1950"s copper mesh air cleaner element quiz.

[partshunt]

I purchased a roll of Harley copper air cleaner mesh in a long strip. Can anyone tell me what the length sould be to use? Or like. how many wraps is correct for a fiftys copper mesh aircleaner element.? It could be after market made, that I cant be sure of.......thanks...Joe

[60 Panman]

Joe, about your copper mesh air cleaner, I always found that the Panheads start and run a lot better with out one. It's your call, but i took mine out and my 1960 an it runs like a top and starts a whole lot better. 60 Panman

[kitabel]

Why would anyone use that? It doesn't remove any particles smaller than gravel, and only stops dust if it's coated with engine oil once a week (most of which goes into the engine).
If you want an air cleaner, get one.
If you don't, why waste your money?

[Cotten]

Joe!

Most of mine have had extra wrapped upon them (and secured with a large packing staple), but one original in a Stainless J-slot cover measures 1/2" thick with tight wrap.
Hopefully your supply will be atleast that thick.

Your are very lucky if you found some mesh of the original weave, as most modern replacements are finer, or even questionable steel with some bright plating or coating.

Although motor oil has great affinity for copper, and works very well to electrostatically pull particles to the mesh, Marvel Mystery Oil is my choice.

I find it quite ironic that so many folks demand huge carburetors, and then turn one-eighty to choke them with restrictive filters.

Copper mesh rules!

....Cotten

[51Hog]

Cotten--
How often do you clean and re-oil the copper mesh filter with MMO?
Dale

[lovestory]

im with cotten, use mesh on my pan
my bike is much happier than with the foam filters
I soak mine every oil change (in straight 60)

[Cotten]

Cotten--
How often do you clean and re-oil the copper mesh filter with MMO?
Dale

Dale!

I did it everytime a bike came in for service.
(Sorry for the "past tense".)

Myself?
I usually only remembered after long stretches of really dusty country gravel.

Face it, copper mesh did great when everybody rode on gravel often, if not all the time.
These machines would never have become legends if it didn't.

Today, the air is genuinely cleaner.
But there is a lot more money to be made selling paper and foam, over and over....
Still, there's nothing wrong with stretching some open foam over the mesh!

(until the P4gas eats it, anyway....)

....Cotten

[PanPal]

But there is a lot more money to be made selling paper and foam, over and over....
Still, there's nothing wrong with stretching some open foam over the mesh!

Why buy the foam or paper when you can go over to your rag bin in your shop and grab one of those socks with the holes in the heels. Cut off a length of the over stretched elastic end of the sock that use to work it's way down into you shoe and put it around a homemade wire cage or around your copper mesh.

I'm not sure how great of a filter it is, but it is better than nothing.

[Cotten]

Panpal!

I am afraid there is a safety issue with using old socks.
Cellulose-based fabrics (cotton especially) has the ability to smolder slowly enough that you might not notice it until it is too late. And many synthetics such as polyester (I almost named my daughter that....) burn with even more heat, and are even harder to put out.

Even steel wool can burn.
(Be careful polishing around a positive battery post!)

I haven't found a true copper "Brillo" pad in a dumpster in years, but in a pinch copper window screen might do.
If nothing else, it is great for tinning up badly rusted tanks.

.....Cotten

[partshunt]

[quote="Cotten"][quote="51Hog"]Cotten--
How often do you clean and re-oil the copper mesh filter with MMO?
Dale[/quote]

Dale!

I did it everytime a bike came in for service.
(Sorry for the "past tense".)

Myself?
I usually only remembered after long stretches of really dusty country gravel.

Face it, copper mesh did great when everybody rode on gravel often, if not all the time.
These machines would never have become legends if it didn't.

Today, the air is genuinely cleaner.
But there is a lot more money to be made selling paper and foam, over and over....
Still, there's nothing wrong with stretching some open foam over the mesh!

(until the P4gas eats it, anyway....)

....Cotten[/quote]

Cotton:- I'm with you on the copper mesh original stylr element. I prefer them, hell my Indian Four has no aircleaner and it lived many many years. None of my JD's have an aircleaner either and they are fine for us that mostly who stay on good roads these day. I tried a throw away element on my 54FL and it had too much restriction, raised my fuel mileage so I picked up a copper NOS roll of element and wraped it all on. Its like you say, about 1/2" thick and that was my initial question starting this topic. Thank you for your info...Joe

[Cotten]

I am compelled to ask those who still prefer paper to ponder this hypothetically:

If you were frantically running down a stairwell of the World Trade Center in choking smoke and dust nine years ago this hour, would you prefer toilet paper over your mouth to prevent cancer a decade later, or a toilet scrubber that let you make it to the finish line?

I shall now be silent for a minute.

....Cotten

[partshunt]

[quote="60 Panman"]Joe, about your copper mesh air cleaner, I always found that the Panheads start and run a lot better with out one. It's your call, but i took mine out and my 1960 an it runs like a top and starts a whole lot better. 60 Panman[/quote]

Thanks 60 panman:-
Sounds like possibly your element was too fine a mesh raising manifold vacume causing rich mixtures. I found that same condition with a throw away modern element, had to cut back on the needle settings and still black smoke with hi speed fully closed. The restriction is too much for an M74B I think and rejetting would be next so I tossed it for a copper mesh supposedly original. No more black smoke, I thought the exhaust looked like a coal burner at some points. The finer the mesh, the better filtration but also higher manifold vacume and richer engine performance would be the result in most cases. I supose its all about matching an element for the M74B that would be close to the copper mesh restriction..OR, play with jetting all summer. So, I'm sticking to the orig copper mesh element as unbeatable over any other, my opinion only.....thanks to all for your inputs.....Joe

[Panshovevo]

I am compelled to ask those who still prefer paper to ponder this hypothetically:

If you were frantically running down a stairwell of the World Trade Center in choking smoke and dust nine years ago this hour, would you prefer toilet paper over your mouth to prevent cancer a decade later, or a toilet scrubber that let you make it to the finish line?

I shall now be silent for a minute.

....Cotten

Let us all remember...