Is an air filter needed ?

[Russ/40]

When servicing your modern car, how often do you see sand collecting in places on your engine. All the time! I think in this day it's a very reasonable thing to do.

[Louis]

I was thinking about putting an air filter on my 31, But from the info. I get here from the guy's who know best,...... No air filter for me.

[Logan]

Do not put an air filter on your car, unless you are using a down draft carb. It is a fire starter. I cant tell you how many times ive had to tell people this. Gas drips down into the filter, and as soon as it backfires it will ignite causing a fire. I drove a coupe for over 25k miles with no air filter and motor is still running just fine without it. the only reason i have a filter now, is because i run a down draft 2 barrel carb. Having a filter has benefits, but not enough to risk catching the car on fire. These old motors are tuff and can withstand a lot, and i see no reason to risk it and put a filter on an updraft.

[modeleh]

I'm in the camp that goes without a filter, mainly for the possibility of a fire starter. This discussion did trigger a thought about the tractors of the day in dusty fields they used oil bath filters. Maybe that would be the best, to have an oil bath mounted above the head, with a pipe coming down to the carb. And it would look era correct.

[FL&WVMIKE]

The Air-Maze filter will keep out "large rocks and small birds". I read this about 50 years ago, somewhere. It's true !
MIKE

[Benson]

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Here is some info on tests that Chris Pelikan did on air filters:

http://www.model-a.org/filtering_air_into_carb.html

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Originally Posted by modeleh

I'm in the camp that goes without a filter, mainly for the possibility of a fire starter. This discussion did trigger a thought about the tractors of the day in dusty fields they used oil bath filters. Maybe that would be the best, to have an oil bath mounted above the head, with a pipe coming down to the carb. And it would look era correct.

I see this oil bathsetup on a lot of the A's on the Buenes Aires, Argentina website.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Originally Posted by Mike

No they are not needed

mike

Yes, they are NEEDED! Just run your finger around the carb air inlet and feel the grit that grinds away your piston rings!

[BrianBurkert]

I used to worry about clean air until I learned that the babbit bearings will crap out and bust up before dirty air does any noticeable harm. :-)

[Rowdy]

One of the A chassis I brought home several years ago was a haysweep. It had an aircleaner from a McCormick Deering Tractor bolted to the side of the cowl and a hose to the carburetor. Looked like a more than adequate aircleaner. Rod

[cars56]

No, seems to richen the carb mixture I have heard

[Special Coupe Frank]

Pepsi Mechanic,

If you have a new or relatively fresh engine, and are putting lots of miles on the vehicle, I would recommend air and oil filtration.

If you are "just doing shows and parades", going w/o is probably not going to cause any more harm than was done back in the 1930's ...

[Pepsi Mechanic]

Originally Posted by Special Coupe Frank

Pepsi Mechanic,

If you have a new or relatively fresh engine, and are putting lots of miles on the vehicle, I would recommend air and oil filtration.

If you are "just doing shows and parades", going w/o is probably not going to cause any more harm than was done back in the 1930's ...

Totally agree ... she is off ... she runs better .. it is staying off ..

[Wick]

I got rid of all my Air maze filters,broke a ear on my best Zenith carb. Filter almost caught fire one time. I do run the engine pans. Im only driving 200 miles a year in the Truck. The Speedster will have a filter on a Holley 1904 carb feeding it.
Wick

[Milton]

Naaaah, I don't need no stinking air cleaner.

[Robert]

Henry Ford didn't feel that his product required an air filter through 1931. However, something or someone must have changed his mind about this requiement shortly afterwards, as Ford vehicles equipped with V8 engines had air filters.

[MrTube]

Henry Ford also did not feel automatic timing advance was necessary. Guess what, he was wrong.

[Glenn C.]

Originally Posted by Clydes 31 P/U

I use one, alot of folks say that you don't need one but in my area and on some of the roads I run on, some times the dust can get pretty thick from the farmers fields. For me it's cheap insurance and a little piece of mind. The element I use is the K&N E2190.

30 Tudor runs the same configuration of air filter on his car, other than he fabricated a steel shield that fits over the top side of the filter, between the filter and the carburetor. The primary purpose is to prevent fuel that might leak from the carburetor running down into the filter. How successful it will be....has yet to be determined on hot days. Shield covers the top 1/3 of the filter running lengthways.

[Glenn C.]

Originally Posted by Benson

Glenn,

What is diameter and length of the filter element please?

Thanks

The filter I am using is 3"x4" with a 1-7/8" inlet throat opening. I purchased mine from [email protected] , 2 or 3yrs back. Drop him an email, and I am sure he can provide additional information including air flow rate, if that is information you need.

IMO just a lot better than none, or even with the original Air-Maze, which just kept small rocks, and seed pods from the grasses and weeds being sucked into the carb.

[Tom Wesenberg]

The Air Maze would catch more dust if the screen was oiled. This was a common type filter on some older small engines. Once in a while the wire screen was rinsed in gasoline and reoiled.