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last production oil bath air cleaner in a car ?


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I don't know the answer to that but do recall that the '66 Dodge truck factory service manual I once had showed an oil bath air cleaner that was for use in dusty areas. But that was for a pickup truck back in the days when a pickup truck was not a life style statement vehicle for driving to the grocery store.

Edited by ply33 (see edit history)
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1972 in the US was the last of the oil bath air cleaners for VW Beetles, the 1973 models had replaceable paper cartridge filters instead. Type 3s stuck with oil baths until 1973, but the lineup was discontinued the next year. Buses had paper filters around 1973 as well.

Edited by SparksNArcs (see edit history)
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1 hour ago, SparksNArcs said:

1972 in the US was the last of the oil bath air cleaners for VW Beetles, the 1973 models had replaceable paper cartridge filters instead. Type 3s stuck with oil baths until 1973, but the lineup was discontinued the next year. Buses had paper filters around 1973 as well.

1973 were oil bath, 1974-79 are paper. This would be U.S. -Canada- Europe. Brazil?? is another story.

113129620.jpg
Description:

AIR FILTER ELEMENT, fits 1974-1979 Beetle

 

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1 hour ago, Pfeil said:

1973 were oil bath, 1974-79 are paper. This would be U.S. -Canada- Europe. Brazil?? is another story.

113129620.jpg
Description:

AIR FILTER ELEMENT, fits 1974-1979 Beetle

 

Going to have to disagree on that, in the US the 1973 model year saw the introduction of the slanted plastic air filter housing with the paper element on Beetles. Volkswagen Kever 1303 LS 1973 - Gallery Aaldering

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13 hours ago, SparksNArcs said:

Going to have to disagree on that, in the US the 1973 model year saw the introduction of the slanted plastic air filter housing with the paper element on Beetles. Volkswagen Kever 1303 LS 1973 - Gallery Aaldering

1.jpg

Notice the year above of the 73 brochure. Below is a picture of page 4 of the 73 brochure and you can just see the oil bath air cleaner. Besides I worked for VW up until I resigned in Feb 73. I ought to know!

5.jpg

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13 hours ago, SparksNArcs said:

Going to have to disagree on that, in the US the 1973 model year saw the introduction of the slanted plastic air filter housing with the paper element on Beetles. Volkswagen Kever 1303 LS 1973 - Gallery Aaldering

Here is the owner's manual for the 73 Beetle below.

73T1-01.jpg

Below id page 64 of that manual.

73T1-64.jpg

Disagree all you want, but facts are facts!

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13 hours ago, SparksNArcs said:

Going to have to disagree on that, in the US the 1973 model year saw the introduction of the slanted plastic air filter housing with the paper element on Beetles. Volkswagen Kever 1303 LS 1973 - Gallery Aaldering

Here is the 1974 owner's manual.

74T1-R01.jpg

Below is page 52 of that manual.

74T1-52.jpg

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12 minutes ago, Pfeil said:

Here is the owner's manual for the 73 Beetle below.

73T1-01.jpg

Below id page 64 of that manual.

73T1-64.jpg

Disagree all you want, but facts are facts!

Under Note, it says, "...either an oil bath type or a paper element type...". My '73 Super Beetle (sold in CA new, 01/73 production date) has a paper element type air cleaner. Like the alternator which was introduced on the '73s, the paper element air cleaner may have been phased in as a running change during the model year. Manuals are produced well in advance of the start of a model year and perhaps the oil bath air cleaner photo was all that they had at the time they wrote the manual and sales brochure. By 1974 model introduction, all the U.S. beetles and probably other markets had the paper element filter, so by then photos were readily available.

 

I haven't checked the literature, but certainly if any '73s had the oil bath air cleaner, that would probably be its latest appearance, at least in the U.S. market.

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11 minutes ago, nearchoclatetown said:

It MAY have been a mid year thing. They switched from generator to Regulator mid year in combination with cleaner. Did they also change air cleaners as I had a late alternator '73 with paper filter. 

I have the TSB's no change to 74.

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5 hours ago, Pfeil said:

I have the TSB's no change to 74.

My position was based purely on what I have observed in person and read about from various manuals and publications, so I will defer to someone who actually worked for VW! Would love to have been alive when air-cooled cars were still in dealerships.

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Corvairs had an optional oil bath air cleaner through the end of production in 1969. RPO K47AA and K47AB in 1969.👍

 

🛠️❄️☃️🐫

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21 hours ago, Writer Jon said:

Under Note, it says, "...either an oil bath type or a paper element type...". My '73 Super Beetle (sold in CA new, 01/73 production date) has a paper element type air cleaner. Like the alternator which was introduced on the '73s, the paper element air cleaner may have been phased in as a running change during the model year. Manuals are produced well in advance of the start of a model year and perhaps the oil bath air cleaner photo was all that they had at the time they wrote the manual and sales brochure. By 1974 model introduction, all the U.S. beetles and probably other markets had the paper element filter, so by then photos were readily available.

 

I haven't checked the literature, but certainly if any '73s had the oil bath air cleaner, that would probably be its latest appearance, at least in the U.S. market.

My 1973 VW Squareback (Type 3) has the oil bath filter.  

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