1950-standard-air-cleaners.jpg

http://www.1954advance-design.com/Web%20images/1950-optional-air-cleaner.jpg

Reasons for less power with K&N:
1. too much oil (but this will fix itself eventually, the excess will be drawn into the port)
2. too small (diameter X height)
3. the top is too close to the air horn

The CFM flow per inch of filter area is excellent.

If your filter has cloth or paper in it, don't use oil unless it says so.
Metal mesh is always oiled if it's the only material used, some are designed to hold a thin layer on the bottom surface. I prefer single grade heavy oil, lighter stuff has a tendency to pass through the engine too quickly.

Oil on a filter is used to trap fine dust. Oil on a foam element will stop water and mud. Paper filters stop dust. Depends on the filter. Any air filter that cuts horse power is too small(not tall enough or to small around(surface area is too small) Dust is an abrasive(not what you need to keep any engine alive) To oil or not...depends on the conditions(lots of dirt roads on your trek?) and the maker of the filter. K&N uses a non woven material. Lots of fibers, and air will pass well. The oil they use closes the random gaps that are in that kind of filter. Some paper filters will dissolve with oil. Not good. Mesh filters(like our oil bath types) last a long time, if you clean them once in a while.

Sounds like Wodniw5 has a pair of pancake air filters.

Paul (Wodniw5),

Are you referring to the "Oil=Wetted" "Spark Arrestor" air cleaners, which were standard equipment on many small truck?

Is the "red mesh" you refer to the copper-colored metal filter-mesh?

Those filters are serviced by cleaning the mesh in solvent (kerosene, maybe) and then wetting the mesh with a light-weight engine oil (10 to 20 weight, maybe).

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/shop/1948_51truck/51ctsm0620.htm

http://www.oldchevytrucks.com/blog/index.php/2010/02/1947-1955-air-filter/

Yes the small spark arrest or or pancake filters.
I have been taking them off and just blowing them clean with air compressor.
Yes it's the copper mesh