Steel Wool Filter for Kama 554

[Bob Rooks]

Rob,
It looks just like my Donaldson (on one end anyway).
For the price, you could just remove the plastic fan.
The Donaldson filters are washable, but kinda pricey.

 

[Skyco]

Gosh what if even one little bit of steel wool gets loose and scores a cylinder?

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I need to say that this does not sound like a good thing to me. There is no way that the steel wool is doing the filtering job that needs to be done. Maybe see if the breather can be re-routed so that the blow by doesn't have to go through the air filter. I know that it all sounds good to do, but you may be causing other serious problems. There are other types of filters out there, but there is a reason that everybody uses paper.

 

[3RRL]

Agreed!
I've decided to stick with the paper filters and re-route the breather after the filter.
I ordered a new one from Chip and started working on the breather tube re-routing this afternoon. I'll post some photos when I'm finished with it. It will end up much like the system on Loretta's Jinma.
Thanks to all for steering me in the right direction.
Rob-

 

[tommu56]

Rob you need to make an oil bath filter it would have a pan at the bottom of the filter you put oil in and filter is like expanded metal wrapped in a spiral
We have one on our 48 Mack fire truck that is bullit proof.

here is one for sale
eBay Motors: Jeep Willys OIL Bath Air Filter CJ2A M38 CJ L134 (item 250391453963 end time Mar-24-09 11:35:44 PDT)
tom

 

[3RRL]

Tom,
That's sort of what I was intending except using steel wool and the oil vapors from the breather exhaust. What's odd is that Brad's 554 came with the oil bath filter and mine has the paper filter.
Which one is a better filtering system?

Today I finished re-routing the breather into the air intake tube.
I also re-set the filter minder and changed the paper filter with a brand new one.



The routing is not directly into the intake manifold but very close to it.
I had to make another bracket to hold the steel tube but it came out pretty good. I reduced the size of the tube just before the intake. I drilled a hole into the intake tube and welded a hose barb onto it. I ran a short length of hose from from there to connect it. When I got done, I ran the tractor for a couple hours and it ran fine.
Here are some photos of re-routed system.
Rob-

 

[LBrown59]

Gosh what if even one little bit of steel wool gets loose and scores a cylinder?

Exactly why I would not do it.

 

[greg_g]

Check your engine oil level faithfully Rob, especially when a hot engine under load has the oil thinned out. I have a feeling all that vacuum is going to suck raw oil right into the intake. The only place to go after that, is out the exhaust.

I don't have it near the desk here to confirm, but I thought there was an oil-bath air cleaner in our KAMA parts manual. If you're considering one, remember that the loader frame on that 554 had a pass-through hole to accommodate the intake runner.

//greg//

 

[3RRL]

Got it Greg and thanks for the heads up.
I do check the oil every time before working it. It's still using almost 1 quart every 50 hours, but it was doing that way before I did any of these mods. I've had this tractor going on 4 years now ... my, how time flies? I change the oil about then (50 to 100 hrs) anyway depending how heavy a work I've been doing. The necked down hole is about .200" diameter now.
Today I did about 3 hours heavy loader work and boxblade work on the homesite circle. It was 78F and the Kama temperature never got off the 78C mark. I think it'll be OK. I will keep an eye on it though.

 

[greg_g]

I sympathize with your original motivation here - that particular filter element does seem over-priced. Probably because it's imported in such small quantities. But since recommending the pre-filter as an addendum to the steel wool, I think I'm going to pursue the idea myself - to extend the life of my paper elements.

//greg//