The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Oil Bath Air Cleaner RPO#

Can you tell me the RPO number of the oil bath air cleaner that I have on my '54 3100 235? I believe that it is either RPO #216D or RPO #216E. I know that the RPO number (216G) that I show on the options in my signature is wrong.

EDIT 5/12/2012: I changed the Air Cleaner RPO on the options list in my signature to RPO #216D

Oil bath air cleaners were designated as one pound or two pound "dirt capacity" and as one pint or two pint "oil capacity".

RPO #216D has one pound capacity.
RPO #216E has two pound capacity.
Neither 216D nor 216E is used with engine ventilation (RPO 217) or with automatic transmission (RPO 314)
RPO #216G has one pound capacity and is for an auto tranny truck. I have a factory 4-speed.

One-pint/pound oil bath may have been standard on 5000 series and two-pint/pound may have been standard on 6000 series (?)

> GM Options
> Original GM photo
> My air cleaner
> Mounted on my carb
> RPO#s in the 1954 3100 RPO Booklet
> GM Restoration Kit

I know that this is a trivial question, but thanks for your help.

Interesting question, Lonnie.

I'd say the "Original GM Photo", "My air cleaner", and "Mounted on my carb" are R.P.O. 216D

I had never noticed that the optional oil-bath air cleaner on a 3100 with Hydra-=Matic transmission was a different RPO, R.P.O. 216G. I wonder what's different? Maybe the automatic choke gets in the way of the "standard" oil bath cleaner. I'll try to remember to check this later today.

1954 Salesman Data Book says 216D just as the other references have stated.

Thanks Brad and Tim -

Not doubting your answers, just trying to see printed confirmation and hopefully photos of 216D and 216E.

I searched the "1954 Truck Engineering Features" book on Tim Lederman's site and the "1946 Chevrolet Truck Data Book for Chevrolet Salesmen" book on Tim Sheridan's site. Both show a pic of the air cleaner, state that it is for 3100 and other trucks, state that it is available as 1-pound and 2-pound capacity, but only give the 216 RPO number with no letter designation.

Is the "1954 Salesman Data Book" that you referenced available on line? Any idea what the 2-pound (RPO 216E) air cleaner looks like?

> 1954 Truck Engineering Features
> 1946 Chevrolet Truck Data Book for Chevrolet Salesmen NOTE: 340MB download!!

Lonnie,

I have every data book except 53 and every owners manual and full-line brochure for 1947-54. I will look through them to see if I can find the picture of the 2-pound set-up.

Lonnie,

Here is the factory correct picture of a 1954 2-pound set-up air cleaner.

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2756285840102454676CSOkJj

Brad -

Thanks for the pic. I searched everywhere that I knew and could not find a pic that stated it was a 2Lb cleaner.

I know that I was being picky, but if I didn't ask I would never know. Thanks for catering to my "picky gene."

Is a quart 2 lbs and a pint 1 lb?

I have a 1 qt (6000 series - like Brad's , above) and a 1pt (5000 series) as shown in Sec 7, Page 5 of the October 29 1954 Truck Data Book. There is another 5000-style air-cleaner that had a non-ribbed top-cap (might not be a 1954).

I also have the more common 3100 style (216D?) and would like to see a 216G.

"A "pint is a pound the world around". I can still hear my Grandma saying it.

"A "pint is a pound the world around". I can still hear my Grandma saying it. I'm sure she was talking about sugar, water, flour or some other common household material and not Grampa's lead sinkers.

Dave,

I was humming that old adage as I was typing my message.

"The saying "a pint's a pound the world around" refers to 16 US fluid ounces of water weighing approximately (about 4% more than) one pound avoirdupois."

Denser products usually weight more per unit volume.

We are talking about 50 weight oil in these oil bath air cleaners.