inside an oil bath air filter!

[robjarman]

I destroyed a gash oil bath air filter today - it was shedding fine strands of something at top and bottom - so here's what's inside that tin can - see Stuf's pics below!! - that it is impossible to dismantle, to inspect or clean, without destroying it...a wad of copper wire...presume that any copper wire threads drawn through to the carb and cylinders will be exhausted without harm????, albeit an engine oil change and oil filter change have been done immediately.

 

[StuF]

Posted the pics for you mate code is the ones to link to

[url=http://s1281.photobucket.com/user/Robin_Jarman/media/P1030635_zpsa4117dd2.jpg.html][img]http://i1281.photobucket.com/albums/a513/Robin_Jarman/P1030635_zpsa4117dd2.jpg[/url]

 

[RichardAlexander]

It's horse hair isn't it :| you can clean it followed the rod and daves method

 

[robjarman]

I don't think it is horsehair? I thought so at first by looks of the thin hairs it was shedding, but they don't burn...and the paraffin or petrol cleaning method over the years would destroy horsehair surely...so I think it's copper wire - it's not magnetic.

what's the "rod and dave method"????

 

[RichardAlexander]

fat fingers typing ROB and Daves http://www.vw-resource.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
they're really good

 

[robjarman]

ah yes Rob & Dave - I have consulted them many times - espec helpful with timing questions...

did not find any refs there to the oil bath air filter innards though? did you?

John Muir's guide p.123 says "the oil bath filter is full of copper wool".

so in my case what caused the copper wool to degrade and disintegrate - and what harm might this have caused as it was sucked through the carb and into the cylinders?

cheers
Rob

 

[robjarman]

sorted - it's a fibrous material - have degreased and washed a sample and it burns like stink! whether horsehair or coir or some other fibre dunno - I guess if it's non-metallic, animal or plant, then in the cylinders it can only form some kind of sludge in the oil and otherwise will be exhausted...

whether John Muir was referring to an earlier (pre-bay) filter or what I dunno, but it's not copper wool, I am fairly sure now.

rob