air filters for diesel pusher

[Andrews]

I was told at a recent RV rally seminar that paper air filters for diesel RV engines should be discarded after 2 years of manufacture. Does anyone know anything about this? Is it true? Andrews

[R2Home]

Replace air filter two years from manufacture? That is a new one for me and I have been dealing with diesel engine for over 38 years. Could they have meant '2 years after they were installed'? The air filter in our MH is going on three years now and it still looks good.

[sc3283]

this is something that recently appeared as a recommendation..true? false? marketing ploy? who knows

[EngineerMike]

If you are using real filters, that's total c-rap. I'll be changing my 5.5 year old filter tomorrow, just cuz. It has 32k on it. Filter-Minder shows ~30% restriction. I'm replacing the OEM Fleetgard "paper" filter w/the same thing, cuz I need something to do w/my time. As long as the tyvek-ish stuff isn't perforated by some fast moving debris, and the restriction (amount of built up dirt) is OK, the filter should be good. Just make sure you get a good seal w/the new one, and don't drop dirt into the intake while replacing. My air filter can is horizontal, so I'll swab it out w/a wet rag to clean it up, then pop in the new filter.

If you are using cheap, including actual paper, filters then 2 years use is probably a good number. If you drive in the rain, open the filter can & check to see the media isn't degraded by any mist you may pick up. Had a GM diesel rig using GM filter- it got soggy in a driving rain then fuzzed up like a frizzy hair-do, and I couldn't tell if it was any good at filtering any more, so I replaced it. Good media shouldn't do that.

[topdownman]

I just replaced the air filter on my Cummins at 7200 miles because it was the original on my 2007. The new filter specifically said in the instructions not to use any filter, new or not, that was over two years old. It could be a way to sell more filters. I don't know.

[Cat320]

Originally Posted by Andrews

I was told at a recent RV rally seminar that paper air filters for diesel RV engines should be discarded after 2 years of manufacture. Does anyone know anything about this? Is it true? Andrews

Sounds like advice given by a guy working on a commission selling air filters. Do what the owner's manual says.

[Papa_Jim]

Well, actually, the problem isn't the paper media, it's the glue that seals the media to the canister. The manufacturer feels that the glue should be OK for two years before becoming brittle, developing cracks, or losing hold of the paper or the canister. Any of those conditions can allow dust to enter straight into the engine intake.

I lost a gas tractor engine many years ago due to this very reason. Ever since, for peace of mind I have adhered to changing my air filters out regularly on everything that I own.

[Melmoses]

Ever heard these? "they don't make them like the used to", "built-in obsolete date" and a few more sayings that are so true! Filters are covered by the above! I just found an old filter for my tractor on the barn shelf and pulled the current one to replace. Difference in quality is like night and day! Old was made to last, new was made to fail.

[ahicks]

I would monitor the Filter Minder, replace it when it indicates it's necessary.

[Gary RVRoamer]

There have been enough problems with the adhesive disintegrating on paper-core filters that the diesel chassis manufacturers (who get the warranty claims) have begun to recommend replacement on age rather than the filter minder reading. I wrote to Racor (filter manufacturer) about this and they did not agree, but they aren't replacing engines (at least not yet).

A diesel engine that ingests particles of dried glue will soon need a ultra-expensive tear down overhaul. Think in terms of $15k-$20k in cost and you will likely decide that a new filter is cheap insurance.

Some of the indications are that the problem occurs when excessive moisture gets pulled into the filter canister, wetting the glue and perhaps hastening its breakdown. That would suggest that only some coach body & chassis configurations might have this potential problem. But how to know if yours is one of them until its too late?

That said, I figure to get about three years out of mine. I begin to see a loss of performance when the filter minder reaches the halfway mark anyway.

[Steve Ownby]

There is a thread over on the Cummins forum with Spike45 as a primary poster. He has just retired as a field engineer for Fleetguard. He also worked for Cat previous to that. He has some very interesting observations concerning filtration issues, particularly air filtration. It would be worth your while to look up those threads.

[Papa_Jim]

[QUOTE=Gary RVRoamer;1321998]
A diesel engine that ingests particles of dried glue will soon need a ultra-expensive tear down overhaul. /QUOTE]

Assuming the defective filter is replaced before the engine is damaged from ingesting thousands of gallons of dust, or particles of dried glue, particles of dried glue can demolish a perfectly good turbocharger in seconds.

Cost of filter, versus cost of turbo, or engine. Hmmmmm.

[topdownman]

I am not one that wants to take a chance "dusting" my diesel. $65 is cheap insurance.

[Dutch Star Don]

I don't understand why some people take it as a personal challenge to see how long they can run their air filter, even bragging about how many years since they changed it last. I doubt they will ruin their engine, but the loss in performance is reason enough to change them out at least every two years.

Do you do the same thing with your water filters at home? Do you wait until the water turns brown and then change it, bragging to the neighbors.

I laugh when someone spends the money for a diesel coach and then goes cheap on servicing it.