Oil Bath Air Filter

[JohnL]

[Dwain G.]

The oil runs to the rear because the engine sits a little lower in the rear as mounted. Fill the air filter again and place a white paper towel under it (cut and fit around the carb base if needed) and you should find your leak.

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Dwain G.

[warrlaw1]

I have an oil bath I picked up for my 259 but we sandblasted it a little for the resto and it showed lots of tiny holes, probably from sitting dry for so long. I guess it could be filled or repaired, but I also picked up a beauty dry filter with most original decals intact. This 55 car was originally sold in Ohio and I understand that different filters were used for different distribution areas. If I want to be "correct", did an Ohio car have oil bath or dry? Thanks all!

[mbstude]

On my '59 pickup, we cut the 'innards' out of the oil bath filter, and stuck a dry element filter in there.

It looks original and works great. No oil spills either.

Matthew Burnette
Hazlehurst, GA

[55s]

Oil bath filters are notorious (some 50 years later) for the bottom "tank" to have many rust pinholes. (Just hold it up to the light.)

They work well, and are cheap, if you don't have the pinholes.

Paul

[tbredehoft]

I have two cars orginally sold in Ohio, a 53 Coupe and a 55 Pres. The coupe had a paper filter, (dry) the 55 had the oil bath. Was the difference beetween near Lake Erie (dry) and near Columbus (wet)? I'll never know.

[img=left]http://www.alink.com/personal/tbredehoft/Avatar1.jpg[/img=left]
Tom Bredehoft
'53 Commander Coupe (since 1959)
'55 President (6H Y6) State Sedan
(Under Construction 540 hrs.)
'05 Legacy Ltd Wagon
All Indiana built cars

[StudeRich]

Warrlaw1: I would put the most efficient and easiest to maintain type, the Dry Type you have on it, and forget original or not, either is OK!

quote:Originally posted by warrlaw1

/Cut/but I also picked up a beauty dry filter with most original decals intact. This 55 car was originally sold in Ohio and I understand that different filters were used for different distribution areas. If I want to be "correct", did an Ohio car have oil bath or dry? Thanks all!

JohnL: if the round Truck type oil bath air cleaner is anything like the car remote silencer type, it had a 1/4" rubber gasket between the hogs hair element and the oil reservoir, if it is missing the element would be sunk too deep in the oil and could cause the engine to suck the oil out!
Also on a V-8 Truck engine, would it not be mounted level, and the car Manifold they used then be tipped FORWARD because it was machined for a car engine that sat tail down?


StudeRich at Studebakers Northwest -Ferndale,WA

[warrlaw1]

Thanks Bob and Rich. The 55 coupe shall have the dry filter. 30 years ago I ran a 55 coupe without a filter at all (dumb, I know). One backfire through the carb and I had an oil fire. Put it out with a blanket and was on my way. Older and wiser, now, I hope!

[JohnL]

Thanks everyone. More later after I get a chance to investigate more thoroughly....I spent a lot of time with this filter cleaning and re-mounting it...I look carefully for leaks...didn't see any but will have to check again when the weather warms a little.