The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Oil Bath Air Filter Securing Screw

I have a 1958 235 six cylinder, rebuilt, and want to know what diameter, thread count per inch, and length of bolt that is used to secure the oil bath air filter to the carburetor. Probably also has a nut to go with the bolt.

The screw on the oil bath I have is approx 1 1/2" long, 1/4" diameter fine threads. The nut is 4 sided.

Cablesmill,

Thanks. I ended up taking mine with me to the hardware store, sized the wing nut, bought a die the size I needed, came home, chased the threads and back to normal. Now, I am going back and forth regarding whether to stay with the oil bath and stuff the top filter part with steel wool or modify the top and go with a paper filter, but retaining the traditional look.

Any thoughts on what you might do?

John

I'd stay with the oil bath myself.

ditto

Why do you need to stuff it with steel wool?

JW51,

Good question. Well, you see there is NO filter media whatsoever inside this air cleaner. It has been completely void of any filter media since I have owned it and that has been a very long time. Although nearly complete on the rebuild, this engine has never been fired. I have seen posts where others have substituted the factory 'horse hair' filter material with steel wool while others have converted to a paper filter element.

What would you do, stuff the top of the filter assembly with steel wool or just leave it empty and use no filtration at all. Just asking.

John

Gotcha. I will let someone else weigh in on what's best. Without my filter sitting in front of me, it's tough for me to picture how the steel wool would replace the original media.

The conversion to paper that someone recently documented (maybe a tech tip now?) was pretty neat, but will require some more cutting.

Not sure about the '58 but on older models there was a shredded metal material in the cheaper base air cleaners. You were supposed to clean the thing and just coat it with oil to catch the junk, bugs etc. I've seen guys use the copper or metal pot scrubbers when restoring the old air cleaners.

A few different types of air cleaners are discussed above. I do not know how long each type was used.

The oil-bath air-cleaner was supposed to have 50W oil filled to the mark on the outer shell. The "mesh" is these air cleaners do not appear to be metal - maybe someone knows for sure. If the "mesh" is gone, you might want to do the modern filter-cartridge upgrade described above. If done properly, you cannot see the new filter (Tom Langdon used to sell these for his Carter-Weber carbs - very nice).

The "shredded material" in the oil bath air cleaner was a heavier mesh material than used in the standard equipment small 47-55 small truck "spark arrestor" oil-wetted" metal-mesh air cleaner. Replacement copper-appearance metal mesh units are available from Jim Carter. I think that this is the air cleaner referred-to by JiMerit. This mesh is most likely not appropriate for an oil bath air cleaner.

Lots of really good information about the oil bath air filters and the mesh that goes inside the upper part of the filter. I have still not decided on the way I am going to go. In that vein, I would like to know if anyone has used steel wool to replace the old-style filter media and how satisfied you are with that material.

Thanks for your input.

John

Is there not a k&n style paper filter element that would fit into the stock filter canister? If so, wouldn't be more efficient way to go?

Craig,

You have a very nice looking truck. To answer your question, yes, there is a paper filter available, but to use the paper filter requires cutting/modifying the 'original' oil-bath filter housing. I know it can and has been done. There is even a Tech Tip on how to do it.