The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Air filter media

I am wanting to replace my oil air filter with a paper filter. I have read lots of the info on here about the process, and I am wondering what a good source is for the green foam filter media. All I can find locally is preformed for a specific use, and I need something larger that I can cut down to size.
Thanks, Lee.

What size are you looking to acquire? Are you just needing some to seat a replacement paper filter?

I have not made any exact measurements yet, a 10 inch square piece about 2 inches thick would be plenty. I am thinking about just using it as a replacement for the oil in the bottom and keeping the rest of the filter the same. Cut a doughnut shape piece that the air has to go through before turning up and into the carb. I am trying to accomplish this without too much demolition of the original unit. We'll see how it works. Oh, and I did not say, it is a 56 with the 235 engine.

I haven't seen any foam air filter material 2 inches or greater out there. I initially had the same thoughts as you to use a thick piece of the foam air filter material but I eventually swapped out the oil bath component and inserted a WIX paper filter (part # 46192, ordered from Amazon $15) in the air filter bowl. Since the outer material of the air filter is metal, I fashioned a "seal" out of an old bicycle tube and slipped it over the top and bottom of the filter. When you tighten down the lid of the filter bowl it seals the upper and lower end of the filter and forces the air to be transferred through the material. It was an easy swap. There is a thread out there started by Kevin1957 that has some good info on converting from oil to paper air filter. Modify air breather oil to paper

I don't believe that foam as a replacement for an oil bath or paper filter is a suitable option. They use that foam soaked with a special greasy oil in demolition saws to keep concrete dust out of the paper filter underneath it. It needs to be removed and cleaned in the parts washer solvent after every 8 hours of use. The idle/mixture is adjusted with the greasy, oily foam and paper filter in place because this setup is very restrictive of airflow.
If you use that foam without the greasy oil on your truck, dust will move right through it.
Carl

Bruce,
Did you cut off the whole basin that held the original filter media, or did you just cut off the bottom part and slide the paper filter inside? I have seen both options discussed here in the forums.

My Oil Bath Air Filter looks like this: Pictorial of Oil Bath Air Cleaner

I removed the middle section which left me with the (1) outside canister, the (2) lid, and the (3) wing nut. The fourth piece is the (4) removable middle section which contains the encased filter material. The Wix filter sits perfectly in the canister. I did not have to cut or modify any part of my oil bath air cleaner.

The only issue is, the Wix filter uses a metal ring at both the top and bottom of the filter which may not create a seal to keep air from flowing around the filter, thus allowing air to bypass the paper air filter. I took a piece of a bicycle tire tube, maybe 6" to 8", opened it up by slicing the tube down the middle and then cementing the two ends together using a tire patch cement. Once it dried, it slipped on to the edge of the metal end with a little bit of a stretch which was my intent so it would keep in place. I did this for both the top and bottom of the filter.

When I put the lid on the canister with the now installed paper air filter and tightened the wing nut until it was snug (and then maybe one more turn), it created the seal that I was looking for when I started out with this modification.

The other link I posted earlier has a great description by Chuck Palmer (Hookalatch). He has some pics on Photobucket and if you can get to them you can see what I am talking about. His air cleaner is the same one I have on my truck.

There are several different models of air cleaners out there and some do require some cutting. My air filter has/had four pieces and I was able to easily remove piece # 4.

There is an excellent Tech Tip:Oil Bath Air Cleaner Upgrade on this site which may help you out.

Send a pic of your air cleaner and either myself or someone else may be able to give you the right direction to take with converting your specific oil bath air cleaner to a paper filter.

Mine is different than yours; it is only 2 pieces, the top is attached to the center piece which then drops into the basin with the oil ( I have been unsuccessful in posting photos, I'll try again so you can see what I have). I read one thread where they seperated the top from the center part ( so it would look like yours) and did just like you with the paper filter sandwiched between the top and the bottom of the bowl. That would certainly be easy.

Lee.