TC air cleaner repair

[Mark Strang]

This is new to me but I'm sure it has been addressed in the past. My air cleaner canister for TC7801 is really beat up and needs some "body work" to make it right. It would appear as if the canister has rolled seams on the side and the ends. Is there a generally accepted method of disassembling one of these and getting it back together after the required body work. Are the seams really rolled? The dents etc can't be repaired with the unit intact in any practical fashion especially with the steel mesh that is inside the can. I'm hoping there is some way to address this so I can get it looking like new. I'm sure it has been done by somebody in this forum.

[frenchblatter]

Mark, not sure where you are but in the USA go to "from the Frame Up", in the UK NTG in Ipswich and invest in a replica air cleaner with a replaceable paper filter. Looks good and actually works.

[Franz Tenbrock]

you have a picture from the bad cleaner ?

[stephen stierman]

Look in the technical information on this site. There are several write ups showing replacement of the steel wool with a paper or K and N type filter. The directions show how to disassemble the canister by drilling out the spot welds that hold the various gubbins inside together. This would allow you access to the back side of the cannister and might allow you to push out the dings and also fit a real filter.

[Franz Tenbrock]

Hallo
i have read it
seems to be easy
somebody some pictures of it ?
i would like it
if there is a fake metal steel wool
if somebody looks to the air cleaner
i hope you understand what i want to say....

[Steve Simmons]

Here are a couple links that might help.

http://www.mg-tabc.org/library/T-airfilter-2-K&N.htm

http://www.tcmotoringguild.org/techinfo/TClinic-6.pdf

[Mark Strang]

Lots of good ideas but I'm trying to bring this car back to a period correct condition, hence the effort to keep the original steel mesh in the canister. It appears as if the can has sealed seams and cannot be dissembled and put back together properly. The mesh has to be removed therefore to allow me to do the restoration of the can itself and then new mesh installed. Several folks have suggested heavy steel wool but it is not coarse enough to match the original material. I've looked into finding the mesh that was used on old oil bath air cleaners but I've been unsuccessful. Does anyone know where to get the real heavy mesh used in those application? This car when done, is never going to get more than 10,000 miles on it in my lifetime so the original style will work just fine. As a last resort, I suppose I could try to remove the existing mesh, acid clean it to look like the original, and try to reinstall it but I'd rather have a good back up plan.

[Franz Tenbrock]

Hallo
i don t know if you have read my post yesterday
problems with my car.
so i cleande the airbox, one previour owner has spray the hole box also the filter inside,
1 hour fuel in out and so on
so i thougt about a new one with a modern inlay

i had ordern 3 years ago a laser cut part
so i just looked what it would cost to make it from stainless steel 0,5mm
picture

weelding at the back the rest id on tknow in the moment.

i want a original like one too, but modern funktion inside like my cjr3 case with lucas 340 ;-)
welding stainless steel no problem

i know someone who has a machine to make something like a can

[Steve Simmons]

I replaced the brass mesh in an antique tractor oil bath using brass brillo pads. I've also had air filters like these acid dipped and the mesh survived and came out quite clean.

[Mark Strang]

Steve, I'm thinking that if I can get the mesh out okay, then I'll just acid clean it and put it back in after the canister is reconditioned. I really want it to look great since it will be one of the first things that folks will see when the bonnet is open.

[Franz Tenbrock]

already progressed ?

i have always moved my box with a fine screwdriver back and forth, the color has loosened and also the dirt
poured gasoline from the other side, shaken back and forth, moved back and forth in the bucket with gasoline until no more dirt came

now the car is running good again

[Bill Davis]

Mark,
Some years ago I removed the end of my air filter to clean it. If I remember correctly I used a screw driver or some other flat punch and went around the crimped edge of the 'top' until it popped off. My filter also has some dents but they’re not too bad and not being concerned about anyone judging the car I left them alone. My ‘fix’ only addresses the mesh-end of the canister and does not entail removing the innards to install a modern filter as many have done.
Bill TA2190

[Mark Strang]

Bill,

How did you reassemble the top?

Mark