redjeep
Moderator
Last Friday I went looking for an air filter for an old aftermarket air cleaner I had for the BYS. I needed a round filter about 8 1/2 in diameter between 3 - 5 inches tall. I Googled and AI'ed and came up with some part numbers, but when I checked on Amazon and other online places the dimensions were way off. So I grabbed the top and bottom pieces and hit the road. The first stop was Wallymart, they only had 2 big round filters, everything else was square. Then I remembered the last time I did this I went to Pep Boys, they had a wall of Purilator filters to go through. When I walked in, the place looked like a construction zone, then the guy behind the counter said they stopped selling parts 3 or 4 years ago. I guess I'm behind the times. Across the street was Autozone. I walked over to the wall of air cleaners and again most everything was square. Nobody was in there so I went to the counter and asked the guy if he can cross reference me an air cleaner to fit this, and set the parts on the counter. He said no, and walked over to the wall and opened a couple of boxes and said I was on my own. Next door was my favorite NAPA, I walked in and asked the counter guy if he could find me an air cleaner. Here said sure, and grabbed a tape measure. A couple minutes later punching keys, and he headed into the back room and came out with a big box. This doesn't look right he said, and we looked on the screen and it said Diameter:8 1/2 inches and the part numbers matched. He said "I don't know what's up with this", I thanked him and headed back to the truck. They just built a new O-Reillys next to the NAPA so I figured what the heck. I walked in and found the wall of air cleaners, and again most everything was square. I went up front to where all the Hot Rod stuff was because one of the part numbers Mr. Google gave me was a Mr. Gasket number. A guy stocking shelves came over and asked If I needed help. We went over to the counter and he measured the air cleaner housing and started started punching keys and never asked what it was for. A few minutes later he said I found a couple, one is 2 inches tall and the other is 3 1/4. What's this for by the way. I said a Ford 351, running propane, in a Jeep. His eyes lit up and he was intrigued. Bad news he said, I don't stock either, want me to order them. I said no, I don't live around here but there is an O'Reillys just down the street from me, Which one he asked, I sad Barkhamsted. He said I've been out to that one delivering parts, that's way out there. Tell Kelly I said Hi. He printed me out the part numbers and I was on my way. I picked it up yesterday and it fits perfect in the BYS, it clears the propane mixer on the inside and throttle linkage on the outside, and the hood shuts without hitting.
