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Wet air filter media needed

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  • Wet air filter media needed

    In another thread, I found out that I'm missing the media in my wet air filter in my 54 champion. I cannot find a part number or even a picture of one to see how it looks like for my filter housing. Does anyone have any info on a replacement? I see that a vendor has the complete filter assembly, but I'd like to just get the media.

    Also, is this used in another make/model? A search on eBay comes up with a few that say it fits ford/Chevy/Studebaker/Lawnmower.

  • #2
    You don't provide much info..!

    Is this a stock air cleaner that uses oil in the reservoir, or a K&N type that used oil in the gauze media.

    Mike

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    • #3
      My filter is stock. From what I can tell, it's correct for a 54 champion sedan.

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      • #4
        It has been a while since I looked closely at a oil bath filter, but I thought the "hog bristle" looking stuff was contained in a sealed housing. Was it intended to be changeable?
        "In the heart of Arkansas."
        Searcy, Arkansas
        1952 Commander 2 door. Really fine 259.
        1952 2R pickup

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        • #5
          Originally posted by 52-fan View Post
          It has been a while since I looked closely at a oil bath filter, but I thought the "hog bristle" looking stuff was contained in a sealed housing. Was it intended to be changeable?
          My my housing is completely empty. It has only a few ounces of oil on the bottom.
          Are you saying that the "hog hair" is part of the housing?

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          • #6
            alex, here are 3 pics of my '51 wet filter. your '54 has different dimensions

            #1 shows what appears could be "hog bristle" underneath the metal squares that hold it in place. (sorry for it being out of focus). i don't see anyway to easily take the top apart. if i recall correctly, it is cleaned with kerosene, dried then oiled.
            #2 shows the bottom of the filter "box" with only oil up to the line below the carb. (the orange color is just due to camera flash).
            #3 is as it is on the car.

            unless you want the wet filter on your car for originality to your specific car, or she is driven on dirt roads (doubtful), i'd think about going with a dry air cleaner. as stated, i don't see how the top filter media can be replaced. others may have better info.
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            ... i just looked at the Studebaker International catalog. they have the complete wet air cleaner for a '54 Champion - part# 533103 at $120. it obviously is different looking than the '51, but appears to operate about the same.

            hope this helps!
            Kerry. SDC Member #A012596W. ENCSDC member.

            '51 Champion Business Coupe - (Tom's Car). Purchased 11/2012.

            '40 Champion. sold 10/11. '63 Avanti R-1384. sold 12/10.

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            • #7
              Kerry, thanks for the pictures, it helps.
              I thought the filtering element was a separate piece. Apparently its not. As stated before, my housing is completely empty.
              Unfortunately, I do drive on dirt roads at times. I live in the country, (outside Monte Alto, Texas if you want to Google) surrounded by fields and pastures. In fact, sugar cane burning season is about to start. We have lots of "black snow" in the air when the cane is burned.

              Wet or dry, I'll be getting a new filter then. I'll bet modern dry media has to be better than the dry media available 60 years ago.

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              • #8
                I think that the original media was "excelsior"; that is, wood shavings. The absorbed dust could be washed out with gasoline every few thousand miles and then the fibers re-oiled with common motor oil. While they stopped some dust, they were probably only 60-80% efficient. The modern pleated non-woven filters are much better, if you can fit one in. The modern style trap much more than 90% of the particles and trap smaller particles, as well, and provide more filter surface area. I think the excelsior got replaced by copper wool as time went on, and before pleated paper. You can buy a "Chore Boy" copper wool pot scrubber at the local grocery store and use that to replace the excelsior. One of the advantages of excelsior is that if a piece broke off and went through the carb, it would just burn in the engine. A metallic copper bit won't burn but probably can't cause damage - I said "probably", so don't quote me.

                I learned some this on the day that the excelsior retainer came loose in my M5 truck's air cleaner. It fell down to the carb intake and nearly blocked the air flow, making the engine run very rich, no power. On my way home from a distant zone meet, the truck finally stalled going up a long hill. It would not re-start and we took the flatbed home for 50 miles. It took a few days to figure out that a wad of oily excelsior was blocking the path through the air cleaner. While I took the air cleaner off a couple of times and looked into the carb, it wasn't until I looked UP into the oil-filled air cleaner that I saw the hunk of excelsior. I pushed it back into place, put a couple of spot welds into the retainer disk, and it's been good for 5 or more years.
                Gary Ash
                Dartmouth, Mass.

                '32 Indy car replica (in progress)
                ā€™41 Commander Land Cruiser
                '48 M5
                '65 Wagonaire Commander
                '63 Wagonaire Standard
                web site at http://www.studegarage.com

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                • #9
                  again, if originality isn't high on your list - you may want to go with a K&N type filter - or similar product - with a "air cleaner box" that fits the carb and the area around it, including hood fitment. here's some info:
                  K&NĀ® High-Flow Air Filtersā„¢ are washable, reusable, and engineered to last for the life of your vehicle. The official site for K&NĀ® filtration.


                  you should be able to find/order something that fits at a FLAPS (Friendly Local Auto Parts Store), or online.
                  Kerry. SDC Member #A012596W. ENCSDC member.

                  '51 Champion Business Coupe - (Tom's Car). Purchased 11/2012.

                  '40 Champion. sold 10/11. '63 Avanti R-1384. sold 12/10.

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                  • #10
                    why not try some of that blue furnace filter material. its like a plastic and is washable and its corse. Im thinking ist a lot like that hog hair material that is found in many oil bath air filters. Other than using a bunch of pot scrubbers im not sure where you may find the original stuff.
                    sigpic

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                    • #11
                      How about installing stainles steel pot scrubbing material...

                      Something like this...

                      Quickly remove baked-on food from grills, ovens, cookware and more with this 3M 84CC Scotch-Briteā„¢ 50g stainless steel scrubber! This versatile scrubber can be used wet or dry and is made of a tough single wire strand to eliminate the potential unraveling hassle of multiple ends. Its high quality 400 series stainless steel construction ensures this scrubber won't rust or splinter and will effectively resist corrosion from exposure to hot water, detergents, and normal cleaning chemicals. br>
                      While Supplies Last!


                      HTIH (Hope The Info Helps)

                      Jeff


                      Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please. Mark Twain



                      Note: SDC# 070190 (and earlier...)

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                      • #12
                        An update to what I found....
                        Iv'e only taken the filter off once to inspect it since I bought the car and remember the housing was empty. I took it off this afternoon hoping to find tabs or something that I missed the first time that would hold the media to maybe replace it with one of the mentioned suggestions. What I didn't notice the first time was the bottom part of the upper half was completely cut out. The bolt that is tack welded on the top of the housing that mounts to the bracket underneath is double nut-ed on it inside so it wouldn't bottom out. Why?? From what I'm reading on the net, it may be an attempt at a dry filter conversion.

                        So, I'm going to dig out a Hudson Hornet dry filter that I have somewhere in my stack of parts. It looks similar to the stock Stude dry filter. If it works...great. If not, I'll get a new one from SI.

                        Thanks for all of your help

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                        • #13
                          French Lake Auto Parts, or another yard might have one for a good price. FLAP 320-286-2560

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                          • #14
                            "why not try some of that blue furnace filter material"

                            Used that stuff re-create a filter for my under the floor Climatizer.
                            Soaked in oil and drained, and a success!
                            Guess you'd have to consider the high temp of the engine compartment, and if yours is not a "reach across" filter, then the risk of backfires?

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                            • #15
                              I have an original wet filter for my '59 Lark VIII w/Stromberg 2Bbl. Does anyone recall having seen reference to a dry filter element being compatible with the wet-type housing, in lieu of the oil? For the sake of simplicity and avoiding the oily mess, I think I'd like to consider the swap...
                              JSC

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