Snooping around under the hood today I noticed the filter minder was almopst tripped. I've heard a lot of other people say there's wouldn't trip if the filter was completely plugged, and the stock filter flows more than enough air for a stock engine so I took mine out to check it. This filter has only been in the truck for 4k on-road miles. On all my other vehicles driven in the same conditions as my truck my filters don't look this bad after 20k miles, what gives? This is a Napa gold filter that I purchased from www.fleetfilter.com (http://www.fleetfilter.com) about 4 1/2 months ago. Pictures were taken after I blew the filter out with an air gun as I don't have a replacement on hand.


http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a382/black05rr/airfilter001.jpg (http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a382/black05rr/airfilter001.jpg)
(Image has been resized. Click it for full size.)



http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a382/black05rr/airfilter003.jpg (http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a382/black05rr/airfilter003.jpg)
(Image has been resized. Click it for full size.)



http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a382/black05rr/airfilter004.jpg (http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a382/black05rr/airfilter004.jpg)
(Image has been resized. Click it for full size.)

Not sure aboot the Napa filter but the AcDelco filter has long glue strips to hold the pleats. That looks like a gas engine air filter to me. Has it been wet in your area. A Duramax will mangle a wet gas air filter in a big hurry.

Thanks for the heads up. I've only had the truck since December and the filter I swapped out with this one was a ragged old K&N that was beyond serviceable so I could have gotten a gasser filter and not known the difference.

And yes Florida in the summertime is wet, rains almost every day.

Looks like a gas filter to me. Go to a local autozone or something like that and buy a fram replacement.

Did you reset the filter minder when you replaced the old filter?

I's say it's been wet.

Did you reset the filter minder when you replaced the old filter?

Yes I did.

I think you guys are right in saying that it is a gasser filter. The K&N I took out of there looked like I could have grown Tomatoes in it with the amount of dirt packed in it. The old K&N didn't move the filter minder off 100% even with as gunked up as it was. Guess I'm off to get a new one.

Thanks fellas.

I's say it's been wet.

It had been raining a lot, but I haven't gunned it through any puddles or taken it offroading. I also have not modified any part of the intake tract, including the airbox so the filter is sealed up the way GM designed it. That's why I was wondering what was going on because this filter looks so trashed compared to my other vehicles I drive in the same manner/conditions.

BTW, that is the filter pictured on the fleet filter site for the early Duramax trucks. Just a crappy design I guess.

http://www.wixconnect.com/images/filters/3501_1.gif

It does kind of resemble a Fram gas filter... If you got the money put a K&N back in it and service it and you'll be happy.... I hope..:rolleyes: Are the NAPA Golds even worth it? I was not that impressed with their cabin filters, seemed kinda flimsey....:cool:

I just got the Napa gold for the duramax and it looks just like the one pictured? The bottom of my air box was wet when I changed em out. Had a bunch of dead butter flies and crickets in the bottom too..:eek:

There is a bulletin at the dealer to install a baffle kit for a water intrusion problem. They say water can be spashed in the air box from the pass. tire when its wet out.

I bought an Amsoil nano in January and it seems to be holding up pretty well. $57 shipped, 'cleanable' with shop air/vacuum cleaner. I was disappointed, though, that it didn't have glue along the base of the filter pleats to hold them in shape. It doesn't look any worse for wear from the winter and wet spring we had here.

my filter got wet also i think it is a design flaw

My DMax eats air filters up quicker than any other vehicle I've had.
Wet driving and bugs screw them up pretty quick. I, too, think it's a bad airbox design. Must pull air from behind the headlight, cause it gets full of bugs, road grime, etc. I get, at best 10-12k mi out of an air filter. Almost to the point where I just change it every time I change the oil (7-8k mi).
Fleetfilter is pretty darn reasonable though. Where I shop for all my filters, 'cept the trans filter I get at the Alli shop.

My DMax likes air filters too. About a year ago I took my 3/4" hole saw and drilled about 8 holes into the bottom of the air box so it can also pull air from inside the engine compartment, seems to have helped.
Before that I made the K&N air filter mistake. I drive to many gravel roads for that dirt sucking filter. Anyway you guys form your own opinion on that one. Jim