Alternate Dry Air Filter Option?

1941 - 1945, MB, GPW modifications, sugestions, and ideas, official MWO's and unofficial WWII field mods NO EBAY or COMMERCIAL SALES.
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Alternate Dry Air Filter Option?

Post by signsup » Tue Sep 15, 2015 8:08 am

My oil bath air filter has a cracked lower lid and I've got enough oily residue blowing around my engine bay. I looked at the Fram air filter conversion and the foam gaskets and getting it all to fit, etc., and had a brain fart. In my ink production days, we used a lot of mesh filters. So I was wondering if I took a yard or two of the nylon mesh fabric that is sold in fabric and hobby stores and bunch it up and cram it into the air filter housing, if it would serve as a "better than nothing" air filter. Depending on the size of the mesh and how many times it was bunched up on itself, I would think it would be a fair dry filter to at least keep the big stuff out of the carb. Depending on the driving conditions, pull it out and shake it clean and stuff it back in.

Worth the $1.99 a yard for the stuff to give it a try?
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Re: Alternate Dry Air Filter Option?

Post by Chuck Lutz » Tue Sep 15, 2015 8:20 am

Lots of Air Cleaners have had water accumulate in the cup and pin-holes develop over time. You will find them brazed up on the inside to seal the leak and that works just fine. Maybe you can repair the cup on yours in this way?
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Re: Alternate Dry Air Filter Option?

Post by Joe Gopan » Tue Sep 15, 2015 8:41 am

NOS Surplus Cups are available from the dealers, the majority will be M-38 and M-38A1 which are the same dimension and fit. The later cups for the M-38A1 have a little handle inside the cup to enable it to be lifted from inside the housing. Only outside difference is that they do not have the "H" on the bottom like early cups. It is impossible to see any difference when installed. I have one on my MB.
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Re: Alternate Dry Air Filter Option?

Post by signsup » Tue Sep 15, 2015 9:26 am

Well, the soldering or brazing may be beyond me, but I was thinking ofmaybe some JB Weld or a heavy coat of POR 15 that wuld seal the cracks and then try the oil cup. Is there a gasket that is used? Or just the friction fit.
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Re: Alternate Dry Air Filter Option?

Post by Joe Gopan » Tue Sep 15, 2015 9:35 am

There is a gasket. You will be happier replacing the cup and have a more efficient Air Filter.
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Re: Alternate Dry Air Filter Option?

Post by Chuck Lutz » Thu Sep 17, 2015 3:08 pm

Removing the air cleaner can result in an oil spill...especially if the small gasket that the cup rides on is missing or damaged. If you replace it then the cup should seal to the body of the air cleaner and you will avoid a spill if you happen to tip the air cleaner to one side or the other during install or removal.


Be sure to check the oil level in the cup occasionally especially if you drive in a dusty, dirty, bug infested environment and to insure no water that will rust it out has accumulated. I swap out the oil in the cup when I do an oil change on the jeep and use the oil I would otherwise be recycling in it. Not the sludgy stuff at the bottom of the drain pan though!
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Re: Alternate Dry Air Filter Option?

Post by Joe Gopan » Fri Sep 18, 2015 7:03 am

Converting to paper alters that "signature" muffled sound of the Jeep engine during acceleration.
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Re: Alternate Dry Air Filter Option?

Post by Marty, SoCal » Sat Oct 03, 2015 8:42 am

Using the Diesel Nissan air filter element like I do for a conversion will allow you to use a pin holed rusty cover without issue. It's a little more work than the typical conversion and costs a bit more, but it's not that much more expensive and you get a bigger air filter element.

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=208791&p=1222801&h ... n#p1222801

Ben, I can't tell any difference in that typical jeep engine sound before or after the conversion. I've had my GPW converted since the mid 80's
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Re: Alternate Dry Air Filter Option?

Post by Rod Rushton » Tue Dec 15, 2015 11:45 am

I make and offer these dry element Air Filter kits for the oil bath type unit as replacements.
Part of the kit is the seal between the oil pan and the body. I make these using nitrile "O" ring stock, 4.88mm/0.192" thick, as this is sold by running length, I cut a piece 525mm / 20 5/8"and use superglue to join the ends, making the ring
I found the original ones more often than not were either missing, petrified or broken up.
The prototype on my own jeep has done 3000 miles since 2011 without any problem, and when I checked it recently, was found to be in good condition - although the driving conditions here are damp rather than dusty!
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