Water in Air Filter

[spinn]

We have been in Houston for the past month the weather had been less than stellar The last week we have had significant rain fall with quite a bit of driven rain. We are preparing to leave so as part of my preparation i popped the air cleaner to see if the rain had made it into the filter. Sure enough the bottom elements (about 1/2 inch wide) was saturated. I chose to replace the filter but wanted to get your opinions as to my need for concern. Thanks




The dark stripe is the wet area

Steve

[slowmachine]

From non-MH diesel experience, you should be concerned. I tell people to imagine they are on a boat, and gravity is constantly drawing the water down every surface. You want to make connections so that water is running downhill past a connection, rather than into it. If gravity can cause water infiltration, you're doing it incorrectly. The upper piece must overlap the lower piece or the boat will sink. That said, dampness will disappear quickly once air begins to flow through the filter. I'd you're not in a hurry to rev it up, it will dry out nicely with no damage.

It would be good to know how much water flowed through the filter and kept going downhill, and the precise location of the bottom of that hill, where water might pool and be drawn into the engine in sufficient quantity to cause very expensive damage. I never cease to be amazed by the stupid things that highly-educated engineers let slip through the design process. It should be impossible, by any method short of deliberate action or submersion of the vehicle, to get water into the air intake. Strong opinion, all mine.

Mike

[Steve Ownby]

I would have replaced also. Impossible to tell if the water infiltration could have caused a complete breakdown of the element. A hole in the filter medium would be a path for unfiltered air into the engine. 5 oz of dust over the life time of the engine and its dusted.


Steve Ownby
Full time since '07

[spinn]

Thanks Steve and Mike. Add the intake design and filter placement is similar in most newmar side rad engines i wonder if this is a continual problem Although i must say the rain was really coming down and blowing. I wonder if i can design a water trap at the bottom of the intake ducting to safely trap driven water without disrupting air flow

[hillboy]

Intake piping will often have "duckbill" drains, a rubber one way drain. Some filter canisters also have them.

[hillboy]

also search of Newmar owners forum topic "air filter/ air intake' has 3 pages of info and thoughts

[spinn]

Thanks hillboy, i remember the discussion but thought it was focused on air restriction. I will look it up again
Steve

[Cat]

Air filter can get wet with no problems. If you think about if your running in fog or rain some of the water has to get to the filter. Saying that if you were to get a big shot of water all a sudden it could cause a filter to collapse. The only time I've seen a failure was because truck passing another sprayed water off the tires on to and in to the intake.

[Dutch Star Don]

"spinn"....I would have to look again, but I believe on mine, the duck bill flapper is up under the air intake on the driver's side of the coach. If I recall, open the engine compartment and look up where the air cleaner ducting goes up the side of the coach.

Often the flapper is glued shut from factory under coating or dried shut. Squeeze the duck bill (about 1.5" across) and see if it opens.

[spinn]

Thanks Don i will give it a try