Can anyone explain the pros and cons of the oil bath air cleaner?
I was deciding on rebuilding the original carb (keeping the oil bath set up) or replacing with a new carb (or multi carb) set up without the oil bath. Wondering if I would be hurting the engine in any way without it?

thanks for any insight. Ed

 

Well, I know of a 58 fire truck with a big Y block that had a bad 4-barrel carb and was replaced with an Edelbrock and adapter plate to make it fit the manifold. They kept the old oil bath air cleaner. It runs great.

 

use which ever filter you like.some say the paper filter is a little better,but unless you live in desert conditions it,s not going to make any difference.

 

And there is no reason to keep it, either, unless you are into everything being original. You have to properly dispose of the old oil when you change it. You can just throw a paper filter in the trash.

You have to clean the wire mesh filter element with gasoline or some other solvent when you change the oil. So, there's 2 contaminants you have to deal with - old oil and dirty gasoline. The paper filter does away with all that.

 

If you want the oil bath look with the paper filter there is a tech article on this site explaining how to convert the oil bath to paper filter while maintaining the stock look.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/articles/oilbath.php