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boom10ful
Samba Member
Joined: January 10, 2017
Posts: 158
Location: United States
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 Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2017 10:56 pm Post subject: How to clean Oil Bath Air Cleaner |
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Hi all,
So I just bought an oil bath air cleaner from the Pomona Swapmeet last week. While taking it apart I noticed that the vacuum can thing is pretty dirty and covered in oil. What would be a good way to clean it? Also, how would I remove the vacuum switch on top of the air cleaner? Would I clean that with silicone spray? Last thing, how would I test if the vacuum can thing is working? I tried sucking on it but I couldn't get it to move and seemed like air was being sucked in through a small hole on the side.
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scottyrocks
Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2016
Posts: 2664
Location: Long Island, NY
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| Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2017 5:29 am Post subject: Re: How to clean Oil Bath Air Cleaner |
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| To remove oil and grease, I begin (and usually end) with WD-40. Spray and wipe. Repeat if necessary. |
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boom10ful
Samba Member
Joined: January 10, 2017
Posts: 158
Location: United States
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| Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2017 9:37 am Post subject: Re: How to clean Oil Bath Air Cleaner |
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| Thanks! Guess I'll use that to clean the diaphragm and valve. Anyone know how to properly test the vacuum diaphragm? |
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Lingwendil
Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2009
Posts: 3988
Location: Antioch, California, a block from the hood
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| Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2017 11:28 am Post subject: Re: How to clean Oil Bath Air Cleaner |
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| boom10ful wrote: |
| Thanks! Guess I'll use that to clean the diaphragm and valve. Anyone know how to properly test the vacuum diaphragm? |
Grab a hand vacuum pump, suck it down, and see if it holds vacuum for a while. If you don't have a vacuum pump, stick a bit of hose on it, suck on it, and cap the end off with your tongue (I call this the "swap meet" test  ) to see if it holds, if it doesn't, the can is shot.
_________________
73 super beetle thread http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=649622 Back on the Road!
Modify your Kadrons for SVDA http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8115884#8115884
Cast iron VJU4BR8 SVDA reference thread- https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0
Need replacement filters for original Kadron aircleaners? WIX #42087 is a perfect fit, as is Napa Gold #2087! |
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boom10ful
Samba Member
Joined: January 10, 2017
Posts: 158
Location: United States
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| Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2017 12:31 pm Post subject: Re: How to clean Oil Bath Air Cleaner |
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| Lingwendil wrote: |
| boom10ful wrote: |
| Thanks! Guess I'll use that to clean the diaphragm and valve. Anyone know how to properly test the vacuum diaphragm? |
Grab a hand vacuum pump, suck it down, and see if it holds vacuum for a while. If you don't have a vacuum pump, stick a bit of hose on it, suck on it, and cap the end off with your tongue (I call this the "swap meet" test ) to see if it holds, if it doesn't, the can is shot. |
I guess its bad if air is sucked in through the little hole on the side when doing this test huh?  |
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borninabus
Samba R&D Dept.
Joined: May 18, 2006
Posts: 4538
Location: Arizona Highways
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| Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2017 12:59 pm Post subject: Re: How to clean Oil Bath Air Cleaner |
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| boom10ful wrote: |
| I guess its bad if air is sucked in through the little hole on the side when doing this test huh? |
yep.
never tried to repair one, but i'm sure it's possible.
use mineral spirits (paint thinner) to clean oil and grease.
_________________
88 Van WBX, A/T - 13 JSW TDI 6M/T - 2012 Touareg TDI Sport |
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boom10ful
Samba Member
Joined: January 10, 2017
Posts: 158
Location: United States
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| Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2017 1:54 pm Post subject: Re: How to clean Oil Bath Air Cleaner |
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| borninabus wrote: |
| boom10ful wrote: |
| I guess its bad if air is sucked in through the little hole on the side when doing this test huh? |
yep.
never tried to repair one, but i'm sure it's possible.
use mineral spirits (paint thinner) to clean oil and grease. |
Guess there are no NOS ones huh? Anyone know where I can find a good one? I'll try taking it apart just to see what went wrong. |
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borninabus
Samba R&D Dept.
Joined: May 18, 2006
Posts: 4538
Location: Arizona Highways
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| Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2017 7:30 pm Post subject: Re: How to clean Oil Bath Air Cleaner |
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| boom10ful wrote: |
| borninabus wrote: |
| boom10ful wrote: |
| I guess its bad if air is sucked in through the little hole on the side when doing this test huh? |
yep.
never tried to repair one, but i'm sure it's possible.
use mineral spirits (paint thinner) to clean oil and grease. |
Guess there are no NOS ones huh? Anyone know where I can find a good one? I'll try taking it apart just to see what went wrong. |
i don't know, you're the one who's in the market.
are there any NOS ones available?
if you take the time to disassemble it, the repair should be easy.
the diaphragm is torn.
i've fixed similar things with tube patches or by replacing the rubber.
good luck!
post results 
_________________
88 Van WBX, A/T - 13 JSW TDI 6M/T - 2012 Touareg TDI Sport |
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ROCKOROD71
Samba Member
Joined: January 18, 2012
Posts: 2770
Location: Boston, MA
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| Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2017 6:10 am Post subject: Re: How to clean Oil Bath Air Cleaner |
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| boom10ful wrote: |
| borninabus wrote: |
| boom10ful wrote: |
| I guess its bad if air is sucked in through the little hole on the side when doing this test huh? |
yep.
never tried to repair one, but i'm sure it's possible.
use mineral spirits (paint thinner) to clean oil and grease. |
Guess there are no NOS ones huh? Anyone know where I can find a good one? I'll try taking it apart just to see what went wrong. |
Note any part numbers you might find and go to the VW Classic Parts website and see if they have them. You can also email them with an inquiry. Then you need to find someone outside of the USA to buy it for you and re-ship and VW Classic will not sell to America.
Or you can try finding a working used one. I find these one-year oil bath air cleaners are generally pretty cheap at swaps and in the classifieds. If your thermostat (little one on top) is good that is almost just as important. Might have to put one together piecemeal but you will be glad to have pre-heated air for the carb when it is done. It is a 1972-only part if you go digging for parts diagrams.
not bad price here: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2037643
_________________
1971 STD BEETLE- DD-1st car, 1st love. keepin' it stock! 1600DP, Solex 34-3 Mexi Bosch SVDA Dist NOW w/POINTS
1977 WESTY "KrustyKamper" 2L FI
| 79SuperVert wrote: |
30 years from now, the next guy may not want your girlfriend, but he may want your classic car, depending on how nice you were to it. |
| asiab3 wrote: |
Careful guys, a petulant child can grow up to be president these days. |
**winter drivers: no survivors!**rust warrior**#keepbodyshopsbusy** |
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HenryJ53
Samba Member
Joined: September 09, 2016
Posts: 79
Location: Lakeville,MN
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| Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2017 8:32 am Post subject: Re: How to clean Oil Bath Air Cleaner |
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| Another place to get one is a salvage yard, them little valves are on most cars that had the screw on air cleaner, had one a 87 jeep wrangler, pontiac fiero, chevy chevette, they unscrew off and might be able to rebuild yours for a spare. |
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boom10ful
Samba Member
Joined: January 10, 2017
Posts: 158
Location: United States
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| Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2017 2:44 pm Post subject: Re: How to clean Oil Bath Air Cleaner |
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So I got it cracked open today. Unfortunately, it looks like it won't be repairable. Appears to have been exposed to something through the little air hole and caused it to dry out at that area only. The rest of it was still very pliable.
I did manage to find something interesting however, it looks like there might be a manufacturers logo on the rubber diaphragm (pretty sure its rubber)! Does anyone out there recognize this symbol?
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busdaddy
Samba Member
Joined: February 12, 2004
Posts: 51145
Location: Surrey B.C. Canada, but thinking of Ukraine
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| Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2017 3:34 pm Post subject: Re: How to clean Oil Bath Air Cleaner |
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| boom10ful wrote: |
| Does anyone out there recognize this symbol? |
Yes, it's the elemental symbol for Unobtanium (very close to Turbonium on the chart) 
Here's a fix on a somewhat similar diaphragm https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=476758 , what have you got to lose?
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Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.
Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
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Слава Україні! |
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ROCKOROD71
Samba Member
Joined: January 18, 2012
Posts: 2770
Location: Boston, MA
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| Posted: Fri May 19, 2017 5:58 am Post subject: Re: How to clean Oil Bath Air Cleaner |
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Bam:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1912426
_________________
1971 STD BEETLE- DD-1st car, 1st love. keepin' it stock! 1600DP, Solex 34-3 Mexi Bosch SVDA Dist NOW w/POINTS
1977 WESTY "KrustyKamper" 2L FI
| 79SuperVert wrote: |
30 years from now, the next guy may not want your girlfriend, but he may want your classic car, depending on how nice you were to it. |
| asiab3 wrote: |
Careful guys, a petulant child can grow up to be president these days. |
**winter drivers: no survivors!**rust warrior**#keepbodyshopsbusy** |
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boom10ful
Samba Member
Joined: January 10, 2017
Posts: 158
Location: United States
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| Posted: Fri May 19, 2017 11:54 am Post subject: Re: How to clean Oil Bath Air Cleaner |
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Thanks, but I've messaged him a while ago regarding it but he won't respond. |
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ROCKOROD71
Samba Member
Joined: January 18, 2012
Posts: 2770
Location: Boston, MA
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| Posted: Fri May 19, 2017 1:18 pm Post subject: Re: How to clean Oil Bath Air Cleaner |
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bummer, I just messaged him about some items. Maybe he is no longer with us. Lots of good stuff listed in his ads....
_________________
1971 STD BEETLE- DD-1st car, 1st love. keepin' it stock! 1600DP, Solex 34-3 Mexi Bosch SVDA Dist NOW w/POINTS
1977 WESTY "KrustyKamper" 2L FI
| 79SuperVert wrote: |
30 years from now, the next guy may not want your girlfriend, but he may want your classic car, depending on how nice you were to it. |
| asiab3 wrote: |
Careful guys, a petulant child can grow up to be president these days. |
**winter drivers: no survivors!**rust warrior**#keepbodyshopsbusy** |
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boom10ful
Samba Member
Joined: January 10, 2017
Posts: 158
Location: United States
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| Posted: Mon May 29, 2017 9:50 pm Post subject: Re: How to clean Oil Bath Air Cleaner |
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Well, I tried fixing it using RTV however it did not work. It now moves, however it has a small pinhole leak that prevents it from having 100% vacuum. Can't open it up since I glued it.
If anyone has a working spare I am willing to buy it. |
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