Air Filter Cleaning

[Firechickenzz]

Does anyone have directions on cleaning the original mesh air filter for 1936?

I looked in the EFV8 Book for 35/36 and didn't see anything. I also searched the forum and couldn't find anything conclusive either.

I'm assuming its something along the lines of soak in parts cleaner and then mist with 30wt oil.

I'm guessing its also a good idea to replace the mesh once and a while.

Andy

 

[ford38v8]

Andy, slosh it around in a bucket with old gasoline, hit it with a garden hose spray, set it in the sun to dry. Back in the bucket with motor oil, drip dry. 1936 air cleaners do not easily come apart to replace the mesh as the later versions do, but it can be done. Use a copper Chore Boy pot scrubber for replacement. They have a single electric weld holding the mesh in a ball, which will release with some wiggling, then it opens up nicely for use in your air cleaner, so nicely that it will pass inspection on the Concourse.

 

[blownford]

For a few years I collected early Ford air cleaners and restored and modified a few.

Yeah, you are supposed to wash them in gasoline and then re-oil the mesh. The paint and decals generally don't hold up on restored cleaners with the gas.



Restoring one to original can be a challenge to get the square wire mesh into the housing while retaining some skin on your fingers The copper mesh isn't a problem



I did a modified version using a K&N filter and posted it years ago on the EFV8 site.
Works good.

 

[miniceptor86]

Safety police here. Naptha (sp?) available at the hardware store works, doesn’t usually harm paint or decals. Hot water and Dawn (for ducks) works well on my dirt bike K&N’s.

 

[ford38v8]

Safety police here. Naptha (sp?) available at the hardware store works, doesn’t usually harm paint or decals. Hot water and Dawn (for ducks) works well on my dirt bike K&N’s.

You don't want anything in your engine that isn't welcome there. While those products will clean well, wouldn't you rather have gasoline residue than some alien chemical in there? Same reason you don't sandblast anything that can allow sand into the internals. The cleaning is for the copper mesh anyway, not the outer can.





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[Firechickenzz]

I use Blaster Parts Washer solvent or Diesel fuel for cleaning.

I cant believe people are still using gasoline in 2024. One spark to those fumes and boom.

I was able to pickup a restored 1937 Air Filter which is easier to service.

 

[wga]

Gasoline for cleaning? Latent heat of vaporization of gasoline is very low compared to other solvents. Diesel is what we used in the USN. Alien cleaning agents under the hood! Who knew?
BTW nice 36. Drove through Elgin many times on my way to Marengo and S. Beloit.