Wix fuel filter issue

[Playtime III]

Okay, Two days ago I went to our local Truck repair shop for fuel filters and an oil filter for my ISL400. I was in a rush so I did not shop the Internet. The Cummins facility is over an hour away; I've used this place for hoses so I thought it would be okay.

They did not have Fleetguard but had Wix filters.

Today I changed the oil filter, oil and secondary fuel filter without issues. I opened the box on the primary filter and saw this...



The filter was in a sealed plastic bag too.

I took it back and they apologized and gave me a replacement.

The part I am most taken back is that they said it happens every so often and blamed it on our FL climate. If so, why did they not check it when she pulled it off their shelf? This is why I do my own work whenever possible. Would they have installed it if I had them do the filter change? I hope not.

[Dutch Star Don]

I have no idea if that is really a Florida issue or a poor quality filter issue. When I change the oil filters in my cars, I either use the OEM filter or generally a Purolator filter, a brand I've felt comfortable with for many years.

When it comes to my $50,000.00 diesel engine and the expensive components such as injectors, I only use the OEM products. The same with my Onan generator. I carry spare fuel filters in my coach and keep spare oil filters in my garage. When I do my yearly service, I use my spares and then replace them. This way, I'm never in a position where I need a filter and don't have it.

JUST MY OPINION......I'm old school, I don't test my fluids, I just change them at the intervals I feel comfortable with. When it comes to my diesel engine and generator, I only use OEM filters. Some OEM filters may have bypass features or other specialized design that aftermarket products may not incorporate. I just don't see buying a cheap filter to save three dollars on a $100K-$300K coach.

AGAIN......before you go crazy.......JUST MY OPINION, wrong or not.

[Rkesselus]

I'm not sure where you should place the blame. The filter was obviously exposed to moisture the question is when and where. I would suspect the retailer first. Is think you should notify WIX. Any filter or any component made with steel or iron exposed to moisture and oxygen will rust. I use Wix and do not remember the filters being enclosed in a plastic bag. I also know that many large trucking firms use Wix Filters and that makes me comfortable with them.

[Mr_D]

I'm with Don, only OEM filters for me.

[Philswrench]

I've been in the auto repair industry for 34 years and have seen this from time to time on different brands of filters even some original equipment filters, poor quality control,none of the shops I've worked in would have installed that filter ,especially since it gives them something to cuss out the parts guy over

[Playtime III]

Well the counter rep did toss the returned filter in a trash can behind the counter. This further led me to agree that this was a FL thing otherwise wouldn't they have returned it to WIX?

[Gary RVRoamer]

I'm with Don, only OEM filters for me

You guys are kidding yourselves - few if any of the engine OEMs make filters. They buy them from a major filter manufacturer (Wix, Baldwin, Donaldson, Purolater, etc) and have their name labeled on them.

[CountryFit]

i have been using fleetguard filters, ordering from filterbarn.com. a few days ago, i found that filterbarn didn't have oil filter LF9009 but only baldwin. i emailed them whether it's discontinued. they replied:

"Yes after 20 years of selling fleetguard prodcuts we have discontinued most of their product line. They moved all their production out of the US and we not only do not agree with that but we also had a lot of problems with them since that happened. We offer the US made Baldwin filter in # BD7309 for that application."

not sure why it became an issue now since all the filters i had bought from them were made in mexico. i am thinking if i couldn't get fleetguard, i would take donaldson, not others.

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by Gary RVRoamer

You guys are kidding yourselves - few if any of the engine OEMs make filters. They buy them from a major filter manufacturer (Wix, Baldwin, Donaldson, Purolater, etc) and have their name labeled on them.

Probably true, but if I have a problem it's one less entity to point your finger at!

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by CountryFit

i have been using fleetguard filters, ordering from filterbarn.com. a few days ago, i found that filterbarn didn't have oil filter LF9009 but only wix. i emailed them whether it's discontinued. they replied:

"Yes after 20 years of selling fleetguard prodcuts we have discontinued most of their product line. They moved all their production out of the US and we not only do not agree with that but we also had a lot of problems with them since that happened. We offer the US made Baldwin filter in # BD7309 for that application."

not sure why it became an issue now since all the filters i bought from them were made in mexico. i am thinking if i couldn't get fleetguard, i would take donaldson, not wix.

BTW, the LF 9009 has been replaced with a new type with supposedly better filter material.

[ThePowells]

Originally Posted by Gary RVRoamer

You guys are kidding yourselves - few if any of the engine OEMs make filters. They buy them from a major filter manufacturer (Wix, Baldwin, Donaldson, Purolater, etc) and have their name labeled on them.

What he said. What you don't know who is who made the original and who made the replacement, and not all of one manufacturer (Ford, GM, Chrysler, CAT, Detroit, cummins) engines will have filters from one creator. While Purolator used to be the main supplier to Ford (up until the mid 80s), now Wix is the dominate small engine provider, but then that may change at the next bidding cycle. If Ford changes the specs for the oil filter for the new 7 liter engine, then who ever wins that bid will usually have a 5 year lock on being the OEM and major replacement provider. I know that Wix had to destroy a bunch of their filters because it had the Ford spec base plate where they had just ran Ford OEM filters and then continued and just switched the paint line over, Over the 15 year life of an engine, It may have as many as 7 different makers of the "OEM" filter.

[Dutch Star Don]

Yes, one or two manufacturers make several items, like batteries, filters, and many brands of tires under the same company. Many fool themselves on things such as batteries. They buy a battery at Sam's Club, made by Johnson Controls and tell themselves it's the same as the premium battery that Johnson Controls sells, it's not. The reason it's cheaper to buy is because it's made with cheaper materials or less materials as in the weight of battery plates or filter material inside a filter.

Claiming they're all the same is just a way of making yourself feel better over choosing a cheaper product. Almost every industry offers a cheaper version of their product to appeal to more people.

Will a coach with a Wix filter work as well as a coach with a Fleetguard filter, sure, I'm just not willing to take the chance that the Wix falls apart or doesn't meet the specs of the OEM filter. To me, some people are penny wise and dollar foolish. That's okay with toilet paper, but not engine components.

Lastly, how much are you saving, $3, $5, $10, once a year. We have friends that will buy the cheapest products they can find and then think nothing of consuming a $35.00 bottle of wine everyday. Doesn't make sense to me.

[10Boomer]

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

I have no idea if that is really a Florida issue or a poor quality filter issue. When I change the oil filters in my cars, I either use the OEM filter or generally a Purolator filter, a brand I've felt comfortable with for many years.

When it comes to my $50,000.00 diesel engine and the expensive components such as injectors, I only use the OEM products. The same with my Onan generator. I carry spare fuel filters in my coach and keep spare oil filters in my garage. When I do my yearly service, I use my spares and then replace them. This way, I'm never in a position where I need a filter and don't have it.

JUST MY OPINION......I'm old school, I don't test my fluids, I just change them at the intervals I feel comfortable with. When it comes to my diesel engine and generator, I only use OEM filters. Some OEM filters may have bypass features or other specialized design that aftermarket products may not incorporate. I just don't see buying a cheap filter to save three dollars on a $100K-$300K coach.

AGAIN......before you go crazy.......JUST MY OPINION, wrong or not.

X2, I agree, done yearly or more depending on miles driven.

[EZDZIT]

Today I received two Fleetguard LF9009 filters from Amazon, $31.08 for 2. Both are labeled "Made in USA." The filters are also labeled "StrataPore" and "OEM Approved".