Dual intakes and air cleaner options

[bkahler]

A long time ago I made the decision to install one of the Offenhauser intakes on my newly built 218.  My engine has .060" over pistons, split exhaust, 230 cam and I know the head was shaved more than just a skim cut.  Basically the engine was built by a friend of mine (as a favor) who is dirt track race engine builder by profession.  

 

After purchasing the Offenhauser intake I scrounged up two Carter DTE1 carburetors and rebuilt them.  All this time I had been planning on using two of the stock oil bath air filters on the carburetors.  Fast forward to this past weekend when I did a test fit of the two air cleaner assemblies, or should I say I tried to do a test fit of the two air cleaners.  For whatever reason I totally missed the fact that the two carburetors are too close together to allow the oil bath air cleaners to fit side by side ?

 

I guess the only reason I thought I could use oil bath air cleaners was because of the pictures of the factory dual carburetor setup as shown in the parts manual.  

 

So now I'm trying to decide what options I have available to me.  My split exhaust manifold has the heat riser still functional which bolted up nicely to the Offenhauser intake.  I'd hate to lose that functionality.

 

1)  Buy some of those cheap looking chrome plated 4" air cleaners (I don't like this idea at all!)

2)  Fabricate offsets from some tubing that will let me use the oil bath air cleaners.  (not my favorite either)

3)  Find a different intake manifold that will allow me to use the oil bath air cleaners, if such an intake even exists. (preferred choice)

4)  Other options or suggestions?

 

Brad

 

 

[Young Ed]

17 minutes ago, bkahler said:

1)  Buy some of those cheap looking chrome plated 4" air cleaners (I don't like this idea at all!)

2)  Fabricate offsets from some tubing that will let me use the oil bath air cleaners.  (not my favorite either)

3)  Find a different intake manifold that will allow me to use the oil bath air cleaners, if such an intake even exists. (preferred choice)

4)  Other options or suggestions?

 

Brad

 

 

 

Option 5) find or make an aircleaner that fits over both. Think an oval with maybe an oval or 2 circle filters inside

[48Dodger]

I believe John-T-53 has brushed aluminum intakes for his dual carb set-up......maybe buzz him to share a picture?

 

48D

Edited December 4, 2019 by 48Dodger

[kencombs]

My tentative plan (if I ever get that far in my truck build), is to make an aluminum base plate.  Just flat 1/8" or so plate with two holes to sit on the carbs aircleaner mounting flange.

 

Then look at a filter maker's dimensional catalog and find an oval element that works for the carb spacing and available width.  Cut the base plate to fit the element.

 

I've done some preliminary investigation and such elements are available. 

 

Then make a top plate from the same material. Drill for mounting studs and sandwich it all together.   Polish the top and bolt it on.

 

Sounds simple.  bet it's gonna be harder though!

 

I may substitute stainless steel as I have some available..  IF it doesn't seem to hard to work with.

 

One wrinkle in this plan is the fact that my Offy manifold doesn't mount both carbs at the same height.  so a spacer under one will be needed to get the single base plate to fit correctly.

[John-T-53]

I used the 7.5" aluminum air cleaners from Tom Langdon. They use a 6" paper element. I don't have an Offy intake, though, so not sure if these would fit. On my intake, I had to file down the rim on both - they touch, but fit nicely.

 

http://www.langdonsstovebolt.com/store/#!/Fuel-Related/c/18665965/offset=0&sort=normal

 

 

[bkahler]

 

2 minutes ago, John-T-53 said:

I used the 7.5" aluminum air cleaners from Tom Langdon. They use a 6" paper element. I don't have an Offy intake, though, so not sure if these would fit. On my intake, I had to file down the rim on both - they touch, but fit nicely.

 

http://www.langdonsstovebolt.com/store/#!/Fuel-Related/c/18665965/offset=0&sort=normal

 

 

 

John,

 

Thanks for the link.  Yesterday I measured the center to center distance of the carburetors and then promptly forgot the number!  Something to do with old age......  I'll measure again tonight to see if they are at least 7.5" apart center to center, somehow I think they are a little closer than that.

 

Brad

 

 

[bkahler]

2 hours ago, kencombs said:

My tentative plan (if I ever get that far in my truck build), is to make an aluminum base plate.  Just flat 1/8" or so plate with two holes to sit on the carbs aircleaner mounting flange.

 

Then look at a filter maker's dimensional catalog and find an oval element that works for the carb spacing and available width.  Cut the base plate to fit the element.

 

I've done some preliminary investigation and such elements are available. 

 

Then make a top plate from the same material. Drill for mounting studs and sandwich it all together.   Polish the top and bolt it on.

 

Sounds simple.  bet it's gonna be harder though!

 

I may substitute stainless steel as I have some available..  IF it doesn't seem to hard to work with.

 

One wrinkle in this plan is the fact that my Offy manifold doesn't mount both carbs at the same height.  so a spacer under one will be needed to get the single base plate to fit correctly.

 

Ken, it sounds like you've given this problem some thought.  For me if I was to do something like you considering the trick would be to not make it look cobbled together.  I really like the looks of the oil bath air cleaners and it disappoints me that I can't use them.  

 

I wonder if there are smaller diameter oil bath air cleaners out there?

 

Thanks for the feedback.

 

Brad

[bkahler]

3 hours ago, Young Ed said:

 

Option 5) find or make an air cleaner that fits over both. Think an oval with maybe an oval or 2 circle filters inside

 

You and Ken appear to be thinking alike    I might have to do some playing around with some cardboard this weekend and mock things up.  

 

Thanks for the feedback!

[RNR1957NYer]

Or, Option 6, cut and weld two oil bath air cleaners to fit.  I posted this photo of just such a thing seen at a show on another thread awhile ago.

[bkahler]

3 hours ago, 48Dodger said:

I believe John-T-53 has brushed aluminum intakes for his dual carb set-up......maybe buzz him to share a picture?

 

48D

 

John's apparently are chromed instead of brushed aluminum.  As much as I like chrome on my Triumph sports car for some reason brushed or coarse looking aluminum reminds me of the  50s!

 

This one from Vintage Speed doesn't look to bad.  

 

 

[bkahler]

10 minutes ago, RNR1957NYer said:

Or, Option 6, cut and weld two oil bath air cleaners to fit.  I posted this photo of just such a thing seen at a show on another thread awhile ago.

 

Now THAT is thinking outside the box! 

 

That would be a real challenge to get the to shells welded together smoothly.  

 

Thanks for sharing the picture!

 

 

 

[John-T-53]

29 minutes ago, bkahler said:

 

John's apparently are chromed instead of brushed aluminum.  As much as I like chrome on my Triumph sports car for some reason brushed or coarse looking aluminum reminds me of the  50s!

 

This one from Vintage Speed doesn't look to bad.  

 

Mine are spun aluminum ( kind of a brushed look). Langdon has polished aluminum as well.

 

One thing to note, I have the straight air horn tops on my Carter carbs, which accommodate the air cleaner bases that Tom had for these carbs. If you have the clamp style air horns to accommodate the oil bath cleaners, that may be a problem when trying to fit anything else...

[bkahler]

4 minutes ago, John-T-53 said:

 

Mine are spun aluminum ( kind of a brushed look). Langdon has polished aluminum as well.

 

One thing to note, I have the straight air horn tops on my Carter carbs, which accommodate the air cleaner bases that Tom had for these carbs. If you have the clamp style air horns to accommodate the oil bath cleaners, that may be a problem when trying to fit anything else...

 

Ah, I missed the spun aluminum style.  To me that looks a lot nicer than polished  under the hood of these trucks.  

 

My Carters have the clamp style for the oil bath cleaners which does seem to hinder finding a suitable option.  

 

I've ordered one of these adapters to see if I can make use of it.  If so then I'll order a second, if not it goes into the pile with all the other non usable stuff!  

 

 

 

[Jeff Balazs]

1 hour ago, RNR1957NYer said:

Or, Option 6, cut and weld two oil bath air cleaners to fit.  I posted this photo of just such a thing seen at a show on another thread awhile ago.

Oh man I like the way that looks. Definitely a bit of a challenge but very cool. I fitted my oil bath housing with a K & N covered with a foam UNI filter. It is amazing how much dirt this set up stops from entering the engine. I don't see why the same kind of set up wouldn't work on a siamesed housing.

Jeff

[bkahler]

Can someone confirm the overall diameter of the stock oil bath air filter housing?!  

 

 

[Young Ed]

1 hour ago, bkahler said:

Can someone confirm the overall diameter of the stock oil bath air filter housing?!  

 

 

that is hard to say as there are many styles over the years. 

[bkahler]

17 minutes ago, Young Ed said:

that is hard to say as there are many styles over the years. 

 

Good point.  I've just always had this picture in my head of what the oil bath air cleaner looked like and so that's what I assume all of them are!

 

 

[Young Ed]

2 minutes ago, bkahler said:

 

Good point.  I've just always had this picture in my head of what the oil bath air cleaner looked like and so that's what I assume all of them are!

 

 

This does make me wonder now if the car ones which are taller and have a brace to the head might also be smaller circumference..... 

[bkahler]

59 minutes ago, Young Ed said:

This does make me wonder now if the car ones which are taller and have a brace to the head might also be smaller circumference..... 

 

That would be interesting to know.  I just measured the two that I have and they are 8-7/8" in diameter which means the carburetors would need to be a minimum of 8-3/4" apart center to center.

 

The Offenhauser intake has the carburetors 7-1/2" apart center to center.  

 

So, does anyone know the diameters of other oil filter air cleaners that were provided over the years?

 

Thanks!

 

Brad

[nkeiser]

Here's the best picture I could find of my setup. Dual 32 DFTs on an Offenhauser with air filters and linkage from Langdon.

[Dodgeb4ya]

This style of B series Dodge truck air cleaner is approx 5" high by 8-3/4" diameter...

[bkahler]

5 hours ago, Dodgeb4ya said:

This style of B series Dodge truck air cleaner is approx 5" high by 8-3/4" diameter...

 

Is this a picture of one of the big trucks that originally had dual carburetors?  

 

[bkahler]

7 hours ago, nkeiser said:

Here's the best picture I could find of my setup. Dual 32 DFTs on an Offenhauser with air filters and linkage from Langdon.

 

It would seem Langdon's is a popular option for air filters.  

 

I think I'm about to give up on the idea of using my oil bath air cleaners, or any oil bath cleaners for that matter.  I'll definitely keep my eyes open for some that are small enough that could be modified for use but I'm not going to hold my breath!

 

Thanks,

 

Brad

[Dodgeb4ya]

8 hours ago, bkahler said:

 

Is this a picture of one of the big trucks that originally had dual carburetors?  

 

Yes...it's one of the 30" engines...3-4 ton trucks. Plenty of room for air cleaners.

[John-T-53]

Photos of mine. It's hard to see here but the flanges are ground flat where they meet.