flleetguard oil filter in bad shape, was NIW.

[BK]

I've been using fleetguard filters exclusively since I bought my 99.

I'll still use them, and not looking to bash them in this posting, more just a warning to check ANY filter you use...



Any filter I use, on anything, before installing it I inspect it.

Other manufacturers of filters I use on my other vehicles I've found filters dented, metal shavings, bad threads, bad seals, and such.

When in doubt I throw it out. $5 dollar filters don't hurt as much as a $20 fleetguard.



This is my 1st fleetguard filter not going into service, since 99.

It was new in wrapper (NIW), wrapper was in great shape.

It was stored right next to others, just seems something happened to this one during manufacturing.





some pix are big, so they can be zoomed in on, so only placing links.



Filter2



shot of the top, see the rust at the welds, in person you can see the flaking of the rust. . and look at the rust on the threads. .

Filter3





rust / corrosion / spots inside. . Like there was some caustic liquid chemical that was left on the metal surfaces in spots that cause the corrosion .

Filter4





zoomed in on the two spots in the seems at welds. .

Filter5



zoomed in, different angle, can see the rust on threads better.

Filter6



zoomed in even more, can really see the rust on the threads, the butchered start of the threads, and some staining / rust color in the filter. That rust is flaking.

Filter7

 

[NIsaacs]

It might just be long shelf life, in high humidity with condensation inside the wrapper?



Nick

 

[mwilson]

I've seen it before with any brand of filter.



Never really got too worried about it, as long as it hasn't started flaking.



The main thing is that you were not comfortable with it and did not use it. That is the right thing to do.



We always carried spare filters in the big trucks, sometimes they looked way worse than that and we still used them.



Of course a plugged fuel filter at -10 below can raise your tolerance level as far as a rusty, dented spare filter goes... .



Mike.

 

[macdaddy]

Where did you buy that thing?. I buy all my Fleetguards from Geno's. I would like to think that they would never ship one like that!



Mac

 

[AH64ID]

Make it your emergency spare, my emergency filters aren't pretty but I never plan on using them.

 

[BK]

with the flaking at the corrosion, I don't trust it. . so out it goes.

Who I bought it from, made good on it, as I trusted they would.

The wrapper was fine, and it was about a year old, stored along side others (as all others have been since been buying/using them since 1999) which were in fine shape.
And it's the 1st time I've had a problem like this over the years of buying them from the same source. I'm not naming the source, since it's not their problem IMHO... and I do agree it's a fluke of a problem. . but if I felt if it happened once, it'll happen again to someone. When I called my source, they said, " yes, we get a few filter claims now and again, and we'll make it right".

I went back and checked the last one I had. It had a hole in the wrapper where the seams are of the shrink wrap, and it was as clean as the best of them.
I've had the same before (holes at the seam ) and none have had this problem.

I can't tell you what it looked liked when I 1st got it.
Something happened to the filter before it was wrapped.
(all conjecture from here on in): Could be what ever got on it before shrink wrap, caused the corrosion over time, and if it had been used right away, it may have not been a problem. ??
It's just in certain spots, like it was dripped on, or maybe some caustic wash was used during the production processes, and not thoroughly clear washed afterwards.

 

[JLEONARD]

If it were me I would send it back to Fleetguard and ask them for a replacement and to tell you why it rusted. My guess is they will send you a new filter.



Remembering of course the honey vs vinegar rule.



I am asked to analyse cause for corrosion for our company's products on many that get returned from customers. I can tell you that it is not always a manufacturing problem. Most times by far it is because of of something after the parts were shipped, be it lousy storage environment, or something external in the customer's system.



(We make solenoid valves using magnetic stainless parts and any iron on the water or service fluid will be attracted to and "stick" and eventually corrode the valve)

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

I just got 4 Stratopores from Geno's and they were perfect, no rust. I have used Fleetguard since 1996 and never got a bad one.

 

[BK]

I've used them since 99, never a bad one, till this one.
The distributor made good on it, and said it does happen every once in a while.