Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Purolator filter question?

[HerbW]

I recently bought a 1998 12 valve truck and noticed it had a Fram oil filter on it. I won't drive it another mile till it's changed. I looked at TSB 09-004-01 on our website here and it says that a Purolator oil filter # L45335 Cellulose is an approved filter. All the Purolator filters I find have this right number and the filter is called "Premium Plus". I see nothing about cellulose anywhere. Is this an approved filter that I'm looking at? I hate to wait and buy from the Dodge Robber Dealers on Monday at three times the price. I need to drive my truck on Monday to work. What about K&N oil filters?. Thanks, Herb

 

[illflem]

I personally wouldn't worry about the Fram till the next oil change. I'll bet at least 75% of the CTDs on the road are using them, don't see them broken down all over the place.





August 2002 TECHNICAL INFORMATION



It has been brought to our attention that a few DaimlerChrysler service technicians are recommending that the FRAM PH3976 filter not be used on Daimler Chrysler vehicles withthe Cummins 5. 9L Turbo Diesel engine and that use of these filters can cause damage to the engine. Daimler Chrysler has informed us that they released a Technical Service Bulletin to their dealerships communicating a potential contamination issue and recommending the use of Fleetguard manufactured filters.



FRAM has been selling PH3976 filter for this engine application since the engine platform launch and it has maintained an extremely reliable service record. Late in 2000, Cummins and Daimler Chrysler brought to our attention a low incidence failure mode in their Cummins 5. 9L Turbo Diesel engine of the piston cooling nozzle plugging, resulting in engine failure. The plugging was caused by contaminates lodging in the nozzle. The contaminants included metal chips, calcium carbonate, polyethylene, and styrene butadiene that are not associated with filter manufacture, and a neoprene compound, which is used as a sealant on the tapping plate of the filter. There were also several other engine warranty issues determined unrelated to the piston cooling nozzle plugging that were part of the engine failure sample. A small amount of neoprene rubber was used in the FRAM filter as a sealant.



Throughout our investigation with Cummins & DaimlerChrysler on various engine failures, no conclusive evidence was found to assign cause to filters or other contamination sources. However, driven to satisfy our customers, the FRAM engineering team made modifications to the design eliminating the neoprene and expedited development and manufacturing to release a revised filter model number to PH3976A. With the design change on the PH3976A completely removing the use of neoprene, there is absolutely no validity in comments that the Fram filter should not be used for this application or that it may cause engine failures associated with plugged nozzles.

 

[bighammer]

Find a local Cummins shop or a tractor/heavy equipment dealer. They should have the Fleetguard filters for you at a better price than the dealer.



You can also call (800) 22 FILTER for Fleetguard customer service.

 

[MLee]

oil filters

HERBW;

the oil filter thing, with fram has really been discussed, to my understanding, is they don't have a pressure release spring built in to them like the other major brands do, they have a bar of metal in the bottom and when this bends, you have, like a by pass oil system, no filtration. stay with the major ones. if you can'nt Wait, napa's #1607 (wix) will work the fleet guard #3894, are a better filter and a little cheaper than the #3552"s from cummins, or other shops. do some searching in the forums on the ones that work.

just my penny's worth.



Marv.

 

[Dennis Garrett]

Go to the Case-IH dealer & get a J934430. It's a Fleetguard Stratapore, painted black & silver, & called "Micro-Loc Ultra" It's what I've been using on my 97 12V for years.

 

[RVPILOT]

filters

Don't worry about it ,I put over 250,000 miles on my 96 3500 with Fram filters and now have over 500,000 after swithing to fleetguard at about 275,000. rvpilot

 

[HerbW]

Well I changed my oil yesterday anyway and used a Purolator oil filter on it. I was told that they make the Fleetguard filters anyway. They have a micro filter also like Fleetguard. Hmmmmm! Thanks to all for their input, especially Illflem. The inside of my Fram and the Purolator looked identical to me. Both had alot of pleats in them. I wrote Purolator and asked about their filters for Dodge Cummins T. D. and will post my reply if I get one. In the usage guide at the store, they have a full engine guarantee if their filters ever fail and cause damage. They even have a damage hotline to get a kit for proof. Thanks again, HerbW

 

[Dieseldemon]

Fram filters

I know of several people who have had new engines installed by Fram because of plugged piston cooler nozzles the media came apart I will not use a fram or wix or napa on my engine cummins put out a letter with a warning about these filters

 

[illflem]

So Jim how is it get a new engine from Fram?

I'd think it would be easier than from Fleetguard who doesn't warrant their filters.

whiteknight's parents rig is a case in point, it took them months fighting for warranty when the oil pump overpressurized and blew out their Fleetguard.

 

[redram]

Re: Fram filters

Originally posted by Dieseldemon

I know of several people who have had new engines installed by Fram because of plugged piston cooler nozzles the media came apart I will not use a fram or wix or napa on my engine cummins put out a letter with a warning about these filters

Cummins also put out a letter saying not to use the ELC Coolant form Texaco years ago and now you can buy a Cummins version of it but at the time, Fleetrite, the coolant side of Fleetguard, did not have an equivalent product so they put out a memo saying don't use it.



This seems very 'self' serving to bash another brand to push sales to an inhouse division.



Illfem, thanks for the great post on the Fram issue.



Regarding the 'overpressured filter bursting' was it the 'excessive oil pressure' or the 'lack of engine oil circulating in the engine due to leaking oil filter' that ultimately damaged the engine?



Purolator does not make Fleetguard filters to my knowledge. There are not alot of "fabric" suppliers for the filtering media and it is possible that several of the mfg's have similar technology or suplliers.

 

[illflem]

Red, it was lack of oil that killed it. The line the dealer eventually gave them was that it didn't matter whose filter you used, there is no warranty if you change your own oil, it must be done by the dealer.

 

[Dieseldemon]

Oil changes

All you have to do is keep records as to how often you change your oil they can not force you to go to the dealer for oil changes unless the service is free

The filter from fleetguard is LF3894 stratapore designed for the 24v but also works on the 12v