Replacing Air Filter - 2018 Cornerstone

[LWBAZ]

Having enjoyed almost all the fun I can stand thinking and talking about DEF heads for who-knows-how-long, I decided to spend a day or two focusing on a couple of projects over which I have some degree of control.

The project for today was replacing the air filter in the engine compartment of our 2018 Cornerstone. My practice with our various motorhomes has been to replace the air filter every two years or thereabout. Yes, I’m aware Spartan recommends replacing air filters every year. If you want to do that, go for it, but my opinion (based on 22 years of motorhome ownership) is that every two years is plenty adequate unless you log a lot more miles per year than most of us do.

Our current coach was new in October 2017. I replaced the original air filter in August 2019 when the odometer was at 21,742 miles.

It’s now late June (almost July) of 2021 and the odometer is at 36,896 miles. We’re planning to be on the road the entire month of August, so I decided to replace the air filter now rather than later. Separately but related, I’ll also be taking the coach in for service before we head out – oil change, new filters (oil & fuel), chassis lube – all that good stuff.

Replacing the air filter in a Cornerstone is a do-able one-person job but definitely not a fun one-person job. Actually it doesn’t much matter if you have more than one person because there isn’t room for two people to do most of the work necessary to remove the old air filter and install the new one.

The job isn’t rocket science, but it involves dealing with a big bulky heavy air filter in pretty tight quarters. Removal of the used filter is somewhat easier than installation of the new one. As Stephen Covey advised back in 2006, “Begin with the end in mind.” The photos included below show what I had in mind as the end result and was fortunate enough to achieve.

Yeah, it took a while…

P.S. - Note the manufacturing date on the label in the first photo. The documentation included with the new air filter quoted a "shelf life" of three years and advised not installing an air filter older than that. I purchased this particular filter at a local Velocity Truck Center, and as you can see it was manufactured only a few months ago.

[brobox]

I have one question. Is your RV garage air conditioned? How did you do it in that heat? I have done a few, not not on a Cornetstone, you are to be commended for that project in the heat of AZ.

[Hayman]

Larry, What's the saying about great minds thinking alike , probably not my mind but you certainly qualify. Anyways I also changed my air filter yesterday and at 2 years and although it's a 450 it's not fun sliding the boots back on the filter with so little room. It took longer to change the air filter then the DEF Filter, Hydraulic spin on and internal PS Tank filter and the air system spin on filter. Today is Engine change , Fuel filters and Allisson Tranny filters. Gen-Set was last week so by day's end we're ready to roll !

Chuck, while not Arizona nor Florida heat/humidity here in New England has been extremely uncomfortable for the North East and I was in a full sweat by the time I finished the air filter , Ugh !

[dave&ginny]

Boy I'm impressed.....NO BEER CANS and I don't see a drop of blood. There always has to be a skinned knuckle somewhere.

[brobox]

Originally Posted by Hayman

Chuck, while not Arizona nor Florida heat/humidity here in New England has been extremely uncomfortable for the North East and I was in a full sweat by the time I finished the air filter , Ugh !

I saw that the other day, 106 in Boston. I am enjoying the "cool" FL summer again this year But I am sorry say, not by choice.. What fun, we have the first storm of the season headed our way, good timing, just got the new MH insurance Friday. I would much rather be putting on miles and needing to change the air filter.

[fqberful]

Originally Posted by LWBAZ

Having enjoyed almost all the fun I can stand thinking and talking about DEF heads for who-knows-how-long, I decided to spend a day or two focusing on a couple of projects over which I have some degree of control.

The project for today was replacing the air filter in the engine compartment of our 2018 Cornerstone. My practice with our various motorhomes has been to replace the air filter every two years or thereabout. Yes, I’m aware Spartan recommends replacing air filters every year. If you want to do that, go for it, but my opinion (based on 22 years of motorhome ownership) is that every two years is plenty adequate unless you log a lot more miles per year than most of us do.

Our current coach was new in October 2017. I replaced the original air filter in August 2019 when the odometer was at 21,742 miles.

It’s now late June (almost July) of 2021 and the odometer is at 36,896 miles. We’re planning to be on the road the entire month of August, so I decided to replace the air filter now rather than later. Separately but related, I’ll also be taking the coach in for service before we head out – oil change, new filters (oil & fuel), chassis lube – all that good stuff.

Replacing the air filter in a Cornerstone is a do-able one-person job but definitely not a fun one-person job. Actually it doesn’t much matter if you have more than one person because there isn’t room for two people to do most of the work necessary to remove the old air filter and install the new one.

The job isn’t rocket science, but it involves dealing with a big bulky heavy air filter in pretty tight quarters. Removal of the used filter is somewhat easier than installation of the new one. As Stephen Covey advised back in 2006, “Begin with the end in mind.” The photos included below show what I had in mind as the end result and was fortunate enough to achieve.

Yeah, it took a while…

P.S. - Note the manufacturing date on the label in the first photo. The documentation included with the new air filter quoted a "shelf life" of three years and advised not installing an air filter older than that. I purchased this particular filter at a local Velocity Truck Center, and as you can see it was manufactured only a few months ago.

Did you have to movre that trans fill tube? On my CS there's not enough room to get the filter out through the cage without moving something. If you did move it did you go to the top or bottom corner ?


TIA

[Cruzer]

Originally Posted by dave&ginny

Boy I'm impressed.....NO BEER CANS and I don't see a drop of blood. There always has to be a skinned knuckle somewhere.

The blood only happens when you help someone change their exhaust bellows.

[Cruzer]

Originally Posted by fqberful

Did you have to movre that trans fill tube? On my CS there's not enough room to get the filter out through the cage without moving something. If you did move it did you go to the top or bottom corner ?

TIA

On my '16 45A I found it to be much easier to not try to get it out through the back. Too much stuff in the way. Instead, I work through the back to loosen the clamps and straps then go through the bedroom wardrobe to retrieve the filter and insert the new one. Helps to have a plastic garbage bag for the old filter for when you carry it through the coach.

[LWBAZ]

Originally Posted by fqberful

Did you have to move that trans fill tube? On my CS there's not enough room to get the filter out through the cage without moving something. If you did move it did you go to the top or bottom corner

Yes, on our 2018 Cornerstone it is necessary to remove the nut & bolt which secure a loop around the transmission fill tube, then move the fill tube downward. The tube can only move an inch or two down before it hits a metal crossbar, but that is enough to allow the old filter to be removed and the new one to be put in there. And you can gain another quarter inch or so by removing the fill tube's cap & dipstick. If you do that, be sure to put a paper towel or some such in the tube opening, just to be sure no stray parts end up inside your expensive Allison transmission.

Once I had the nut & bolt removed, I pushed the fill tube down then used a couple of nylon tie wraps to keep it down until I was finished. Did pretty much the same thing with a clear plastic cover that protects a 110 volt AC electrical outlet higher up. The clear cover has a tab on its left side that is just slightly in the way when attempting to extract the old filter. I raised the cover and secured it in the up position with nylon tie wraps.

[LWBAZ]

Originally Posted by brobox

I have one question. Is your RV garage air conditioned? How did you do it in that heat? I have done a few, not not on a Cornetstone, you are to be commended for that project in the heat of AZ.

No Chuck, our RV garage isn't air conditioned. Fortunately we had a reasonably decent day yesterday with clouds and some breeze. The RV garage has two entry doors, one of which is pretty much next door to the tail end of the coach when the coach is backed into the garage. Having that door propped open provided natural light and a relatively decent volume of air movement.

I'm not saying it was pleasant, but I only had to use supplemental oxygen every 15 minutes or so...

[LWBAZ]

Originally Posted by dave&ginny

Boy I'm impressed.....NO BEER CANS and I don't see a drop of blood. There always has to be a skinned knuckle somewhere.

Dave, the beer came later.

As for blood, I got though the entire air filter change-out unscathed only to inflict a cut on the end of my right thumb doing something so dumb I can't even talk about it - other than to advise not rummaging through a kitchen trash can in search of a small item you might have thrown away by mistake...

[LWBAZ]

Originally Posted by Hayman

Larry, What's the saying about great minds thinking alike , probably not my mind but you certainly qualify. Anyways I also changed my air filter yesterday and at 2 years and although it's a 450 it's not fun sliding the boots back on the filter with so little room. It took longer to change the air filter then the DEF Filter, Hydraulic spin on and internal PS Tank filter and the air system spin on filter. Today is Engine change , Fuel filters and Allisson Tranny filters. Gen-Set was last week so by day's end we're ready to roll !

Chuck, while not Arizona nor Florida heat/humidity here in New England has been extremely uncomfortable for the North East and I was in a full sweat by the time I finished the air filter , Ugh !

Brian, the DEF filter is next up! Planning on doing that tomorrow.

[LWBAZ]

Originally Posted by Cruzer

The blood only happens when you help someone change their exhaust bellows.

Ah yes, I remember it well.

But hey, it was a memorable bonding experience (figuratively and darn near literally).

[Nowabeachbum]

Nope, at some point I decided there was a certain level of “no fun” that I won’t go over and will say OPJ! Wife is aware that that means it will be done by other people because we need to support their jobs! I do however agree that 2 years is the rule not the exception for replacing the air filter.