Allis Chalmers C air cleaner

[Mic736]

On the Allis Chalmers C air cleaner . Above the oil, there's a grid in the upper part. Is there steel wool ( like mesh ) on top of this grid? Or is there nothing else?
If there's only the grid, then only the visible part of the grid would need cleaning?

 

[yorke]

On the Allis Chalmers C air cleaner . Above the oil, there's a grid in the upper part. Is there steel wool ( like mesh ) on top of this grid? Or is there nothing else?
If there's only the grid, then only the visible part of the grid would need cleaning?
View attachment 151229

My 1938 Allis B. Is the same style, I have not cleaned yet. Still got issues with Bent Steering column to fix.
Good luck

 

[Powered By IH]

On the Allis Chalmers C air cleaner . Above the oil, there's a grid in the upper part. Is there steel wool ( like mesh ) on top of this grid? Or is there nothing else?
If there's only the grid, then only the visible part of the grid would need cleaning?
View attachment 151229

You are correct, there is a lot of mesh material above that screen (or supposed to be anyways).
Usually the best practice to clean it is to use a parts washer or a bunch of brake clean and flush out everything that way. There is generally no reason to take it apart further unless it is severely clogged.

The older way of cleaning them was to dunk it in a bucket of kerosene/gasoline and slosh it around, but is generally not recommended anymore due to safety concerns.

Good luck!

 

[Bob Bancroft]

On the Allis Chalmers C air cleaner . Above the oil, there's a grid in the upper part. Is there steel wool ( like mesh ) on top of this grid? Or is there nothing else?
If there's only the grid, then only the visible part of the grid would need cleaning?
View attachment 151229

We got the bright idea once of taking the guts apart on our WD air cleaner. That was a mistake. I don't think we ever got all of that mesh back in there. The bees wings we got in there from running the corn sheller wouldn't hurt the engine anyway.

 

[Mic736]

Has anyone done an air filter swap with a similar one, a paper cartridge type used in modern cars?
This would require replacing the entire filter and its housing.
You would need to find a model with similar dimensions in diameter and height, as well as for the air intake and outlet holes leading to the carburetor.
This would simplify maintenance and would likely improve engine performance.