Oil bath air cleaner

[bmfm64]

So I got this air cleaner at the yard today, I bought it because I've never seen one on these trucks before, anyone use one or have one? Were they offered on 2 and 4 barrel carbs? This one was a 2 barrel which I don't have but like I say I just bought it because I've never seen one. It can hang on the air cleaner wall,LOL. I think the code on the glove box door was K48 but I can't remember for sure.

[bobs409]

It might be from a big series truck or on older Chevy/GMC's like pre-62 era. I just got one similar from a 62 GMC custom pickup that had a V6 to sell on ebay.

[bmfm64]

I found it in a 69 GMC c10 with a small block. And I know it came with.truck as the glove box door had it on the list. Thanks though.
Posted via Mobile Device

[sixtyeightchevykid]

my 68 with an inline had one, i put it on a shelf and have never used it, it came with it too.

[cdowns]

i think it would have been an option on rough use vehicles like for farming or somewhere else that there wood b alot of dust or dirty conditions

[Stocker]

I used to clean those out & re-oil 'em when I was in high school and worked part-time in the gas station. I really loved the new-fangled paper filters!!

[Shyguy]

Originally Posted by cdowns

i think it would have been an option on rough use vehicles like for farming or somewhere else that there wood b alot of dust or dirty conditions

Good information.

Our old farm tractors have the oil bath filters, work great for dusty areas.

[truckster]

We used to use them in the military for really dusty conditions. I've seen paper filters clog to where an engine won't run and the oil bath keeps working.

[oldblue1968chevy]

my truck has it on the spid, but then it is XXXXXXXX out (looks factory?) leme see if I can get a picture

[oldblue1968chevy]

Here

I unscrabmed the #'s or something its barely legible

[bmfm64]

Looks factory to me! it'd be hard to hold a typr writer in the glove box and get it to x out like that! LOL thanks for the pics, looks like the code was 4k48B4

[oldblue1968chevy]

So yall think it was factory? My truck was v8 and nothings on the spid so i assume it was 307?

[chewychevy67]

Its factory. My 67 has one on my 327 4BBL. K48 on the spid. Im goona leave it on after the restoration.

[chewychevy67]

Originally Posted by bmfm64

So I got this air cleaner at the yard today, I bought it because I've never seen one on these trucks before, anyone use one or have one? Were they offered on 2 and 4 barrel carbs? This one was a 2 barrel which I don't have but like I say I just bought it because I've never seen one. It can hang on the air cleaner wall,LOL. I think the code on the glove box door was K48 but I can't remember for sure.

Can you post a good close up of the original Decal on the filter? Mine has wore off and would like to remake it if possible. Rod.

[vectorit]

My 68 K20 burb has had one since new from the factory (327).
I run it most of the time, but switch to a paper element style from time to time.

I like it mainly because it quiets down the Q-jet noise, not the secondary howl but the sitting idle vacuum noise.

One thing I'd like to ask, is if anyone knows of a place that sells the corrugated screen element that would fit in these air cleaners. Please let me know! This thing I am sure could be cross referenced from any other oil bath cleaner, so I am sure they are out there - I just need a clue as to where and what to ask for.

[eagleuh1]

Like this on 68 C20 327 Quadrajet.

[72lb4x4]

An oil bath cleaner filters less than a paper element cleaner, so using one is doing a disservice to your engine.

[bmfm64]

Originally Posted by chewychevy67

Can you post a good close up of the original Decal on the filter? Mine has wore off and would like to remake it if possible. Rod.

Here ya go!

[chewychevy67]

thanks for the pic. I have seen a few people take these and make the paper filter work in them. i have thought of doing this but am unsure if i want to destroy this if i mess up.

[vectorit]

Originally Posted by 72lb4x4

An oil bath cleaner filters less than a paper element cleaner, so using one is doing a disservice to your engine.

It served the 327 in my burb well for it's entire life of hard use, and to this day whuddya know the engine is still around after 40+ years later.

[chewychevy67]

im using mine with oil. i dont drive mine a ton and love the vintage look of it when i pop the hood.

[bmfm64]

Apparently I'm gonna have to find a 4 barrel base cause this thing is growing on me!

[eagleuh1]

My engine had 164,000 ihtink when pulled. Had the oil bath air cleaner. When rebuilt they just cleaned up the cylinders, no boring required. Everything else looked good on it. Chevy said this filter was used for extreme duty, dusty conditions. Go figure.

[oldblue1968chevy]

now i want one, why would the factory delete this option?>

[ChevLoRay]

Originally Posted by oldblue1968chevy

now i want one, why would the factory delete this option?>

Labor and material savings. Later, it would be a weight issue. Those oil bath air cleaners (what they were called), were heavy. They were a pain to clean, if you worked in a gas station (yeah, back when gas was 33.9/gal and you could get full service for a dollar's worth of gas). We loved it when a car came in with a paper filter. Dad bought a new Ford in '59, and it was paper. Lower-profile hoods are another reason for the change from oil-bath, to paper elements. I'm surprised at how low the profile is on the air cleaners you posted. Don't know how much oil they held, nor how large the filter element is, but the older ones were about the size of a toilet and almost as heavy.

After these came out as standard equipment, gas stations had filter checkers that used a light bulb to let the customer know if their filter was clean, or not.

Lots of things have changed over time. Our diesel school buses use several filters, but the air filters are about half the size of a washing machine and about half the price, too.