Oil bath filter

[tysouthwick]

Question what is the purpose for a oil bath filter and if my truck doesnt have one is that bad?

[Young Ed]

Do you have an air cleaner at all? Oil bath is just a different way of incoming air filtering

[tysouthwick]

I do have one its just not an oil bath, and I have been reading on the forum and the pop up sometimes so i was just wondering, and on that note i was pulling off parts off of a 53 plymouth suburban and i yanked off the air filter and oil splashed all over me and I thought that was strange to put oil there...

[Andydodge]

My understanding is that up until the late 50's early 60's the oil bath filter was the best, most reliable way to filter incoming air however with the development of the micro fine paper filter elements it was cheaper/easier to use them so oil bath filters became redundant.

[Young Ed]

For some reason trucks which were usually subjected to the worst treatment you could think of came with out oil baths and then it was an option. Not sure what the non oil bath standard filter was. Mines an oil bath

[Edward Roberts]

Here are two decent articles explaining how oil bath filters work:

http://www.ehow.com/how-does_5591461_oil-bath-air-breather-works.html

http://vintagetractorengineer.com/2009/01/oil-bath-air-cleaners-for-tractors/

Notice that the second article concerns tractors. Oil bath cleaners help clean heavy particulates out of the intake air. While no longer popular in passenger vehicles, they are still used in extreme off-road applications, agriculture, and commercial equipment. While paper filters have largely taken their place, our type of driving has helped allow that. Keep in mind that - depending on location - when our vehicles were new, they were largely driven on dirt roads at best. I know that was true in North Alabama where I live, and I'll bet it was true in Utah. I no longer need the mess for driving my car, but I used the heck out of the one on my 1974 Bronco.

[carls 49]

i removed my oil bath (still have it), just so messy. replaced it with a paper one.

[claybill]

i think the theory was;; if you put an inch or so of oil in the bottom of the big oil cleaner...the heavy dirt and dust will fall into it and stick...the air will continue to swirl up into the carb..

bill

[aero3113]

They work GREAT! Look at all of the dirt it collects

[greg g]

They do ot actually pull the air through the oil. They are designed so that as high velocity air makes a sharp turn, the particles can not make the turn and drop into the oil and are trapped. Aoeratated oil droplets are trapped in the horsehair, jute fibre mat in teh top to trap the smaller bits that did make the turn. So by design they are a less restrictive filtering mechanism than the paper. The oil is there oly to trap those pieces that fall into the pool, and to keep the upper element lubricates. Most off road commercial vehicles still use oil baths for ease of maintanence and eficiency. If you intake clogs up in a dust heavy environment, there is usually some oil around, a new paper element might be miles away, and time is money.