Oil bath filter versus paper filter?

[central52]

My 47 Dodge that I recently bought has the oil bath filer.  I remember reading long ago about guys converting to a paper filter, instead.  Is that a better way to go?  If so, how difficult is it the gut the old oil bath setup?  Ed

[central52]

My 47 Dodge has the oil bath filter.  Would it be more economical and easier to have a paper filter?  Is it hard to gut the old filter?  Ed

[pflaming]

I gutted mine, no big deal, cleaned it , then took it to an auto parts store and we tried various filters until we found one that fit. Paper is better than oil and much easier to clean.

That paper is better than oil may not be true for air filtering but better "fire protection". The bottom of my housing was rusted out so I went paper. With few gravel roads the air is much cleaner now and with limited driving probably seldom change either way.

Edited January 3, 2015 by pflaming

[Robert Horne]

It may be cheaper to use oil in the filter, than buying a paper filter.

 

You do not have to use your original filter housing to use a paper filter,

 

save the housing for if you want to go back original.

 

I used a cookie tin, for the top and bottom and used a Fram paper filter.

 

There is a thread on someone that used a hubcap for a top section, looked good.

 

If you do a thread search, you may find many people that had different ways

 

of doing their filters....

[Don Coatney]

This is another one of the issues that has been cussed and discussed many times. Do a forum search and you will find many opinions.

[P15-D24]

2nd Don's comment, then stick with oil, you will need to service it maybe once a year. And it filters better!

[54Illinois]

I always thought about doing the paper filter as well.

 

Then I got to thinking.....(not very hard mind you).  One of the novelties of having these classic cars is the way they function.  An oil bath filter draws some curiosity.  So I decided to leave as is.

[Dodgeb4ya]

I service my oil baths every 10-20 years. Works great.

[Don Coatney]

Back in the olden days when there were more dirt roads than paved roads oil bath air cleaner service was required frequently. Or if you lived in the area of Mt St Helens in 1980 when it puked you also might want to service the oil bath cleaner every couple hours. But under normal driving on paved roads do as Bob said every 10-20 years.

 

 

[_shel_ny]

Biggest thing about the oil bath is keeping it upright any time you have the entire thing off the carb.

 

That and the initial cleaning of the nasty old beast for the first time. I cleaned a spare one by removing the innards with the aid of a cutting wheel on my angle grinder, and throwing it in the trash. Kept the original for when the car was sold.

 

The novelty of having the "oil bath" as a conversation piece did not excite me enough to maintain it after spilling oil a couple of times. Looks the same before and after. You don't see the paper filter when assembled.

 

One other thing is if you don't drive often enough to keep the fuel from evaporating, and take the top off to prime the carb you have to watch out for the drippy oil from the filter.

Edited January 3, 2015 by shel_ny

[Frank Elder]

And when you change your oil, you can recycle some of it to your air cleaner.

[Dodgeb4ya]

Back in the olden days when there were more dirt roads than paved roads oil bath air cleaner service was required frequently. Or if you lived in the area of Mt St Helens in 1980 when it puked you also might want to service the oil bath cleaner every couple hours. But under normal driving on paved roads do as Bob said every 10-20 years.

 

 

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When Mt St Helens went off May 18th 1980 I did drive my chrysler woodie that day but lucky the winds blew to the east so I didn't need to clean the air filter!

[RobertKB]

One other thing is if you don't drive often enough to keep the fuel from evaporating, and take the top off to prime the carb you have to watch out for the drippy oil from the filter.

 

Just loosen the wing nut and put enough gas in the concave area there and let it drip down. It is usually more than enough to start the car and no need to pull the top of the filter off and drip oil all over. Works for me.

[desoto1939]

OK some prefer the original look of the oil bath filter and others prefer the newer paper style filter.  Some prefer to add period correct speed equipment to their engines.

 

The best anser to your question is DO YOU EVER SUITES your WISHES.  It is your car and you can  make any modifications that you want to your car.

 

I preferred to change over to the paper filter for my 39 Desoto but also kept the original metal mesh oil bath filter element. I found a paper filter at NAPA that was a complete drop in to the aircleaner.

 

So as someone suggested if you can get an original air cleaner as a spare and keep the oil bathe element and then get another air cleaner and modify it then that is an option.

 

If you want originality for a resale then go this route and just change when going to an official car show if you are looking for AACA judging or specific car judging or if its just a driver that make it work for you. If someone wants to fork over cash when they say it is wrong then they can have a say but its your cash that your are spending on your car and not their.

 

Rich Hartung

Desoto1939@aol.com

[Young Ed]

Just loosen the wing nut and put enough gas in the concave area there and let it drip down. It is usually more than enough to start the car and no need to pull the top of the filter off and drip oil all over. Works for me.

Works for me too.

[Dodgeb4ya]

Be green..... keep the oil bath filter. Change the oil every 10 years.

[Robert Horne]

Be green..... keep the oil bath filter. Change the oil every 10 years.

 

 

Green.     You can go green with K & N air filters for $40, and gain a lot of HP, ( what I read anyway).

[Dodgeb4ya]

Why not leave the filter off and gain a lot of HP?

K&N filters usually have special oil added to the element which require washing out every so many miles= pollution  ! OMG

[Frank Elder]

K&N basically a 2nd gen oil bath filter......

[Jerry Roberts]

There is another reason to change from oil bath to a paper filter . The air first goes through the top portion of the housing which has a  horse hair element , there is no way to see how dirty this horse hair has become over the years without cutting the steel apart . 

[MarcDeSoto]

All you have to do is wash the horse hair section in kerosene to clean it.  It's easy.  I'd never give up the oil bath air cleaner as it gives the car some of its personality and makes it different from modern era cars.  I'd also never change over to a 12 volt negative ground system for the same reason. 

[central52]

ok, seems to be valid reasons for both oil and paper filters.  I guess either way is all right.  Ed

[Frank Elder]

It's your car Ed, in the end it's your way, is the right way.......no matter how much we blow.......

[_shel_ny]

Cut around in the general area of the line with an angle grinder, or tool of your choice.

 

Pull the guts.

 

Put in a paper filter.

 

Put the top back on.

 

 

[dlrides]

Cut around in the general area of the line with an angle grinder, or tool of your choice.

Pull the guts.

Put in a paper filter.

Put the top back on.

This

After reading this thread, I'm surprised some don't still ride horses.

Edited January 4, 2015 by dlrides