Air cleaner

[41simplex]

Doe's anybody know what an aircleaner looks like on a 40-41. thanks Rick

[Mike Sal]

I gotta believe it's one of those oil bath jobbies that have the hose that goes down to the carb.  Not sure what the mounting bracket would look like.  Virtually all engines used oil bath back on those days. 

[trooper82]

Here's two pictures. The first is drawing of the 1942-43 military Model G, the second is a picture of a Model H. The air cleaners both look pretty similar and would assume what was used on the early 40-41 Model G.

Mike

[Mike Sal]

I remember reading that the ww2 aircleaner was different & the inlet raised so the bike could ford deep water per military requirements.
Mike Sal

[Dominic DiMarko]

This may be a dumb question, what type of air cleaner is used on an early '49 with a K model motor?

[Mike Sal]

Dominic, go to the "manuals & such" section & look at the Company Brochure.  The pages that show the bump test (BTW, check out the spoke pattern on the front wheel on that test bike), and the page farther down that shows the "super delux" model.  All 3 pictures have good images of the oil bath aircleaner.

These are early bikes in the brochure.  You'll notice the aircleaner is above the rear upper frame bar.  Later (probably your model K) they moved the aircleaner straight down & nestled it between the rear upper bar and the rear lower bar.
Mike Sal

[Dominic DiMarko]

Thanks a lot Mike. I threw my neck out trying to spin my head around fast enough to see the spoke pattern in the second picture of the bump test.

[trooper82]

Here’s another picture, this one was posted on the old Simplex web site. It’s labeled as a 1943 and is the civilian model. Looks like the air cleaner on the pictures I posted above.

I guess the question I have is when did Simplex start putting air cleaners on their bikes? In looking at the early Simplex ad’s and the few pictures I have it appears that they did not have them. When the Simplex was submitted for testing to the military in early 1942(?) I would think that if they didn’t have one then the Army would have required one. The only military reference to air cleaners I have been able to find was in regard to Harleys and Indians, that they were to have a large oil bath air cleaner for operations in dusty conditions.   

I wonder if because of this military requirement, Simplex started making air cleaners either standard equipment or an option on the civilian bikes starting in late ‘42 or early ‘43. I also wonder if some early Simplex’s were retro-fitted later in the life with one.

[kartjockey]

Dominic, If you haven't already you might want to look at the air cleaner page in the Simplex parts catalog(manuals and such) Then correspond to the part number. Looks like the one on the right tends to match up to the K model.

[kartjockey]

Just looking at an H brochure I have. It has the same air cleaner on it as the pic Trooper posted. That would place these in use until deep into 1947. Then switching to the 1948 style as mine has.  Brochure also says that 'Thrifty and Thoughtful Husbands Ride Simplexes'. Must we remind our wives!!!!

[Mike Sal]

The military style aircleaner is mentioned in Wollard's  book on page 13:  "The differences between the civilian "G" and the military "G" were.....a completely sealed carburator with vent extending up under the seat......"
Mike Sal

[Dominic DiMarko]

Dominic, If you haven't already you might want to look at the air cleaner page in the Simplex parts catalog(manuals and such) Then correspond to the part number. Looks like the one on the right tends to match up to the K model.

Thanks Kartjocky. Just what I needed to know. Guess I need to spend some time in Manuals and Such.

[Mike Sal]

Speaking of aircleaners, What nuts & bolts are are used to retain the washer that holds in Wayne's pot scrubber filter element (in the late models)?  I made a liner for the housing to keep the washer from going to far down & right now have some pan head screws & square nuts set out, the flat of the square nuts holding the top of the washer trapped between the nut & the liner.
Mike Sal