Okay I'm about to scream. I cannot for the life of me find the air filter I need for my car. I have found plenty of tri-power air cleaners however nothing for a standard car. Does anyone have a source? What gives? How did they suddenly all dry up?
1961 was hard to find last I looked as well. I think someone recently said the 59 filter was on Amazon. But I cannot confirm.
I posted about this exact thing a few days ago, very hard to find it seems. let me know how you go I am after at least 3 of them !
David,
Rock Auto shows them, but they are out of stock at the moment.
Have you tried AAAP in Ballarat?
Bruce. >:D
Hi Bruce
Sure did try AAAP, they cannot currently source these filters either
There are some on eBay that claim to fit however dimensions stated are way off so be wary of them
Nobody has em. Manufacturers stopped making them and whatever stock has seemed to go poof!
The only place I can find that has them is Cadillac Parts LTD. They say it is exclusive to them
Amazon shows that they have them, but don't be surprised if they can't ship it!!!
Amazon—WIX 42092 air filter (https://www.amazon.com/WIX-Filters-42092-Filter-Pack/dp/B000CSD2TG/ref=sr_1_1?crid=13WMT9D88H2OX&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.VvfiuoiDdKyV2kxpF_293opMVvQ1_kIk1KLX-3XGRMxGggqVyv3zkxgmHsd3ai9OMpfWiviR65lAihSofdZpt_eSlWL-NoqP2-hyWzopXwXXdgkSscUsNLZc1NctGd7vJbphYgjvbD5g08IONRXfhPe2cD2yHLfG9l4uNKeDOiGD4er0xSp7EFi0FiUY1raSDF42BY2B19jW6myGuXoghNorHvTVc0M5WLMl7LRhXz4.DmN1j9nR55CNubJ47GMxrGmsj3lrQemtgCdd6tptnvE&dib_tag=se&keywords=Wix+42092&qid=1712637272&sprefix=wix+42092%2Caps%2C132&sr=8-1)
A lot less expensive that Cadillac Parts LTD. at $88.50!!! http://www.cadillacpartsltd.com/19ca19ca4air.html
Daryl Chesterman
Amazon shows not available:(
Lists it but out of stock
$18 I would buy 10 🤣
It appears you can order on the website for Amazon but delivery won't occur until May? Yeah I'll wait or opt to go with Cadillac Parts LTD. Weren't the original filters red rubber or something? I seem to recall seeing a mint 59 with a reddish type rubber seal around the air cleaner.
Yep mine had the red one in it when I first got it, old and dirty as hell. All repro ones I see are just black
Are these unique in some way that makes them difficult to manufacture?
TJ,
Without looking up how many years these fit, I'm guessing that it's not a big spread, so therefore there's not a big demand and the manufacturing cost as well as the logistics of stocking them in multiple locations being expensive, I'm betting that they have ceased manufacturing, and someone on the inside has bought up all that they can, so the price is what they decide they want. How many distributors are showing stock on hand now?
With how the "greenies" are screwing up our hobby, I wouldn't be surprised if this is what happened.
Rick
So its just slightly different round than other round filters?
My guess is what has happened is demand is so far down for round air filters overall that people quit maintaining the machines and people that ran them. Maybe they replaced that machine with one that makes newer designs and maybe that machine could make round ones but someone would have to do the programming and possibly make molds and they just don't think its worth the investment.
Interesting that the demand is apparently so low that they are not being made basically by hand in an India Pakistan sort of place. I guess even there they only work in volume.
I find it funny that amazon and others sell the tri power filter but not the regular filter? What gives?
Quote from: Cadillac Jack 82 on April 10, 2024, 01:29:43 PMI find it funny that amazon and others sell the tri power filter but not the regular filter? What gives?
Maybe these also fit another vehicle, thus a higher demand. Or, there's enough stock on hand that hasn't sold due to a very limited demand. Hard to say.
It's irritating regardless I know. I think we're going to see this sort of thing on a lot of products that we have been used to buying that are now no longer used in these plastic turdboxes that they are trying to pass off as cars. We see it in the light bulbs, oil, air, and fuel filters, A/C compressors and related parts, suspension and steering parts, brakes, and God knows what else.
Rick
Tim,
Eldo only - What gives??
Well, we're special. LOL LOL LOL
Only kidding.
I no cab find either.
Have fun,
Steve B.
Quote from: MY 59 on April 08, 2024, 10:52:47 PMThe only place I can find that has them is Cadillac Parts LTD. They say it is exclusive to them
This would be my guess as to who has bought up all existing stock.
Rick
Been searching myself. I see elements that claim to fit everything from Chevy to Buick, "and fits Cadillac". Does anyone know if these elements while not having the red flange like ours will work and protect our engines from dirty air?
Hi Michael
The ones I have seen on Ebay that claim to fit when comparing the dimensions given to what is required they are way off in height, and both inner and outer diameter.
Responses I am getting from filter specialists in the US are national backorder with no ETA
Not promising at all
I gave everyone a warning about six months ago.
https://forums.cadillaclasalle.club/index.php?topic=171167.msg548415#msg548415
Many parts seem to be out of stock. I suspect no longer being made. You better stock up on what you can get now since this is the new normal in today's world.
George do you happen to have an extra for sale? :)
Tim
I have a 1959 Olds and a 1960 Cadillac that use that air filter and I have 2 or 3 left that I do not want to part with. I have 2 Wix and even 1 AC Delco one. I also have many 1959 Cadillac oil filters that someone passed on a few months ago. I sold my 1959 so these could be sold. I bet the oil filters become rare in a few years.
Also the prices have about doubled on Rock Auto for what you can find.
Right now you can get Hastings on Rock Auto. I would buy a few if I was you. Although not sure that looks correct.
One has to remember that spare parts are only made whilst there is a demand.
The Factory only is obliged to supply up to 10 years beyond the completion of the model requiring the parts. If there is a surge on the parts, there is no obligation to restart making them.
Unless some supplier is willing to come to the cost of making and distributing odd parts, us people wanting said parts will just have to make do with different parts to fill our needs.
Nobody is going to tool up for making parts to sell at a loss.
Bruce. >:D
PS. If I needed a replacement Air Filter, then I would cut up my old one, keep the upper and lower rubber rings, and trim the guts from something that looks like it will fit, and glue it all back together. I don't think Judges are going remove the top of an Air Cleaner just to see what is inside. They only have to look at the outside and see the exposed top rubber ring, be it Black or Red.
In October of 2023 I placed an order for the Wix 42092 air filter with Froedge Machine Supply in Kentucky. They are a Wix dealer and their website showed the filter as available. A few days later I received an email from them saying that they were in fact not in stock and that there would be a 4 week lead time.
I let them know to please keep my order and asked if they were actually able to order the part. This is their response:
"We can order the filters, we actually have quite a few on order already. WIX is very backed up in the warehouse currently so the lead times are a lot longer than normal.
I do not have an exact ETA at the moment. We are hoping to see them by the end of the year."
Fast forward to April 2024 and I finally got a response from them about the status:
"Unfortunately I just got word this filter has become obsolete. WIX will not be filling any open order for the filter.
Because of this, I have refunded your order. You should see the transaction within the next few business days."
So these parts are no longer being made. I'm sure that Wix was the original supplier for this part that was rebranded by many others. NAPA for sure was selling the 42092 as the NAPA Gold 2092.
So the question becomes, what do us enthusiasts now do to keep our cars running with clean air filters once what old stock is out there totally dries up?
The filter isn't a very complex thing to make but since tooling, etc costs money I'm unsure if any of the repro companies out there would be interested in making these. I still have the filter that survived my engine fire and it works as it should but it has some crispy rubber ends in places. If anyone has any leads etc please let me and the others here know.
Maybe its time to come up with a 'pre filter' like you used to see a lot on lawn equipment? Its like a foam band that usually gets lightly oiled that goes around the outside of the paper filter. Idea is the oily foam will catch some of the dirt and it can easily be removed, cleaned, then re oiled. Since its not the main filter it doesn't have to be the perfect fit or perfectly sealed.
Another option would to 3D print some type of adapter for the other types of filters.
Quote from: Gabe Davis on April 11, 2024, 09:14:09 AMSo the question becomes, what do us enthusiasts now do to keep our cars running with clean air filters once what old stock is out there totally dries up?
There is no old stock left. Do an internet search and they all come up the same. OUT OF STOCK
How? Was the old supply that limited? I feel someone either horded the rest or recycled it...
When I was building my first Hot Rod, I created a Tripple 2BBL system for my 390 FE Ford engine, and had to make up my own Filter for the air cleaner, which was long and not that wide.
I successfully raided the local shop and got enough shaped filters to be able to cut and join 4 filters to make one. As I said previously, the Judges aren't going to remove the cover to see what is inside.
If we want to keep on using our cars, we HAVE to get creative. Just look how Cuba kept their cars on the road.
Bruce. >:D
Quote from: Cadillac Jack 82 on April 11, 2024, 07:53:15 PMHow? Was the old supply that limited? I feel someone either horded the rest or recycled it...
My guess no one had any idea that they stopped making these filters a few years back and eventually the stock dwindles until gone. It has probably been on that course for a few years and now its over.
So if its been 60 some years since a car was made that used this model and most of those have not been daily drivers for 50 some years? Anyone want to guess how many of these cars still even exist? And then out of those how often those get used enough to need a new filter? My guess is a majority of them being sold are to people 'reviving' them that have been sitting for a very long time like barn finds almost and how many of those are there?
With all the people that used to make filters if they all did a run of say 100 filters in the 80's how long would that have lasted? And when they did finally sell out what are the chances they were still in business at all and if they were do they still have the molds and machines? Probably not since I don't think any car has been made with a round filter since the 80's and they are not going to bother because brand B still has stock or machines to make more so not enough demand to make it worth retooling. Even the people in sandals working for 2 cents a day need specific tools and molds.
Also makes me wonder if any of the filter manufacturer websites have a way to search based on sizes? Seems like the chances are good there is something else out there that is at least darn close or maybe half the size so you could stack them? I have seen oil filer listings where you can search by thread, gasket, and micron sizes.
From looking at the pictures of the right filter and the ones that are listed to "fit", the flange is the difference. I think that is the top sealing surface when the lid is put on. I hope if work arounds are found they will be posted to this forum. IMHO though, as stated above most of these cars drive less than 2,000 miles a year. I guess a filter could last 8 to 10 years at that rate. I would rather pay the $88.00 knowing that my expensive engine is protected than save a few bucks on a filter and have to deal with expensive engine repairs later.
Id love to find the proper orange rubber filter...or any filter for that matter. One thing thats good about the earlier 50s cars...oil bath. Sure its messy but rather deal with that then a non existent filter.