Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Air Cleaner Dirty

[DPellegrin]

Hey guys. I use the fleetguard air filter for my truck. I usually buy them from the local cummins. And it seems that I cannot keep one for longer than about 8000 miles without the thing being clogged with dirt. I think it may be getting wet but not sure I do not have the air horn to the fender hooked up but it was doing this before I took it out. Any ideas thanks.

 

[DKarvwnaris]

Hey guys. I use the fleetguard air filter for my truck. I usually buy them from the local cummins. And it seems that I cannot keep one for longer than about 8000 miles without the thing being clogged with dirt. I think it may be getting wet but not sure I do not have the air horn to the fender hooked up but it was doing this before I took it out. Any ideas thanks.

I am lucky to get 4,000 miles out of mine, but I also drive on gravel and dirt roads daily. Moisture may be coming in from the outside air, do you drive alot at dawn or just before? might be just morning wet air dampening it, then the dirt sticks to it once its wet.



Just a warning, I went to a K&N filter for a few months, the only thing it ended doing for me was allowing large enoug particles to pass through to nick the turbo pin wheel on the intake side. I am back to Fleetgards for good now, it isn't worth a grenaded turbo to me, I'll gladly pay for a few extra filters a year compared to a turbo or its housing at the least.

 

[ABorchard]

Looks don't mean anything with an airfilter.

Is it pulling down the the filterminder?

If not don't do anything.

 

[DKarvwnaris]

Looks don't mean anything with an airfilter.

Is it pulling down the the filterminder?

If not don't do anything.

This is sometimes true, but if your air box has a leak on the suction side or around the turbo flange, you won't see the tattle tell yellow ever show, even when its plugged solid. Toss it if you can't clearly make out the folds in the element, It isn't worth the risk of pulling the filter inside out or bypassing it and sucking garbage past the turbo inlet. I've seen what a bypassed filter will do, it isn't pretty.

 

[Dr.Bob]

One word bhaf

 

[DKarvwnaris]

One word bhaf

After pulling the piece of crap K&N filter out last week, I wll be going the BHAF route myself. I try to make things look stock when the hood is opened, so much for that as I just put a exhaust brake on the same time I changed the filter.

(for newbies, BHAF means: Big Honking Air Filter)

I had no problems with K&N in my gas cars and considered them a viable solution to modifying the filter box assemblies size or inlet hole. After seeing the damage on my turbo blades, I am pulling them out of all my vehicles and throwing the display in my shop in the trash. I will no longer support sales on them either.

I have already started searching the shelves at the Napa store down the street for a suitable AG application filter capable of fitting above the fender well. I did find a few medium duty truck filters that may be good, my problem is too much crap has been added to the engine compartment. Time to refit the layout of the 12 volt compressor etc.

 

[DPellegrin]

How do you guys mount a BHAF without doing alot of modifying under the hood?

 

[DKarvwnaris]

How do you guys mount a BHAF without doing alot of modifying under the hood?

Who said it didn't require alot of modifying? Not everything one does to their truck is a bolt on job. It all depends on your skills and abilities.

There are several companies I have seen offering 12" and larger cylindrical air filter elements that are made specifically for the dodge and ford trucks. Most look pretty crude, so I haven't bothered even looking past the first picture of them. I spent years doing sheetmetal fabrication in ther Navy so rolling and forming a filter canister is no big deal in my shop.

 

[tp0d]

--quote



Who said it didn't require alot of modifying



--



I did almost nothing to install my Fleetguard AH-19037. Took out the stock airbox, and slid a piece of 12" long 1"x3" furring strip between the airbox mounting studs. I did add an outerwears prefilter, but thats not a mod. . Only thing to worry about is the mounting studs which can pierce the BHAF. other than that, an AH-19037 fits under the hood quite nicely. . I would also recommend getting a turbo heat shield from fostertruck.com, under 20$ and a 5 min mod. .



good luck



-jerry

 

[McCRam]

It only took me ten minutes to put in the BHAF. You dont need to modify anything, just remove the airbox. The inlet hose will bolt over the the flange on the filter. Just don't tighten it to tight so the flange doesn't fold. I used the baldwin filter since the dealer is close by. The only thing I did is put some rubber hose over the airbox studs, just in case I want to put the airbox back in. The filter fits with and barely touches the hood.



Here are some part #'s I found on the TDR

Fleetgaurd# AH19037

Wix # 42790

Napa # 2790

Carquest # 87790

Donaldson # B15006

Baldwin # PA2820

John Deere# PMAH19037

 

[moparguy]

On the room issue. If going to one battery isn't feasable, consider mounting jell-pack batteries under the frame. This frees up a lot of room. I went to one Exide jell-pack, then mounted the 12v compressor where the passangers side batter used to live.



When installing a BHAF be sure to protect the ac lines next to the firewall. I usually split a piece of hose to use as a cover. On my trucks I just drove the studs down though the fender since I don't see ever going back to the stock non-sealing factory box. If you do this, be sure to use a rubber (or something) spacer to keep the BHAF from wearing the paint at the point of contact with the fender.



And last of all, I really think it's important to use a stiffner. I like a 2" long piece of exhaust pipe.



Good luck, RJR