The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop air cleaner for 261

not so dumb question, but what kind of air cleaner goes on the 261 carb. do not seem to know what to look for at this time. and if you have one, let me know.

kent hoke

Either paper or oil bath, same as 235. A lot of the large trucks came with the oil bath cleaner.

What year 261?

The method of attachment changed sometime between 54-60. The earlier style had a collar bolt and the later style had a center-bolt at the top of the carburetor.

i am not sure what is original with this engine. was told that it is a 58/62 261 with a 235 head. the carburetor is a rochester and it looks like it has had some heavy use. the top has a quarter inch lip that has at 180 degrees a bump up of an eight of an inch "stop?"

i would like to find an oil bath cleaner. and i think that the carburetor is going to need rebuilt or replaced.

any help along these lines would be greatly appreciated.

Just wanted to start moving this thread again.

I'm also looking for the same thing. Any reproduction stuff out there, or is it ebay and swap meets for us? Kent, if you've found one, you mind sharing where you got it?

If anyone has an extra assembly laying around, I'm interested.

Thanks,
dave

Kent,

Your best bet is to place a want-ad in the Swap Meet. For a Chevrolet, any 58-62 air cleaner would work. All Chevrolet trucks came with one-barrel Rochester carbs that had the some throat size for an air cleaner. That style air cleaner works with a carb that has a bolt coming up from the center of the throat (I do not know what year that started - maybe 1956)?

Dave,

A GMC air cleaner might be different - isn't your carb a Zenith carb?

Tim

No, I'm cheating with a 261 in my truck. It's a Rochester from a 235, which might be the same? I know the 261's have the PCV line coming out of the air cleaner to the valve cover. I've been reading about the PCV system on the 261 in my shop manual and here.

I'd sure love some pictures of an original 261 setup if anyone's got one in their truck.

Not all 261's have PCV, the '62 261 I got out of a suburban has a road draft tube. All original, and I'm sure its a 261.

My 1960 261 that came out of a school bus did not have a PCV system installed. I took it out of the school bus in 1972.

had treadwell carburetors redo my rochester carb. he has done others for me (stude and ih) and as usual, looks like new. he called and asked about the air filter, and as my answer was d...ed if i knew, but a center post setup on the carb. cost, about 125.00. said i should go with a mid 60's chevy dry airfilter, either mid size or larger. so, taking all of your advise, as usual, you guys amaze this ol fart, i am off to the swapp meet. treadwell did say i had the better of the two rochesters (the earlier one), and said that the dry was easier on the carb. as i said earlier, you guys are fantastic.