Removal of oil bath air filter cartridge

Hello all, I was in the process of tuning up my 73 series 3 and I discovered something strange, at least to me.
After removing the oil bath filter from the strapped in harness I found the whole unit in pretty good shape. Even the wire mess cartridge was still most clean ( maybe do to the fact of having been sitting in very little oil ).
My problem is I can't remove it from the upper housing. I've cleaned, soaked and inspected. I don't want to put too much force on the bottom frame in fear that I'd destroy the filter. It seems like a solid unit...am I wrong?
Ever one I've seen( YouTube )seems to pop off with minimal effort. The outer black case has a finished rolled flat edge that looks like in cases the edge of the cartridge.
I even thought to devise a sort of adjustable chain pipe wrench ( crude as it would be) to circle the outside diameter of the cartridge to break the seal, if there is one.
Please advise, any help would be appreciated

From memory it is one unit, just clean it out with petrol, fill oil to line in lower section and refit top bit.

The mesh cartridge site inside the lower housing that holds the oil, it is solid don’t worry about being a bit rough with any bits on the landy, the top part sits on the very edge an d normally just lifts off, so yours needs a tap round with opp end of hammer to break it free, maybe a bit heat in case PO has sealed it with something sticky

I did try tapping with the hammer handle, gently though. I'll breakout the rubber mallet and have at it.
Another question while I'm here. The hose connecting the filter to the carburetor, should that be a hard plastic or flexible like a heater hose material. My looks rather newish but it's too hard to really secure properly. The po doctored the filter intake with duct tape to fit.
Thanks for the help

The hose, or 'elephant trunk' should be flexible. If it's new then maybe it's cheap, hard 'rubber' style product
Put the end in a pot of recently boiled water for a minute to soften it up

Great idea...thanks
Are the better quality ones available?

I don't know sorry, i think series 2 and 3 are different lengths

Do you mean air filter or fuel filter too Be clear

It is the air filter I'm talking about.
Used a rubber mallet, as suggested but would not budge
After further investigation I think I found a seam around the filter. Going to try little atf and acetone...

From the parts book if it helps... Mine's always come apart easily too..

What about a little piece on wood with. Some rope tied to it , push it through filter hole , other end tie to tree branch then hold onto housing and yank up and down like a slide hammer to shock it off

TS2304 said:

From the parts book if it helps... Mine's always come apart easily too..

Click to expand...

My diesel does not have that gasket 261414

steve2286w said:

My diesel does not have that gasket 261414

Click to expand...

that page was from the 2.25 petrol. Diesel might be different.
Tho thinking about it I don’t remember mine having a gasket either!

My 2a petrol doesn't have the gasket either
At least, it could be jammed in place and never noticed

When I opened mine up I didn't find a gasket either. Didn't know know it needed one till I saw the exploded view on a retail

Site earlier today

Situation update. I was finally about to separate the filter from the housing. Little WD40, little heat and little rubber mallet proved to do the trick.
The filters were surprisingly clean but I still needed to know. Cork gasket was there as well.
Thanks to all

Well done, what was the reason it was so sticky, was it the cork gasket fused on

I would have to say yes.
Nothing else was corroded, very little oil in the filter.
Must have been the length of time it sat clamped together with a small amount of oil sealing it all as one unit.

Rhode rover said:

When I opened mine up I didn't find a gasket either. Didn't know know it needed one till I saw the exploded view on a retail

Click to expand...

The gasket must be rare, mine doesn't have one. Might explain why it drips oil every time it's tipped on its side a bit