So I have this 1969 Mercedes 200 (gasoline) and short story long, it has the weirdest air filter I think I've ever seen. Can someone please tell me what type of filter this is, if I can clean it, and whether it's worth keeping or not? 
If that last one is "no" then I have the K&N that I plan to put in its place (I live in Kuwait and the ability to clean the air filter is a big deal to me)
I didn't get a shot of the underside of it, but it appears to be filled with a wire mesh of some sort (at least as far as I can see).... It doesn't immediately seem like I can take it apart. There is one seam that might be split easily with a screw driver but I dont see any marks like it's been done before so I'm not so sure I should try.
Thanks! 
That looks like either an oiled wire mesh or oil bath filter to me. So yes, you should be able to clean it, usually without taking it apart, then re-oil them.
Edit: A quick google in German suggests that what you have is indeed the oil bath air filter for the W115.
Edit 2: Just found some maintenance instruction on a German forum, they translate roughly as follows:
At least every 10000km or 1-2 times a year, do the following:
- Drain the old oil and clean out the "pot" (the air filter housing)
- Clean the filter using diesel oil (they recommend using about 1/2 bucket)
- Let the filter drain thoroughly or blow it out with compressed air
- Refill the air filter housing "pot" with fresh oil up to the maximum marker
- During reassembly, make sure that the gasket is seated properly
Was just gonna recommend an oil bath filter for catching fine desert dust and being 3rd-world-friendly. You can even use vegetable oil in those.
Yep... oil bath. Looks hokey, works great, and infinitely reusable, just clean and re-oil.
IIIiiiiiiiinteresting! This is certainly unlike the oil bath filters I've seen before. 
ok, sweet. Thanks guys!
oooookay!
So this is where I tell you guys that when I pulled this beast out there wasn't anywhere NEAR enough oil in the bottom of that filter housing... yikes.
(Found a reference here: )
If all the parts are intact definitely keep the oil bath filter.
I had a client with a really old off-road forklift years ago with an oil bath filter. It collected so much dirt that the oil level would rise between services.
Cars with oil bath filters are the only kind that can drive through a volcano eruption. The particles are so fine they'll go through any kind of solid medium filter.
Jeep CJ's had oil bath for years.
Be sure to change the oil regularly. I have seen where moisture collected and then froze. The ice was drawn up and shut the engine down.
Saw it a couple of times.
iceracer wrote:
Be sure to change the oil regularly. I have seen where moisture collected and then froze. The ice was drawn up and shut the engine down.
Saw it a couple of times.
Pretty sure he doesn't need to worry about that in kuwait
I've been doing some digging around the interwebz. Seems like most people share the same sentiments "if it's all there, keep it"
Looks like I have an extra K&N filter I wont be using
Thanks everyone!
