Wondering about the oil bath air filter on the 352

jacobd · Post by **jacobd** » October 12, 2009, 2:43 pm

Is there any advantage to this? Do most of you keep them on or change them to the newer style?

JD

Edit: I ask this because the link to maintaining the oil bath air cleaners on the main page is broken. Otherwise...

greenindian · Post by **greenindian** » October 12, 2009, 5:59 pm

I've kept mine in my truck. Looks cool and works just fine.

jacobd · Post by **jacobd** » October 12, 2009, 9:27 pm

Yeah! I like mine too. I want to repaint it black and add replacement stickers. I just don't know how to clean it. Do I just dump the oil scrub it down/wipe it off and fill it back up. Some how that seems way to simple.

ezernut9mm · Post by **ezernut9mm** » October 12, 2009, 9:40 pm

that's about it jacob. you can rinse it out with (edit, i originally said gas, but i guess i shouldn't recommend that) kerosene or diesel to get all the particles out of the "brillo pad".

Tech · Post by **Tech** » October 13, 2009, 1:21 am

On the construction equipment that I used to maintain we would take a putty knife and scrape the dirt from the bottom of the oil reservoir where it settles then top the oil back off.
I have noticed that engines with oil bath air cleaners are more likely to turn over after sitting for many years then ones with paper filters.
Tech

DV65CustomCab · Post by **DV65CustomCab** » October 13, 2009, 6:56 am

Be sure to change the oil periodically, and not just ignore it. Remember, water is heavier than petroleum so the water will get to the bottom and can rust out the air cleaner base over time.

BarnieTrk · Post by **BarnieTrk** » October 13, 2009, 8:00 am

Yep, the oil will also start to dry out and turn into a little ring of tar if left unattended. So, depending on driving frequency (causing heating of the oil), outside temperatures, etc. I'd check the condition of the oil with my finger every two months to see how it's doing...... If it's looking kinda cruddy, I'd simply wipe it out with old newspaper and refill with new oil. As far as cleaning the 'brillo pad', I wouldn't worry about it much - maybe cleaning it with diesel fuel once a year.

Back in the day, I mainly cleaned/changed the liquid oil every couple of months; but I also ran the truck on many gravel/dusty roads back then too. If I was only running paved roads, maybe it would have lasted longer.

BarnieTrk

Missouri66 · Post by **Missouri66** » October 13, 2009, 4:22 pm

I just clean mine when I change the crankcase oil. Dump it in with the other used oil, knock the big chunks off the brillo pad and refill with 30 wt.

greenindian · Post by **greenindian** » October 13, 2009, 4:54 pm

If you don't want to use diesel/gas/kerosene to clean it out with you can use something called "Simple Green" to clean out the copper mesh screen in the air filter. The others all work great but I don't have a realy good way to dispose of the other solvents in my neighborhood and Simple Green is a lot safer to handle and store in my house than an open tub/parts cleaner with gas/kerosene or diesel.

I'd spray Simple Green on near full strength, let it set it and then rise it all off with hot clean water. Of course you'll have to use either compressed air to dry it off or let it sit for a day or two in the hot sun to help ensure the element dries sufficiently to reinstall with 30 wt. That's how I've been doing it yearly on my truck and it works great.

Wondering about the oil bath air filter on the 352

Wondering about the oil bath air filter on the 352

oil bath air cleaners

oil bath cleaner