Plugged air filter

[hcpBILL]

After nearly 30,000 miles on my '00 Ram 3500 I finally looked at the air filter. I have read recommendations saying I should not even open the air box until the indicator says it is time to replace the element. What I found was an air filter that was as bad as the worst one I have ever seen, it was so dirty it was heavy. I replaced the dirty filter.

I feel I need to replace the indicator, it never read more than 20%. Has anyone had a simmilar experience?

Bill

 

[Fireman Dave]

Same Here

Same here, Bill. I peeked at mine at 22k and found it in need of replacement. My filter minder never moved once. I will ignore the minder from now on and do it the old fashioned way - check the filter with my eyes.

 

[Ron Bissett]

Originally posted by hcpBILL

After nearly 30,000 miles on my '00 Ram 3500 I finally looked at the air filter. I have read recommendations saying I should not even open the air box until the indicator says it is time to replace the element. What I found was an air filter that was as bad as the worst one I have ever seen, it was so dirty it was heavy. I replaced the dirty filter.

I feel I need to replace the indicator, it never read more than 20%. Has anyone had a simmilar experience?

Bill

Beleave it or not dirty filter will filter better than a new one filter minder is just measuring the flow through the filter more than enough for proper eng preformance ,though the filter will be dirty and look like its ready for the trash , you can bet the filter maker and Dodge/Cummins would not approve of the filter minder if it did not work as advertised. Saves $ and I know most will change it long before it is time to change according to the guage . Your choise . just a thought . Ron in Louisville KY

 

[Shovelhead]

I've heard the same about the K&N filter (Gasp, can I still say that brand name here?)

The biggest problem was too frequent cleaning.

People were servicing it every few thousand miles. They work better after they get a little dirt built up on them.

 

[hcpBILL]

K&N

What I heard about the K&N filters was they went so very long before the filter minder indicated a plugged filter that it raised the question of where is the dirt going if the filter is not plugging. Makes you wonder.

Also I remember reading about a million mile truck in the TDR, the owner said they went back to conventional air filters because the K&N never showed any indication of needing replacement according to the filter minder. The conventional ones did as expected, they were plugged when the filter minder said they were plugged.

Bill

 

[Shovelhead]

Filter Minder

I hope this won't turn into another K&N "Flamefest".

Yeah... ... I've seen the anouncement from Mother Cummins.

I've always been a little hesitant about letting technology dictate my maintenance schedule.

I never pay any attention to the dang thing (filter minder), just check and reseal the filter when performing the oil change/lube/brake adjustment.

 

[DSiemens]

The filter minder is a calibrated guage that measure the vacumn on the filter. When the vacumn gets too high the guage will move indicating filter condition. One caution about checking the air filter, the seal is one of the most critical elements on a filter. When in place the seal is "crushed" by the filter housing. When you open up to look at the filter, you could put the filter in so that the crushed seal no longer mates perfectly up with the housing which could allow unfiltered air into the motor.



If you open up the air box, I would just replace the filter to be safe.