Anyway... before anyone laughs, I admit to being non-mechanical. I can assemble and disassemble, but anything beyond I need help.

That's where I am now. I am installing (still... Rex is sitting in the garage hood up seemingly forever!) an open element filter.

I am almost done, except I cannot find an appropriate breather filter. Everyone I found has a very small diameter fitting, versus one to fit on the outside of the engine nipple like the hose did. Will one work? How will I keep it from falling out?

What works? Suggestions (besides that I'm too dumb to mod...)?

 

I'm guess you mean a filter for the Airpump. I bought a small diameter one that fit INSIDE the stock hose and used the hose clamp to tighten it down. Worked well.

 

a rubber based small engine filter will work fine. Most are only 1" or 1 1/4 inch ID filer bases, and that will clamp down just fine.