how to clean oil bath filter?

[pimp ride]

Hi,
New to the MB and diesel world. What's the best way to clean an oil bath filter?
Thanks

[Addicted]

Easy as pie,

Take out filter, dump out oil, use paper towel to clean out gunk on the bottom and all oil.

As for the filter, not really sure the "best way" or how easy it is toget a new fitler element. I've never looked (I'll do that when I have a bit more time). But I would guess any solvent or brake cleaner might work, but may be unecesary as oil can be dirty as it wants as long as it still catches more dirt, and I think just putting new oil in there would work more than fine.

If you find any info on the oil filter replacement post it as I would like toknow as well

[kitchenrat]

the best way to deal with an oil bath filter is to remove it and throw it away, then use a little imagination and effort to devise a pleated paper filter replacement.

[Matt L]

I have to agree with throwing it out. I'd be worried about all that oil in the intake air stream.

[Addicted]

I don't know what you mean about throwing it out but I think you mean finding another one. As I think the oil filter baths do a better job than a paper element they "upgraded to" would. I think paper would work fine, but looking at my filter I think it is some sort of metal. Never really messed with it that much but it looks a lot like an sos pad. I'm sure if you could get some steel cloth and stuff it in there it might work....might be to fine though.

[Ralph69220d]

Originally Posted by Addicted

I don't know what you mean about throwing it out but I think you mean finding another one. As I think the oil filter baths do a better job than a paper element they "upgraded to" would. I think paper would work fine, but looking at my filter I think it is some sort of metal. Never really messed with it that much but it looks a lot like an sos pad. I'm sure if you could get some steel cloth and stuff it in there it might work....might be to fine though.

Yes, it's basically aluminum (possibly steel) long shavings. You can clean it by pouring gas or any other solvent through it, from top to bottom, into a container, then keep pouring it through, then change the solvent, do it a few more times and that's it. I believe oil bath filters are very effective filters. They require cleaning rather than tossing away like a paper filter. I've kept my oil bath air filter on my 220D and see no reason to change to paper.

[Lycoming-8]

When the 220D was the daily driver, I took the actual filter section and submerged it in a suitably sized container of diesel and sloshed it up and down. Changed the diesel and repeated once. Set it aside to drain for quite a while, then put new oil in the housing as per 'Addicted' and reassembled. Kinda messy, but seemd to work ok.

[kitchenrat]

the efficiency of paper filters is measured in microns. one micron=29millionth of an inch. an oil bath filter is measured by the number of golf balls it might keep out of your engine.

[pimp ride]

How much oil do you put in the housing?

[t walgamuth]

i dont know the microns for an oil bath, but they always had a good reputation for doing a good job if in clean and correct operating condition. the main problem with them is that they require someone to actually maintain them and clean them occasionally. when they are old and full of dirt and maybe the oil is mostly gone, then they dont work worth squat, so a paper element is simple and is a "dumbed down" way to do the job. and it is simple and easy to change.

but if you jury rig something and it falls apart and you intake dirty air, you can do a lot of damage pretty quickly so be careful with that too.

the oil baths are a little more effort to use but do a good job if you are willing to stick with them and keep them clean.

should be cheaper too.

oh and once you get it clean there is a line scribed inside to fill to.

tom w

[vox_incognita]

I follow the Service manual instructions and as Lycoming-8 said,I put it in a filled with diesel fuel bucket,shake it from time to time....leave it for some time there...the wait for the fuel to drain,soak it with small amount of oil and it`s ok. Fill the fuel housing with motor oil to the marking..Lye ,spirits or gasolene would destroy the mesh (it`s not only metal in there...)

[Ralph69220d]

Originally Posted by kitchenrat

the efficiency of paper filters is measured in microns. one micron=29millionth of an inch. an oil bath filter is measured by the number of golf balls it might keep out of your engine.

I don't know the specs on a well-designed oil bath cleaner, but a lot of diesel semi's & farm tractors still use them so I suspect the comparison would probably favor the oil bath.

[Pete Burton]

Please keep your oil bath filter. Properly used it does a great job. I believe I've used kerosene to wash out an oil bath filter before.

[dabenz]

Air filters changed from oil to paper to reduce maintenance labor costs, not because they're a better filter. I have a little tractor, 53 years young, going strong because of all that oil and steel (and brass) wool. I'll convert a gas 6 cylinder pickup to oil bath if any with a 5 cylinder diesel want to part with their "junk" oil bath filter.

[psfred]

If the amount of crud in the bottom of my 220D's oil bath air cleaner is any indication, it does a much better job than a paper filter.

The oil bath filter doesn't work on a particle vs hole size principle -- it actually mixes oil with the air, and then removes the oil. All the dirt sticks to the oil,and collects on the bottom where it stays. They really do a very good job if they have the correct amount of oil in them.

Note that if you have blowby issues, they will get overfull from oil draining down the intake hose. Better than blowing it into the engine, which is where it goes on engines with paper filter....

Peter