41 cad air filter

[alan e feltham,clc 11926]

On Aug 20,2005, Bill Inger and Paul Ayres mentioned that a CA148 FRAM air filter could be used in place of the oil bath system. I bought a CA148...it will not come close to fitting in the original air filter-what am I missing ?  Regards, Alan

[Paul Ayres #5640]

Alan - My car is in storage, and I do not have a filter to measure to give you the size, but unless the filter you bought was mis-labeled, it should slip right into the can, after you remove the guts and wipe out the oil from the bottom.  Paul

[Bill Ingler CLC 7799]

Hi Alan- The CA 148 FRAM airfilter measures 8 1/4 inches diameter by 3 1/4 inch high. Paul is correct in saying once the old oil bath element is removed, the CA 148 fits in nicely. The attached picture shows the filter in my 41-60s.

http://members.aol.com/inglerfly/AIRFjcp TARGET=_blank>http://members.aol.com/inglerfly/AIRFjcp

[alan e feltham]

Thanks - it looks as though you removed the oil bath mesh, flange, etc. - did you cut it off?..looks crimped , swedged or spotwelded..

[Bill Ingler CLC 7799]

Hi Alan- I was like you in thinking how does all that wire mesh come out, is it crimped in, is it spot welded? It is in a basket that in turn fits very tightly into the top part of the air cleaner. Unscrew the wing nut and seperate the top half of the cleaner from the bottom part which holds the oil. Take the top half of the cleaner and hold it in the same horizontal postion as it it would be on the engine. Take a small hammer and GENTLY tap on the edge of the rounded front of the top half of the air cleaner just above the wire basket holding the wire mesh. Tap all the way around the front and the basket holding the wire mesh should drop away from the rest of the cleaner. This basket fits up into the top part so closely that it looks like it is part of the whole assembly. If you still can`t get it to fall away, then GENTLY tap on the basket all the way around just under the rounded edge of the top half of the cleaner. It will come out!

[baxter culver #17184]

Bills replacement filter replaces the entire oil bath assembly.  The only original parts still used are the outer oil bath housing and the top (that connects to the carburetor).  A good and very easy conversion.

I modified the oil bath cannister by removing the mesh, sealing the base, and drilling a series of holes around the circumference of the cannister (near the base).  I then fitted a CA 146 Fram element into the modified cannister.  

The only advantage over Bills approach is that mine looks bone stock unless you peer into the depths of the oil bath between the outer housing and the base of the cannister.  Then you will see the holes and the filter fabric inside.  A lot more work for little functional benefit.  But a good excuse to be in the garage near the beer supply!

Pictures available.