TheSamba.com :: View topic - seal/o-ring for oilbath air cleaner

Tue Apr 03, 2007 3:14 am

Anyone have a source for the seal or o-ring that goes in the lip of the bottom section (where the oil goes) of the stock Thing oilbath air cleaner? Mine is leaking as I drive and go around corners.

Wayne

Tue Apr 03, 2007 5:27 am

lewis71bug wrote: Anyone have a source for the seal or o-ring that goes in the lip of the bottom section (where the oil goes) of the stock Thing oilbath air cleaner? Mine is leaking as I drive and go around corners.

Wayne

Mine doesn't have either a seal or o-ring. Are you sure that you didn't overfill the oil? It doesn't take that much.

Tue Apr 03, 2007 6:37 am

I'm filling it to just below the red line inside the 'bowl'. Mine has a seal inside the lip/rim and I assume it is worn out. If I take the entire air cleaner out and tilt it, it does start dripping around where the two halves meet.

Tue Apr 03, 2007 7:08 am

lewis71bug wrote: I'm filling it to just below the red line inside the 'bowl'. Mine has a seal inside the lip/rim and I assume it is worn out. If I take the entire air cleaner out and tilt it, it does start dripping around where the two halves meet.

Not to ask a stupid question, but do you have the donut shaped, perforated, horse hair filled cleaning element that goes inside the bowl? On mine the cleaning element really keeps the oil from sloshing around enough to cause a problem.

Perhaps your cleaner was damaged and two halves don't mate up as they should so someone added a seal to fix the problem.

Then again, perhaps I'm missing the seal and just don't know better.

Tue Apr 03, 2007 3:21 pm

bciesq wrote: lewis71bug wrote: I'm filling it to just below the red line inside the 'bowl'. Mine has a seal inside the lip/rim and I assume it is worn out. If I take the entire air cleaner out and tilt it, it does start dripping around where the two halves meet.

Not to ask a stupid question, but do you have the donut shaped, perforated, horse hair filled cleaning element that goes inside the bowl? On mine the cleaning element really keeps the oil from sloshing around enough to cause a problem.

Perhaps your cleaner was damaged and two halves don't mate up as they should so someone added a seal to fix the problem.

Then again, perhaps I'm missing the seal and just don't know better.

Yes, I have the cleaning element installed. I'll have to check the fit of the two pieces to see if something is bent or not aligned properly. It's not a huge problem, just makes a small oily mess on that side of the engine bay.

Tue Apr 17, 2007 6:48 pm

Ok, I'm still having the problem with my aircleaner leaking oil. I cleaned up the cleaner, made sure the oil level was right, cleaned out the area on the right of the engine where it straps in removing all traces of oil, put it all back together (I have all the connections connected except the vent line from the charcoal canister, which I have plugged off), drove it for a while, and there's fresh oil all over the flat area under the air cleaner. I pulled the cleaner out carefully and see that oil is running down the back side of it from near the top.

Someone explain to me how this air cleaner functions. Is there enough suction in it to pull the oil towards the top of the cleaner? I don't see a hole or break anywhere for it leak oil in the area that it is. Is there a way to remove the filter material from the top section?

Thanks,

Wayne

Tue Apr 17, 2007 8:09 pm

Here is Bob Hoover's sermon on oilbath air cleaners: http://web.archive.org/web/19980110135225/type2.com/sermons/liturgy/oil_bath.html

Perhaps you could buy an innertube, and cut out a "gasket" to fit between the two sections.

Tue Apr 17, 2007 10:33 pm

I wonder if he just needs to bend the latch of the catch of the bath to get better snatch of the oil bath latch.... Dr Suess

Wed Apr 18, 2007 7:40 am

Bob Hoover wrote: The spec for cleaning the coir filter is to immerse it in kerosene, allowing it to soak for up to half an hour. It is then sloshed repeatedly and allowed to drain. This was done twice a year under normal driving conditions, as often as deemed necessary under dusty conditions.

That hasn't been done to that filter in at least ten years (ie, never by me when I owned it). :oops: Maybe that will cure the issue.

Thu Apr 19, 2007 3:02 am

"A picture is worth 1000 words", here's some pictures that might help -

Here you can kinda see where all the oil is leaking out:

Here you can see the oil coming out at the upper seam. Perhaps this seam has weakened?

Initially I thought it was just leaking at the lower section where the two halves are clamped together, but it appears it is leaking up at the top seam where it is either welded or crimped together. I assume the oil is either wicked or sucked up to that point?

I cleaned it thoroughly last night and let both sections of the horse hair soak for a long time in kerosene. I'm letting it air dry now before I put it all back together. I'm not sure how to fix the leak. Any ideas?

Thu Apr 19, 2007 4:20 pm

How about cleaning the metal real good with carb cleaner or brake cleaner and putting a bead of black RTV silicone around it.

Thu Apr 19, 2007 4:26 pm

Either that or braze the cracked or broken joint

Thu Apr 19, 2007 6:59 pm

Anyone know if there is a way to get the fiber out of the top portion of the air cleaner so I can clean the inside with carb cleaner or something and seal that joint from the inside? I've looked at the bottom of it, but pulling and prying hasn't removed that metal piece that holds the fiber in. I don't want to bend/break anything.

Thu Apr 19, 2007 7:04 pm

If all else fails (as usual) I have a good supply of these. And mine have nice original paint...

Fri Apr 20, 2007 7:26 pm

kubelmann wrote: If all else fails (as usual) I have a good supply of these. And mine have nice original paint...

K-mann, I'm going to try to save this one for now. I bought this from Ian, so it has history (and been in an accident)! Perhaps that is where the leak came from??? I cleaned it with brake cleaner today and put a thick bead of black rtv around the seam (around the outside, I never figured out how to get the insides out of the top portion). I'm hoping that will take care of the problem. It appears to be the original paint with some orange over spray (from Ian's Thing, I suppose?).

Wayne

Fri Apr 20, 2007 8:10 pm

That is a very cool legacy. Ian a la Lewis... That oil bath has seen the road. Literally. Fix the road warrior and run it with pride. Now, that is Thing resto. IMHO