Tiger 134 Air Cleaner

Two0aks · Mar 4, 2022

Getting ready to clean up the Air Cleaner and I'm wondering about how it functions.

In the pictures the outside air tube extends 1.875 into the cup measured from the cork gasket.

The cup fill line is 2.25" from the bottom and 1.25" from the gasket surface.

When I fill the cup with water to the fill line it runs into four small holes in the smaller cup inside filling both.

It would seem to me the center intake tube extends into the oil. Is that how it's supposed to work ? Is a vacuum created to cause air to bubble through the oil ? I'm confused.

Bill

jimtrs · Mar 4, 2022

(quoted from post at 14:52:27 03/04/22)
It would seem to me the center intake tube extends into the oil. Is that how it's supposed to work ?

Yes

Air is drawn into the air cleaner by the suction of the engine. The air percolates through the oil bath, then up through the steel mesh. The mesh traps any oil particles where they drip back into the oil bath. The clean air then continues on to the throat of the carburetor and into the engine.

Two0aks · Mar 4, 2022

Thanks jimtrs

It just seemed odd to me that air goes through a small amount of oil before going up through the mesh.

I also don't understand the smaller cup inside the main cup and with 4 small holes evenly spaced.

It would also seem there would be an amount of bubbling going on when running.

showcrop · Mar 5, 2022

(quoted from post at 12:52:10 03/04/22) Thanks jimtrs

It just seemed odd to me that air goes through a small amount of oil before going up through the mesh.

I also don't understand the smaller cup inside the main cup and with 4 small holes evenly spaced.

It would also seem there would be an amount of bubbling going on when running.

yup, percolating, bubbling, whatever you want to call it. Whichever you call it the moving air sucks oil up so that it coats the steel mesh making it sticky so that it catches dust and hay chaff etc. If the center tube didn't extend down into the oil the oil would stay in the bottom.

Two0aks · Mar 6, 2022

Thank you showcrop

As I experimented with water and saw that the outer level fell as it drained into the four small holes in the center cup until it equalized, I take it that the entire cup is filled with oil including the small center cup until it is at the level of the indicated line ? It is interesting to me how it works.

All I knew about oil bath air cleaners was that many cars had them when I was pumping gas 1967. Never had occasion to service one. Just asked the customer if they'd like their oil checked and always washed the windows.

fredstev · Mar 6, 2022

Showcrop has it right for the way Ford tractor air filters work, and they work very well when used as intended. Only thing I can add is that a lighter oil, like 10w or 20w works best in cold weather. My '51 Chevy truck has an oil bath air cleaner, but works on a little different principle. Air enters from around top, goes down until it hits the oil, then makes a 180 degree turn, goes up to the carburetor top, then makes another 180 turn down into the carb. Any solids stick in the oil.

Sean in PA · Mar 6, 2022

Only thing I can add is that a lighter oil, like 10w or 20w works best in cold weather.

Owner's Manual says to use whatever oil you are using in the engine, so colder weather calls for a lighter weight motor oil, at least back when the multi-viscosity oils weren't that common. These days you could use a 15W-40 or 10W-30 in the air cleaner if that's what you are using in the engine.

Tiger 134 Air Cleaner

Two0aks

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jimtrs

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Two0aks

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showcrop

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Two0aks

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fredstev

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Sean in PA

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