When to replace air filter?

[rbattelle]

I went out to take a look at my air filter this evening, because I happened to be thinking about it. My filter minder has never moved, and I figured I would wait until it moved at least a little before changing filters. Well, after 14000 miles that filter is nasty. I need to replace it, despite the filter minder never moving.



What is a "usual" replacement interval for this filter? I noticed that it is never mentioned (even to be checked) in the maintenance schedules... maybe it's a "lifetime" filter!

 

[CROW]

I changed mine at about 16,000 and it looked awful dirty. Think my interval will be 15,000. I do not drive offroad or on dirt or gravel roads.

 

[redram3]

Changed mine at 65000 looked kind of dirty minder has never moved,new filter did not come with foam pad so washed out old one and glued it on. Damn can;t get anything anymore. John

 

[Tony T.]

My original filter that came with the truck new was changed at 12,326 miles, it was black, with a oily residue on it with no off road driving. Filter minder since day one showed 35% restriction even after a reset, and filter was clean. Finally got up to around 65% restriction at 12,000 miles. My truck was one that was built before February 13, 2003, so it supposedly has the miscalibrated filter minder with the weaker spring. Parts man called me today to let me know my tow mirrors came in, and had also ordered the correct calibrated filter minder to replace (don't think there is a TSB for the wrong caibrated filter minder as of yet, but they are replacing if customer complains, the way I understand). Also noticed when I changed out the air filter the (original) did not have the extra glued on filter that the new one had, the new one was made in Mexico and the original was made in Great Britain. Original filter number (#53032700AA). New one (#53032700AB).

 

[rbattelle]

My factory-original has NO additional foam filter. Those that had it, was it on the air-side or the turbo-side of the filter?

 

[bighammer]

It would have to be on the outside as sort of a pre-filter. Mine didn't come with one either.



My filter indicator hasn't budged, but the filter sure looks ugly after 15k.

 

[curatchko]

Did anyone notice where the air intake is coming from on these 3rd gens????



We're getting air from the right front wheel opening/bumper interface. All that road grime, and front brake dust is getting up to the filter.



So... . I'm wondering if the AFE kit will fix this.



Chris

 

[ImagesThatSing]

We have never seen the filter minder budge on our 99 or on our 03. I have reset it. Is this minder even functional? And we have no foam anywhere either.

 

[LAugustine]

I looked at my filter at 13000 miles, was black and oily, real nasty. . But yesterday I put on an AFE Magnum. It sits up high so I don't think I'll have that problem again. By the way, my filter minder's top snapped off on its own, dealer didn't believe me and wouldn't cover it under warranty, so I just super glued it back together. Good thing I only use them for the free oil changes!

 

[JStieger]

I replaced mine at 15,000 2 weeks ago - it was black, very dirty, and kind of oily like others have noticed. At around 13,000 miles the filter minder still said close to 10%. I then hauled 3 loads of firewood. After the first load, which included about 20 miles of driving on the fine, powdery "bug dust" coated dirt and gravel roads the filter minder jumped to 65% and held steady until the filter was replaced - even though the remaining loads of wood were hauled over the same type of dusty dirt roads. Heck, even sitting idling on these roads stirred up clouds of dust when the engine fan kicked on. The replacement filter bought from Geno's had the foam prefilter, while the original didn't. I took some pictures and would post them, but have been fighting a losing battle the past month trying to figure out how to shrink pictures to fit onto this site!

 

[DHess]

Air Filter

I change my air filter every other oil change - every 4,000 to 5,000 miles. And yes it is dirty with very little off road driving. Call it excessive but I like clean oil and filters.



Dave

 

[flattracker]

Changed filter on 01 at 50,000 minder hadn't moved, changed daughters 97 at 134,000 have no idea how long had been in there minder had went all the way. Oil analysis on both trucks always comes back with very low silicon.

Serviced off road oilfield equipment for 28 years, Fleetgaurd and donaldson both recomend not touching the air filter till the minder says to because as the dirt builds up the filter efficeincy

actually increases.

KEVIN

 

[rbattelle]

I know a certain amount of dirt on the filter is very beneficial. Question is: how much? Hard to say.

 

[LightmanE300]

dhess, thats nuts!



I will prob change mine every 20k, and that's relatively conservative IMO. Oil analysis will tell the story. .

 

[tpuig]

Changed my filter this morning. Whew, very dirty. Coated black, no foam pad.

26k and the filter minder was at 70%. Felt much better on the highway after replacement. BTW, my Mopar replacement filter had the foam pad.



Can you just request a new (revised) filter minder or do you have to actually take the truck in to the dealer? Mine's an early build with the part number ending in AA... I'll be putting an AFE on pretty soon anyway.

TP

 

[SteveH]

DHess isn't far off on his replacements on the 03. Look at your filter when it has 6k or 7k on it and it will amaze you how dirty and plugged up it is. Our local Dodge dealer is familiar with the problem and suggests changing the filter around this time. Mine got changed tonight and I had 9k on it. No part of the filter was clear, the whole thing was an oily black plugged mess. The price of changing a factory filter (the replacement had the pre-filter) is cheap compaired to running with a crapped out filter. I do think the Afe or one of the similar aftermarket filters is the way to go. Anybody know the cheapest place to get the Afe?

Steve H.

 

[Tony T.]

Originally posted by flattracker

Changed filter on 01 at 50,000 minder hadn't moved, changed daughters 97 at 134,000 have no idea how long had been in there minder had went all the way. Oil analysis on both trucks always comes back with very low silicon.

Serviced off road oilfield equipment for 28 years, Fleetgaurd and donaldson both recomend not touching the air filter till the minder says to because as the dirt builds up the filter efficeincy

actually increases.

KEVIN

The 03 Dodge CTD owners manual makes a similar statement about releying on the the filter minder to tell you when to replace the air filter, but makes no certain mileage interval, also have had a shop supervisor at work make the same statement about a dirty filter being more efficient. It kind of spooks you when you look at that blackened oily filter, and wonder how can that be more efficient to use. Even with my old (style) filter minder reading just 65% I still changed out the air filter at a little over 12,000 miles was this to soon, who know's.

 

[rbattelle]

Just replaced mine. 15101 miles, 448 hours. Here's a couple pics of the unit that was installed at the factory:

 

[rbattelle]

And the side-view

 

[rbattelle]

Notice there was no foam pre-filter on the factory unit, but the one I replaced it with had the pre-filter on it. Also, the factory unit was made in the UK, new one made in Mexico, and was pre-oiled. The filter minder never moved, but I felt it was time for replacement.