Air filter removal technique

[Chef Guy]

Changing the air filter for the first time on my '06 Endeavor, removed the cover with the 3 plastic hand tightened bolts and now the filter doesn't seem to want to budge.

Scanning earlier posts, I read that SACSTC helped removed several of these at Quartzite one year by "unscrewing" them off (according to MMAMA). Is that how they go on, screwing clockwise and then counterclockwise unscrewing them? If so, I'll try that.

Someone told me to just give the cannister a good bang to loosen it, but be careful of where the loose crap goes.....as this is my first diesel air filter removal, I do not want any unwanted particulates into the 400 ISL.

Thanks for any responses...

[tquarles]

I was at a cummins dealer getting new filters for the first time, and the filter they brought out based on the filters list monaco supplied with the coach was obviously not the right one. The tech who was filling in on the parts counter went out in the parking lot with me and we pulled the cover off. He proceeded to use brute force to yank the filter out of the housing. He says the plastic filter housings monaco uses get distorted and squeeze in on the filters sometimes - you just have to force it. Once it was out he recognized the filter immediately, recited the part number from memory, ran in and got it, and it took both of us leaning on it to seat the new one in the housing.
Not true of all diesel air filters - my brother used to drive trucks with cummins engines in them, and out could slide their filters out with one hand.

[Chef Guy]

Quote:

He proceeded to use brute force to yank the filter out of the housing. He says the plastic filter housings monaco uses get distorted and squeeze in on the filters sometimes - you just have to force it.

Thanks for the advice....I was afraid that brute force would be required...something that always gives me a slap in the face (literally that is)

Oh well, might as well learn the technique....I have heard on other Monaco blogs that some people just replace the entire canister with the filter inside, as it seems too hard to remove this element. That seems to expensive for this old guy (recently retired and counting every penny)

Thanks again for the quick reply

[Gordon66]

When I changed mine I had the same difficulty in removing the old one. When I put in the new filter I sprayed the nozzle the filter slides onto inside the housing with silicone. Made the next change very easy.

[Diplomat Don]

Chef Guy...You can rock it out, by rocking it side to side and pulling.

[Chef Guy]

Diplomat Don and others,

Well, went out and using all of my force and energy, got the sucker pulled out of there....between rocking it and using a big rubber mallet knocking on the outside of the casing, I got 'er out.

Took a few pics of the procedure, in case others are shy of attempting this dyi job....wasn't that difficult, just stubborn at times. Boy, was she dirty!

The new filter cost me $51.00 (plus tax) and I know I could have ordered on line for $34.00 + $$$ for shipping, but $51.00 didn't seem to bad to pay at the local Finning Cat shop.

What did surprise me that, even though I asked about the turnover of these filters at the CAT shop, (they turn over about 10 per week with an inventory not much higher than that) that it was manufactured one year ago! They apparently do expire over time (6 years was what I was told), so date of manufacture is important.

I have sent the pics to MM so that she can paste them, as I am too technically imcompetent to do it here.

[Chef Guy]

Posted the pics to our photo site on this blog...look under Class A section and you will see 3 photos under "Air Filter...."

Hope this helps someone....

[Chef Guy]

Well, after much research and much liquid refreshment, I think I can say with some confidence that I can attach the pics at the end of this short entry....let's see how it goes!

So you can teach an old dog new tricks!! Bring it on, baby!

[itdave]

I think this is something that needs to be changed more often than every 3 to 4 years. When I changed mine earlier this year it looked like Chief Guys. I took a long trip right after the change and I think I got a mileage increase of about .5 MPG. In the future I am going to change every two years.

[Diplomat Don]

I've been able to buy all the filters (2) fuel, oil, air, air dryer, gen fuel, gen air, gen oil and hydraulic filter each year at Quartzsite for about $200.00. I figure it's cheap insurance to change them all once a year.

[Chef Guy]

Diplomat Don,

Thanks again for your help...not to "hijack" my own thread too much, but I noticed you are going to Quartzite this year. As I am recently retired, I have convinced my DW to leave this snowy, miserable part of the world during January and head south. We have never been there but it seems like "the" place to be to meet fellow "campers" so to speak!

I see you are planning on going to a RV park and not boondock. Any reasons for that? We have 2 Belgian Tervurens and like to walk them on leash for long walks. Any help would be most appreciated re: locations around that area...Again sorry for "hijacking" my own thread!

[Diplomat Don]

Chef Guy......This is our 5th year. The first year we just showed up and found an RV park to stay in that was fairly close to the RV Show. We rode our bikes over. The next year we found another park near the show and really liked it (for Quartzsite that is). It wasn't until the following year that others from the forum started meeting in the desert. We didn't have a tow vehicle so it was more convenient to stay in town near the RV Show. The campground we stay at now is about 100 yards from the show and really makes it convenient to visit. We ride our bicycles to the other flea markets on main street.

We do a lot of boondocking during the year, so we have no aversion to doing it, just find the RV park easier.