1955 Chevrolet Air Cleaners - Identify, Servicing and Restore

Servicing the air cleaner on your 1955 Chevy is an important part of maintenance on your engine. Air cleaners are easily removed. All that is necessary, is to remove the wing nut from the center of the housing and the assembly can then be lifted from the carburetor.

Service instructions written on the decals indicated that the filter element should be removed and cleaned every 2,000 miles on 1955 Chevrolet V-8 2 barrel oil bath air cleaners and this also applied to the 1955 Chevy Blue Flame 6 cylinder air cleaner. 1955 Chevrolet V-8 4 barrel oil bath air cleaners were to be serviced every 5,000 miles. The instructions indicated the filter element was to be washed in Kerosene, the dirty oil in the base removed and replaced with 1 pint of S.A.E. 50 oil. Do not over fill!

Early 1955 Chevrolet V-8 - 2 Barrel Oil Bath Air Cleaner

The early 1955 V-8 2 barrel air cleaners were about 10 inches tall and a little over 11 inches in diameter. Service instructions were located on upper assembly and was painted screen prints and not a stick on decal. All 1955 Chevrolet air cleaners were painted a semi-gloss black.

Revised 1955 Chevrolet V-8 - 2 Barrel Oil Bath Air Cleaner

A revised 1955 Chevy V-8 2 barrel top assembly air cleaner with two rectangular opening were used in the latter part of the 1955 production year and all of the 1956 production year. Openings were 2 inches by 3 7/8 inches and while the revised upper assembly was about 3 inches tall. Decal can be placed on top. See image above.

Early 1955 Chevrolet V-8 - 4 Barrel Oil Bath Air Cleaner (Round Air Intake)

The image above is a rare example of a round air intake. This early 1955 Chevrolet V-8 - 4 Barrel Oil Bath Air Cleaner base is 13 inches in diameter, while the top assembly is 13 5/16 inches tall. Over all height is just over 7 inches. The most common location for the decal is as shown above.

Revised 1955 Chevrolet V-8 - 4 Barrel Oil Bath Air Cleaner (Oval Air Intake)

Another revision was made mid production year on the 1955 Chevy 4 barrel oil bath air cleaner. Most noticeable is the oval air intake of the top assembly.