Change cummins air filter or not

[Zoafan]

Where is the air flow indicator? I have a isb 275

[Steve Ownby]

Originally Posted by Zoafan

Where is the air flow indicator? I have a isb 275

It will look something like this & be mounted somewhere close to the air filter and a small air line connects it to the intake plumbing:

http://www.filterminder.com/gafi_threaded.asp

[Zoafan]

Do all coaches have these? I can't find it anywhere

[Randy125]

Originally Posted by Zoafan

Do all coaches have these? I can't find it anywhere

Mine is in the rear mounted on top of the radiator.

[3rd stage]

Originally Posted by Mr_D

Probably a Farr-Ecolite. Not the best filter but sometimes easier to fit in the limited space available. Mine continually runs 15 and above, would like to go to a less restrictive filter but about all I can do is go to a larger size of what I already have and that would take all new intake plumbing. I think I can do it but need to study it some more. The piping and rubber pieces are readily available but I would need to have some welding on aluminum done for the restriction meter fitting.
Also, the rubber fittings to the filter should be replaced EVERY time the filter is changed. The old ones harden up and it's hard to get a good seal. If not sealed you can very easily end up with a "dusted" engine and no warranty will cover the rebuild. Air filters on a diesel are CRITICAL!

I have the sealed Ecolite filter that you mentioned. About what reading on the Filter Minder should I be seeing with a clean filter? My Filter Minder stays on the bottom of its cavity. I checked its operation and it's OK. I also checked the hose connecting it to the intake piping and that's OK too. Do I need to worry about a collapsed filter element, or is "no reading" on the Filter Minder normal when using a new/clean filter?
Thanks
Andy

[rexabbot]

Originally Posted by Steve Ownby

Post this suggestion on the Cummins forum and ask for comments from Spike45. He is a retired field engineer for Fleetguard. A Diesel engine is a big air pump and consumes a lot of air. If it ingests 4-6 ounces of dust over its service life it will need rebuilding.

If you blow out your air filter and reuse it you are putting your engine at risk.

Thanks for the info. I have already replaced by filter. But I did blow it out a couple times before I changed it.
I won't take that chance in the future.

[fastcat]

I blew mine out at 25K and the filter minder was in the red within 1K. Just bought a new Fleetguard on eBay for $45 shipped to my door.

I won't waste my time blowing it out again, unless I drive through a dust storm next week.

[Zoafan]

Ok I found mine it was in the back with the radiator.

It's at 20, is that good or bad? Do you want it high or low?

[chuck49]

I change my air filter every two years. (C-9 Cat, ecolite inclosed canister) I'm only putting about 3k to 5k miles on it each year right now (almost retired but not quite)and the air flow indicator has never shown any restriction to worry about. I just think moisture etc is more of a worry than it clogging up. Cheap insurance and piece of mind to not worry about it coming apart and ruining the motor. I used to put 120K miles a year on a Frieghtliner with a 350 cummins and I think we changed those air filters about every six months depending on conditions. Oil and fuel filters every 5k to 10K miles and we worked those motors hard, max weight bulk commodities, 80,000lbs+ all the time. Lots of times 100,000lbs gross weight. Those motors were still going fine with 1,000,000+ miles on them. My brother retired and sold his 86' Kenworth with over 3,000,000 miles on it and never had a major overhaul, only rod and main bearings (in frame). Keep all the fluids and filters changed and, like a lot of people here have said, that motor will out last the driver and the rest of the coach.

[Airstreamer6]

Originally Posted by Zoafan

Ok I found mine it was in the back with the radiator.

It's at 20, is that good or bad? Do you want it high or low?

Assuming the air filter is not leaking air, the the lower the number on the gauge the better.

Of course, a leaking air cleaner or its connection hosing will show a low restriction value, but this would be bad because dirty air is getting to the engine.

Air filter restriction gauges indicate the amount of vacuum it takes to pull air through the air cleaner. As an air cleaner gets dirty, this air restriction goes up because of the restriction to air flow from the dirt.

The question about when the filter should be changed varies somewhat. Generally, when the gauge shows about 20 or 22, the filter should be changed. When it gets to 25 and above, the engine is probably struggling to get enough air to breath well.

When the filter is new, the restriction should be very low. If it is not, this may indicate the filter is too small for the engine.

By the way, the numbers on the gauge indicate the number of inches of water in a column that is pulled by any given level of vacuum. IE, it takes more vacuum to pull 15 inches of water than it takes to pull 10 inches. As noted, this value goes up as the filter is restricted by dirt.

[AFChap]

I changed mine (canister type) for the first time 3 years ago. It was mildly dirty and in good shape otherwise. Had the coach serviced today and in spite of my not having on the list, tech removed it "to check it.". He found a chunk of foam inside the filter on the intake side ...he looked for possible source but finally said he had no idea where it came from, all screens on intake are in place.

[Sayonara]

Originally Posted by mvpmich

My Cummins 6.7 has a similar filter with a metal housing. $65 with a 10% discount.

I tried to PM you but it wouldnt let me... Where did you get your filter? I was just at NAPA and the Napa 6748 was $165 with AAA discount. I am also in SE Michigan. Thanks for the help!

[Yukon Jack]

As others have stated, I would definitely replace the filter assembly for added peace of mind and engine protection. In addition, I would only use critical components like air, oil & fuel filters from a quality, reputable source. If I were to error, I would want it to be on overmaintaining my RV to avoid costly repairs and eliminate unforseen breakdowns. In

My Monaco came equipped with a Donaldson EcoLite series enclosed air cleaner assembly, see attached photos, and the Donaldson Engineers that I have spoken with generally suggest to replace these air cleaners filters on a condition based maintenance basis by watching the Restriction Indicator gauge OR at least every 5 years, even if the restriction indicator indicates it is still in good condition. This is because of the increasing potential for the sealing compound between filter media pleats and end caps to begin to break down that could result in small, undetected leakage pathways developing through the filter assy.


The best device to use to determine or monitor the condition of these air filter assemblies is a restriction indicator gauge that monitors the vacuum downstream of the air filter (between air cleaner outlet and turbo. For Cummins engines, Donaldson recomends a 25" water gauge be used for turbo engines whereas a 20" water gauge for a non-turbo engine. In my case, even with a ISC350 (8.3L) turbo engine, I use a 20" rated gauge and when the restriction indicator begins to approach 18-20 inches water, then it is time for me to replace the air filter. You may have occasions where the restriction indicator will move up the scale even with a good air filter, as a result of using an engine brake and the engine speeds reachor slightly exceed goverened speeds due to down shifting. In those cases just reset the restriction indicator and make sure it doesn't reach high levels during normal operation. I have attached a pdf document from Donaldson on this device.


There are a couple of things that could influence the restriction indicator not responding to a build of contamination in the air filter or instantaneous periods of higher engine speeds.
1. The filter assembly has rutured and unfiltered and unrestricted air is flowing through the air cleaner, which is not likely to happen if the system has been properly maintained.
2. The Restriction Tap Fitting that the Restriction Indicator is secured to, has the sintered bronze safety filter plugged with contamination and will not allow the gauge to sense any of the changes in vacuum in the air inlet system. I have included photos of this device on the attached pdf document.

I also would NEVER remove an air cleaner just to inspect it or try to clean it by blowing air back through it in the reverse direction of the natural air flow. If this is done, there is a high risk factor that you will enlarge the size of the pores in the filter media that will then allow more dust in, OR you my run the risk of separating the bonding seal between the filter media pleats and the end caps. Plus when reinstalling the used filter, there is a good chance you will knock some dust loose and it will be ingested directly into the intake manifold, thus creating more problems.

Hopefully the above information and attached files will be of help to those who have questions about air cleaner systems and restriction indicators.

Good Luck with your Maintenance Practices & Happy RV'g

Jack

[Mr_D]

The latest word I've seen on air filters is to change every two years. Plus, with the Banks kit the engine needs more air so I want to keep the restriction down as much as possible. The filter material can pick up moisture and deteriorate and you sure don't want pieces of filter going through your turbo, or at least I don't.
I ordered one yesterday from RV Chassis Parts. Cost was $107 for the Ecolite we need. Through May they're offering free standard shipping on orders of 149.99 or more