M201 SAHARA cyclonic pre-filter / préfiltre

To cope with the desert conditions the M201 Sahara was fitted with a cyclonic air pre-filter on the right-hand wing to reduce the risk of damage to the engine posed by sand in the air.

Like all Sahara specific parts, original pre-filters are very rare and hard to find the two examples below a reproductions by two owners of Sahara jeeps. Click the photo to enlarge / Cliquez pour agrandir l'image
 

 

Repro filter for 6 volt Sahara (and photo)
 by Emile Tarbes (M201 No. 8665)

 

Repro filter for 24 volt Sahara
 by Tim Tearle (M201 No. 24369)

The sand that it collected by the pre-filter was piped down through the step and ingeniously discharged into the exhaust pipe using the venturi effect to draw the sand down and jettison it with the exhaust gasses (below left).