Is an air filter needed ?

[Pepsi Mechanic]

Is an air filter needed on these engines ? Originally they did not have one , am I correct ..

[Mike]

No they are not needed

mike

[J Franklin]

Might as well take the ones off our modern rigs also since air filters are not needed.

[gunmetal blue]

They will help your engine to last longer. without you get dirt and sand in your engine. This also gets in your valve and pistons. Will make your engine wear out faster.

[A-Jay]

I run a Air maze type of filter. Its not fram quality by any means but it should keep out the big stuff and also it services as a spark arestor in case of a back fire when the engine pan might have some fuel laying on it. The filter part Its not much more than 2-3 layers of window screen and is made of metal not paper, can't have very much air restriction.


CARBURETOR AIR MAZE For Year(s): 28-31

This was a Ford approved accessory beginning in Sept. ’29. It is used as a fire arrester and air filter. ID is 1 7/8" for carburetor. Will only fit Zenith Carburetors.

[Glenn C.]

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My preference is to use an air filter, due the the sand and grit that is disturbed on what a person believes is very clean pavement. Once in awhile you might need to travel on a laneway or road that is gravel also. The filter system that I prefer to use, is now being marketed by Snyders, under part nos. A-9600-HB 28-31, which is called the Hi Boy Style Air Filter. With this style, fuel can not be collected in the filter, which might ignite from the exhaust.

[John Duden]

the modern paper ones are good to have to make your engine last longer and the carb cleaner
John

[Patrick L.]

Apparently they did not have filters when new and I'm sure driving conditions were a lot dirtier than today.. The roadster had an air-maze when I bought it in '76.. I've used it, a filter and with nothing.. I noticed no real difference in performance,but, I don't run it hard.. The throat needs to be enlarged a bit for use on a Tillotson..

[1930artdeco]

I understand the arguments for and against a filter. But what about a piece of pipe that is just pointed upwards w/o a filter? I will probably put one on my brand new engine as I don't want to suck anything up.

Mike

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by 1930artdeco

I understand the arguments for and against a filter. But what about a piece of pipe that is just pointed upwards w/o a filter? I will probably put one on my brand new engine as I don't want to suck anything up.

Mike

Up, down, or sideways, you'll be sucking the same air. If you want to use a filter I'd use a balance tube. You should be able to connect the hole vent on the rear side (top center of bottom bowl) to the air filter. This will balance the air pressure on both sides of the mixture jets, so you don't enrichen the mix.

[Great Lakes Greg]

I recall a tour where a car caught on fire. The float stuck in the carb and soaked the paper element. Poof, up it went.

[Benson]

Glenn,

What is diameter and length of the filter element please?

Thanks

Originally Posted by Glenn C.

My preference is to use an air filter, due the the sand and grit that is disturbed on what a person believes is very clean pavement. Once in awhile you might need to travel on a laneway or road that is gravel also. The filter system that I prefer to use, is now being marketed by Snyders, under part nos. A-9600-HB 28-31, which is called the Hi Boy Style Air Filter. With this style, fuel can not be collected in the filter, which might ignite from the exhaust.

[Louis]

Tom,
Do you use any kind of air filter's on your "A's" ?
Does installing an air filter enrichen the mix. ? Just trying to decide. Thamks.

[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.

[Purdy Swoft]

I don't use air filters of any kind on my model A. Even with the Air maze with screen wire you will still have some degree of air flow restriction, this will not only cause loss of pep and power but will also cause a rich fuel mix and cause dilution of the oil. Dilution of the oil will not save the engine but will cause early bearing failure. If using an air filter, smell the oil on the dip stick, you will smell the gas that is diluting it.

In my younger days many of us would remove the breather on our modern cars. With the breather removed you could feel an increase in power and hear the cool moan of the four barrel. Model A's don't have four barrels or moan but they are underpowered as compaired to modern cars and don't need any restriction in power, especially if there is a chance of oil dilution and shortened bearing life. I'm not a purist but Henry didn't think that an air breather was needed.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by Louis

Tom,
Do you use any kind of air filter's on your "A's" ?
Does installing an air filter enrichen the mix. ? Just trying to decide. Thamks.

I don't have any filters on my cars, but my friend uses a long filter like Clyde's 31, which he bought from Snyder's. If I had to drive on some dirt roads, or lived by farms with the field dust, I'd want a filter.

I lived in El Paso for 2 1/2 years, while in the Army, and the last 6 months I rented a house off post. Once a month there would be a dust storm and no matter how tight you thought the house was, you'd have red fine dust all over the dishes in the cupboard, and on the bed sheets, in the closet, etc. I'd sure want a filter in those conditions.

[RcT]

I'm guessing, that with the side pans originally mounted between the engine and frame, stones, birds small animals, insects and other such stuff was deflected from the intake; and, to keep the price down and keep it simple, if it wasn't needed, don't do it... and that was in the days of mostly dirt roads. Air filters, any kind, will restrict the air flow and make the mixture run rich.

[Pepsi Mechanic]

Wow .. a ton of good info ... Our Pepsi truck just does a few parades and car shows .. I had an air filter on but without realizing it , it plugged up from the inside with carbon and I thought the carb was at fault , when it was realy just the filter ... I think going filterless is my best option ..

[Mitch//pa]

Originally Posted by Pepsi Mechanic

Wow .. a ton of good info ... Our Pepsi truck just does a few parades and car shows .. I had an air filter on but without realizing it , it plugged up from the inside with carbon and I thought the carb was at fault , when it was realy just the filter ... I think going filterless is my best option ..

good choice

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

Up, down, or sideways, you'll be sucking the same air. If you want to use a filter I'd use a balance tube. You should be able to connect the hole vent on the rear side (top center of bottom bowl) to the air filter. This will balance the air pressure on both sides of the mixture jets, so you don't enrichen the mix.

If you feel the need for a filter then the best bet is a balanced carb. Next thing if you don't want to modify your carb is to do a search on Fordbarn, there is a rather large (as compared to the airmaze) K&N filter that seems to be large enough to minimize the air restriction to the carb.

[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.

[Tacoma Bob]

Several years ago a club member gave a demonstration using a K&N sales aid. Using a K&N filter posed no air restrictions. That being said and only my opinion you don't need to air balance the carb. I have had my car set up for seven years and my plugs are not fouled and tailpipe remains gray. Car runs very well.

[CarlG]

Originally Posted by 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.

Detergent or non-detergent; single weight or multigrade; natural or synthetic????


Just kidding!

[rob mcdonald]

Originally Posted by A-Jay

I run a Air maze type of filter. Its not fram quality by any means but it should keep out the big stuff and also it services as a spark arestor in case of a back fire when the engine pan might have some fuel laying on it. The filter part Its not much more than 2-3 layers of window screen and is made of metal not paper, can't have very much air restriction.


CARBURETOR AIR MAZE For Year(s): 28-31

This was a Ford approved accessory beginning in Sept. ’29. It is used as a fire arrester and air filter. ID is 1 7/8" for carburetor. Will only fit Zenith Carburetors.

I have two paper filters with a longer piece of all thread with blue thread sealer on both the all thread, wing nut and the small bolt that hold the housing on the Zenith. Seems to work greath.