[bartamos]

I have a Chevy air cleaner for a 4bbl 5 1/8 carb. It's probably 70's era. It has a round metal and mesh, about 8" diameter, "filter". Looks like maybe the regular paper filter fits around it so as to have two concentric filters? What is that metal filter? Is it washable or are you supposed to throw away? Is this a rare thing? what vehicles had it and why?

[cobalt327]

Originally Posted by bartamos

I have a Chevy air cleaner for a 4bbl 5 1/8 carb. It's probably 70's era. It has a round metal and mesh, about 8" diameter, "filter". Looks like maybe the regular paper filter fits around it so as to have two concentric filters? What is that metal filter? Is it washable or are you supposed to throw away? Is this a rare thing? what vehicles had it and why?

Sounds like a filter w/a "flame arrestor" on it. Got a photo?

[bartamos]

hope you can see it. Looked up flame arrestor and seems like marine useage. Did cars/trucks have them also?

[cobalt327]

Originally Posted by bartamos

Did cars/trucks have them also?

In some applications, yes. AFAIK there's no rhyme/reason as to which vehicles got them and which didn't, maybe someone else has the specifics on them.