Air Filter or not

I was told over 40 years ago that the air maze air filters were only good for keepin low flying birds out of your engine…..

Also more Model A fires have been started by running a paper element filter hanging off the carb. Sooner or later a leaky carb will give you a gas soaked paper element filter. One backfire and that’s all she wrote……
 
modela@aol.com said:
Also more Model A fires have been started by running a paper element filter hanging off the carb. Sooner or later a leaky carb will give you a gas soaked paper element filter. One backfire and that’s all she wrote……
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Maybe you should repair the leaking carburetor? There is no reason a carburetor should be leaking if in good shape.
 
The Master Cylinder said:
Maybe you should repair the leaking carburetor? There is no reason a carburetor should be leaking if in good shape.
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In a perfect world the car wouldn't drip a drop of oil or lose a single oz of coolant either

Carburetor could be leak free for years and then one day on your way to lunch a tiny bit of gunk from the tank works its way in between the needle and the seat. Before you know it that filter is a ticking time bomb and one unforeseeable backfire could send another Model A to the scrapyard and possibly anyone onboard to the burn ward.
 
Banditorama said:
Carburetor could be leak free for years and then one day on your way to lunch a tiny bit of gunk from the tank works its way in between the needle and the seat. Before you know it that filter is a ticking time bomb and one unforeseeable backfire could send another Model A to the scrapyard and possibly anyone onboard to the burn ward.
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If you properly maintain your car you should not have these issues. Model A carburetors have weep holes in the throat. If you see gas dripping on your engine pans, find the problem and fix it.

I can't even recall the last time my engine backfired :confused:
 
So some here think that not having a filter on the motor is ok?

I was always schooled by some good mechanics that it is a good way to
shorten the life of a motor. I bet Ford enjoyed it. More business for the
dealerships.
 
Dino's A said:
So some here think that not having a filter on the motor is ok?

I was always schooled by some good mechanics that it is a good way to
shorten the life of a motor. I bet Ford enjoyed it. More business for the
dealerships.
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Most other cars of the Model A era had some type of rudimentary or basic air filter or cyclone type device to separate particulates out of the air stream. 1928 Chevy had a crude can type cyclone affair that also served as part of the preheating system. My former 1926 Buick came from the factory with a cyclone type of can on the carb inlet.

The idea being as the air was drawn in, the heavier dirt particles would be spun by centrifugal force and exit through a slot or hole on the bottom of the canister.
 
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I use an original AirMaze. If you clean it once a year and then oil it, it collects a LOT of dirt. I have had no issues with it affecting my fuel/air mix. I've ran it for many years.
 
I have been hesitant in posting my experience with an air filter because it does not apply to most Model A's. I run the two barrel down draft Weber carburetor with an air filter. I recently found an air filter that is taller than what came with the car that I believe gives me a little better performance. I also have an electric fuel pump. The Weber is designed to use an air filter. I discovered, quite by accident, that the fuel pump cuts off the fuel flow to the Weber when not being powered. The float bowel for the Weber is below the level of gasoline in the tank so without the cutoff from the pump it could leak if the float valve was damaged or contaminated. So I have quit cutting off the fuel with the valve under the tank unless I want to run the carburetor dry for storage of the car or another reason.
 
jg61hawk said:
I can say this: Would you take the air filter off your new modern car?
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I think that this comment says it all.

60 years running Model A’s and I have always used an air filter.

Even my CPAC machine has an air filter.

Enjoy.
 
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