vette442

Have a factory 4 barrel air cleaner on your 68-72 (and perhaps later years)? Wait until you try to find a new replacement air filter for one. Several manufacturers make them, but they've redesigned the rubber top/bottom surrounds, and now the diameter of the inner opening is too small. The filter will not sit down into the housing fully and the lid won't go on. It was a no-go on the NAPA Gold and a bunch of other options from Advance when we compared them to an older filter at the parts counters.

The only new filter that fit correctly for me this summer on two of my cars with stock 4 barrel housings? STP from AutoZone. I bought about a dozen old stock filters from 1981 at Norwalk this year for $20, so I'm set for awhile, but I thought I'd pass along the info to save you guys some aggravation.

Terry

tru-blue 442

Terry, I did the same a few years ago. These bastids fit like a glove and have the nice honeycomb weave to boot. Not to mention they are Wix units as well, sweet.

I have also found if you can find a replacement, say Fram, for example, that the element itself is a little thinner and cheaply made too, sorry bastids...It's all about the bottom line--How can we make this unit more cost effective, which I understand the thinking, but at the same time, come on guys, your quality sucks. Back to a throw away society, what are ya gonna do?

Even the cardboard packaging on these is double wall, not the thin
folder like backerboard stuff they use nowadays, ha.

oldsmobiledave

Had a similar problem & then while picking up some parts this summer from a fellow who no longer is into Oldsmobiles I was able to purchase three NOS Fram air filters from the early 80s still in their original packaging. Perfect fit in my W-25 air cleaners. Important parts for our cars that we used to take for granted are now becoming obsolete.

tru-blue 442

Dave, I'm not sure if this is a W-25 base or not, but I think a dealer installed unit for the OAI hood. The Wix 095 fits this unit to a T, top and bottom too. I was wondering if you or anyone reading would know what the round hole at the end of the snorkel was used for. There is also a rubber plug on the base that I assume would be for only one of the breather outlets on the valve covers if the engine came stock with only one from the factory, non factory built W-25 or 30, and the customer ordered a OAI hood after delivery.

BlackGold

The hole in the end of the snorkel was used for the California emissions "option." The plugged hole in the side of the base was used for the second vent tube for cars with a "dual ventilation" PCV system.

If you want more details, both of these holes have been discussed elsewhere on this website and are covered in the Product Information Manual (aka Assembly Manual). Both holes appear on some (most?) but not all (?) cars even if not used.