35,000 miles and the restriction guage is still under 50% mark. Looks maybe 40%. Looked at the filter. It doesn't look bad.

I plan on changing mine around 25 to 30K miles or sooner if it looks dirty. I would not rely on the filter gauge. Cheap insurance.

I had one like that last year, hooked up my 5er & started on a trip. 800 miles later it was completely RED. 40% is good time to change! Also fuel milage went down from 11mpg to 7.5mpg on last tank before change. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley18.gif

I change it once a year (~15K) whether it needs it or not.

I change mine at every oil change or 3K miles. All/most of my miles are city/highway, very little dirt roads and the old filter after 3K miles is pretty dirty lookin...


Tim

Thanks! Look like I am over due. I'll pick one up and change this week.

I change mine at every oil change or 3K miles. All/most of my miles are city/highway, very little dirt roads and the old filter after 3K miles is pretty dirty lookin...


Tim Are you talking about the air cleaner, changing a DURAMX air cleaner every 3K would get to be very expensive.

The air filter, AC-A1618C, yes. I buy them 4 at a
time, along with oil filters, from an internet site
(PM me if you want the place). No tax, free shipping
(I think), and nearly half the price of the local auto
parts stores.

It's funny too, because the local autoparts stores
pretty much forced me to use an online source since
nearly everytime I needed a new oil or air filter,
they made me pre-pay for a special order (why?), then
when I go back to pick it up, the air filters (more
than once) were damaged (one of the paper ends would
be torn, with what appears to be all too common), I
have seen it once w/ the online site as well (but they
gladly replaced no questions asked btw). So I decided
to save my 2-3 trips to the autoparts store, tax, and
the 40-50% markup and buy online. All in all, it
doesn't take any longer to get and a he11 of a lot
cheaper for the same stuff.

Buy an extra one when you put a new one in next time
and after 3K miles take it out and compare with your
extra (new) one. I think you will put your extra one
in at that point and start a 3K change interval as
well...

Just remember what George has said about dirt and
diesels...

Tim

When the gauge starts to get sucked in. A dirty air filter actually cleans better. Less waste too and less money.

When the gauge starts to get sucked in. A dirty air filter actually cleans better. Less waste too and less money.


Huh? You're kidding right? Can you explain how a dirty air filter works better than a new one? I don't understand how this could be.


Tim

more holes are plugged with dirt. plus you have the deal of overytime you yank the box apart you run the risk of letting a bit of extra dirt in there. The difference isnt enough to be noticable i dont believe but why replace something that is working fine with something that isnt going to work any better. Just causes waste, is more expensive for no benifit IMO. Once it starts posing a restriction and dosnt allow air to flow as well then its time to ditch it(when the little gauge starts getting sucked in.)


Unless I'm all wet in my thinking, wouldnt be the first time i am wronghttp://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley9.gif but I'm pretty sure i am on target on this one

I can buy the extra dirt at change time, but dirt plugging the holes?


I would think that as the vacuum starts to increase more and more, as the filter captures more and more dirt (before the filter minder shows anything), thereby limiting the surface area for the air to flow through, it would be enough to start sucking some of the smaller particles through the filter that would have otherwise stayed on the dirty side.


Maybe I'm dead wrong and nothing gets through no matter how dirty the filter is, I don't know. If I could be made to believe nothing gets through, I would indeed stop changing it so frequently, because you're absolutely right, it is expensive and wasteful if it's not necessary.


Tim

Well I would say look at the air filter study you could probably determine weather I'm right or wrong.


I am geting my info second hand type from a trade mag study BTW. Duno if they are right or not. Cant seem to find the article right now eitherhttp://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley5.gif I'll try to do a bit more digging......


Anybody else have any thoughts? Were's George at?

I change mine every spring and fall. Same as fuel filter.

Air Filter every 10K miles.

When the gauge starts to get sucked in. A dirty air filter actually cleans better.


I read a study stating that also. They actually ran tests showing the improved cleaning abilities as the filter got dirty. This goes for the oil and fuel filters also. The trick is changing the filter before the flow is cut down too much.


The artcle went on to state that changing filters too often it worsens wear by allowing more dirt in. Besides the decreased filtration dirt gets in while changing the filter.Edited by: JohnnyO

I just checked on my K & N(replacement filter) it was about 2/3rds covered. Could still see plenty of day light as I looked up thru it. The inside of the air tube(to the turbo side) was almost perfect. Took a soft white cloth and wiped the inside and nothing. This is after 12,000 miles of use. Not just asphalt driving but with some heavy off roading.

This time of year (harvest time) I might get 1000 miles out of an air
filter before the guage gets all the way over in the red. Rest of the
year I get 2-3000 miles out of it.

Right now I'm only getting 200-250 miles out of a tank of fuel too. But
it's 85% driving in the fields in 4x4 in loose sand and dust.

When the gauge starts to get sucked in. A dirty air filter actually cleans better.


I read a study stating that also. They actually ran tests showing the improved cleaning abilities as the filter got dirty. This goes for the oil and fuel filters also. The trick is changing the filter before the flow is cut down too much.


The artcle went on to state that changing filters too often it worsens wear by allowing more dirt in. Besides the decreased filtration dirt gets in while changing the filter.





I would like to see this article. The statement is valid. Air filters DO have a higher filtering efficiency when used. This is common knowledge among air filter testers.


It is definitely a balancing act. You do not want to change it too often....this costs money needlessly and a clean filter lets past more dirt. At the same time, keeping a filter too long can become restrictive. Too little air can create soot in the oil from incomplete combustion and decrease fuel economy.


Unfortunately there is no mileage limit for a filter since air quality is unpredictable. In addition, it has been stated before that our filter life indicators leave a lot to be desired. In other words, they are inaccurate, can leak dirt, and cannot be relied upon.


I had 26k miles on my paper AC Delco. My filter indicator was fine. My oil sample showed elevated soot. Soot is from too much fuel OR too little air. I was advised to change the air filter, so I did. We have pretty clean air here, so 20k miles will probably be my change interval.


BTW, heavy dirt, bugs, and course sand do not clog a filter. It is the super fine dust that clogs the little holes in the media. I have never seen data on the particle sizes that clog filters. I can say that at 26k miles my filter was not caked with dirt. In fact the pleats of paper were unobstruced, only they were not white anymore. The ONLY true way to know if your filter is ready for a change is a restriction test. Probably more trouble and money than it is worth. SPICER

So you are saying the little factory suck in gauge isnt sensitive enough IYO? When you say fin it hadnt budged or it was still in the fine zone?

That little restiction gague depends how you drive too. I just put a brand new delco filter in mine, reset the gague but noticed after a couple of hard runs that got the turbo up in the 20+ boost range, the gague was at about 50% restriction.

Hi Spicer-


Here's the link to the article. Pretty interesting. Enjoy!


http://fleetowner.com/mag/fleet_air_filters/index.html

ratlover,


You're right about the dirt, I would have never known that if it wasn't for this forum and people like yourself pointing this stuff out.


I'll stop changing my air filter so frequently. Sounds like the right thing to do is run em for a set amount of miles, and leave em alone until change time, maybe 9-10K or so and then change em out I guess.


Thanks,


Tim

Very good article. Nothing new, just re-stated. They are right, a restriction gauge is the way to go. SPICER

I've heard people say that after a hard run they can get it to suck inhttp://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley5.gif Mine has never moved. I started with a delco and changed it over to a amsoil at maybe 1k(then it came aparthttp://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley7.gif) and I put a UNI in its place for 30k or so(cleaned it once in there) then went back to a delco for the past 5k or so......I was curious and I poped out the filter minder and sucked on it and it does suck in and stick. I have a swisscheesed box too. I'm running an extreme right now and I swinging 28+ psi with a stock unmolested wastegate


Thoughts?http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley5.gifEdited by: ratlover

I PRESUME that the filter minder gauge is designed for the factory box
(untouched) Since you have cheesed it, there is LESS air
restriction to cause gauge to move.



More air flow......less suction?



Hope I got my point across.....



P.S. Just a guess.


Edited by: Max Owner