Sponge air filter

[Vdubuk]

Hope this makes sense..The air filter on the carb for my aircooled vw camper is a circular ring of sponge (similar to upholstery foam) ...is there a reason for that instead of a paper filter?

 

[SZR48207]

Usually reusable and cheaper to make it conform to odd shapes.

On a car that old, I wouldn't mind running a sponge air filter.

 

[Vdubuk]

Just wash it out ..dry..and re use?.

 

[old1]

NO, do not run it DRY. After drying it saturate it with oil, (anything you use in the engine) and squeeze out all you can so that it is all coated all the way through with oil, then reinstall and go.

 

[Vdubuk]

Really?that would explain why it was slightly oily to begin with..whats the reason for that?just to catch dust?

 

[SZR48207]

Correct.

 

[Vdubuk]

Cheers guys

 

[CR94]

Oiled foam air cleaners have been used on a lot of small, cheap engines for lawnmowers, etc. My parents' '64 Buick came with one. It split at the seam, leaving a gap for dirty air to sneak through. Modern paper filters are much more efficient, I suspect.

 

[Chris142]

Your VW may have had an oil bath air filter when new. The foam is less messy and may filter better. Dirt bikes have used foam forever. A dirt bike shop will have the foam air filter oil. Chainsaw bar oil works well too.

 

[malibuguy79]

Foam is nearly useless without some sort of oil. I recommend BelRay filter oil. Much better then engine oil. Once you get it on your hands you will see lol

 

[andyd]

What year. All my 60s bugs had an oil bath air cleaner. I kept oil in them. Coincidentally, I washed the Toro's foam filter today. The go fast guys use K+N oiled filters.

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

Toilet paper and/or foram. Yes sir, that's what you want ese.