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MG MG Y Type - Air filters

Talking to various people you get different opinions on the merits of oil-bath air filters versus modern paper element filters. Some aver that the oil bath is "far better" and others that you can't beat modern air filter elements. Any opinions out there?
I replaced the oil bath on my '38 Austin Ten with a paper one, and have done the same on my YA, using the lid off an early Holden air filter. The mesh filter and lid sits in a bag on the shelf to be restored when/if necessary.
John Turner Tasmania
J B Turner

You have to bear in mind the the oil bath air cleaner was developed with technology available at the time and to suit the conditions of the day - they were only fitted on Y-Types for the "export" market (where they still had unsealed roads - good gracious !).

It also serves as a silencer, by reducing the induction roar to a more civilised whisper.

The OB cleaner can also tolerate dusty conditions for longer than a paper filter as it is effectively self cleaning and does not loose performance as the dust buildup is washed into the oil.

There were a lot more unsealed roads around in the 40's and 50's, so a filter that could be cleaned and serviced by the owner with only the addition of a small qty of oil was a perfect design solution.

I have driven many Y-Types, some with paper filters of varios designs, and I prefer the original oil bath for the noise reduction and practicality. They are almost free to service too !.

Glad to hear you have kept the original OB filter for the next owner of the car - they are very hard to replace if lost from the car.
A L SLATTERY

Tony,

I couldn't have said it better. I would die for a proper OB airfilter on my Y.

The reason for introducing paper airfilters was probably first motivated by manufacturer cost and secondly it's technical merits?
Willem vd Veer

Willem, reactivating an old thread for a moment, I wonder whether you would still use an oil-bath air cleaner if you had one? I seem to attract them, and could spare one. Cheers ... John.
J.P. Hall

back in the early sixties the first thing me and my mates did after buying a motor was to remove the air filter and leave it off, it made he engine sound throaty when accelerating, it was believed that we got a fraction more mph and a fraction more power, weather that is true or not is debateable, but we never had any problems at all with the engines. If we lived in the middle east or the Sahara desert some where like that, then yes you would need an air filter but like some one said the roads are now sealed so basically I think they are just to quiet the engine down when accelerating, I suppose they put them on all cars because the makers don't know where the cars are going to be driven, as for which is better paper or oil filters I for one can't tell the difference don.
d walker

John,

This summer I bought an oil bath filter made by AC, as the original. It looks like the one fitted to an MG TD, but it probably came from a tractor because it was in a pile of old tractor parts on an agricultural show.

That said, I would still die for the huge 'export' filter, but would probably die first of a heart attack on hearing the shipping cost?

Willem van der Veer

I hear you, Willem - I wonder who does the best price for a 30 cubic cm parcel from Qld to Netherlands. I'll do some asking around. John.
J.P. Hall

Interesting discussion! Neil Cairns has often mentioned that the oil bath air filter is no more than an silencer (or words to that effect!). A point that Tony has endorsed. I was interested in Tony's comments on the original reason (or one of them) for fitting such a filter in respect of their value in dusty conditions.

My YT had the original oil bath system fitted, which I found a messy arrangement. Following an engine rebuild I purchased a conversion that NTG market for TD's. This I adapted to fit the YT. It uses a large K and N filter which are acknowledged to be excellent and of course can be easily cleaned.

The original I sold to a friend who is rebuilding a YT.

I am sure that will no doubt rankle some purists. However, my thinking is that where possible then do fit products which use better technology than that available at the time. No that doesn't include fitting a modern Mazda engine etc etc!

Useful comments though.

All the best

Jerry
J P BIRKBECK

Jerry, are you sure Neil was talking of the oil bath filter?
The home edition filter that is fitted to the Y-type is indeed only a silencer (and catcher of large rocks).

I still maintain that an oil bath filter is very effective at cleaning the air. Why else are agricultural and building vehicles equipped with them?
Willem van der Veer

Ah yes that seems more than likely Willem!
Thanks Jerry
J P BIRKBECK

This thread was discussed between 24/05/2011 and 01/10/2014

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