Here are pics of my CAT filter with 9,000 miles on it. It is mounted pre OEM. Kinda sad I changed it actually.... Funny how my OEM filter at 11k looked half black at its first change before the Nick kit. This CAT filter looks brand friggin new..either this thing doesn't work (highly unlikely) or the Shell station that I have been using almost the entire 20k on the truck has better fuel this past 6-8 months and it is exceptionally clean...there was a bit of rust at the bottom of the canister, but nothing on the walls that I could see, one pic has a reflection, but it is not rust on the side that I can tell. I ran one bottle of FPPF in that 9,000 miles and that is pretty much it. I decided not to change the OEM filter after seeing how clean the CAT filter is. Don't think there is any reason to change it at this time (unless someone else has a really good reason)...
Enjoy:
http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/EE3_P5100135.JPG


http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/E6A_P5100136.JPG


http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/E4E_P5100138.JPG


http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/53F_P5100139.JPG

May be some rust in ther OEM to.

There probably is some rust in the OEM, but the filter element is probably cleaner than the CAT, at least I hope. Curiosity is getting the best of me though. I just can't for the life of me figure out why the 2 mic CAT filter looks darn near brand new after 9k miles, yet when I changed my OEM before the CAT install, it was half used at 11k miles.


One other thing I forgot to mention, the CAT filter was about 3/4 full of fuel when I took it off the truck. Not sure what that means, other than the fuel didn't spill all over the place when I changed the filter..


This thing works, right?? http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Geek.gif

That's a big element for 9k miles. it doesn't look BLACK yet but the color has darkened.. it just means you didn't run it long enough.. and you have better fuel than we do in CA.. see the pics below for reference:



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http://www.wackywack.com/images/dmax/fuelfilters/Cat_filter12.5k2_sm.jpg (http://www.wackywack.com/images/dmax/fuelfilters/Cat_filter12.5k2.jpg)


12,500 Mi on CAT PRE-OEM Filter. Plenty of Life Left!</TD>
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http://www.wackywack.com/images/dmax/fuelfilters/filter15k_sm.jpg (http://www.wackywack.com/images/dmax/fuelfilters/filter15k.jpg)


15,000 Mi, no additive or secondary filter</TD>
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http://www.wackywack.com/images/dmax/fuelfilters/filters17800a_sm.jpg (http://www.wackywack.com/images/dmax/fuelfilters/filters17800a.jpg)


17,800 Mi on both (Pre-CAT, no additive)</TD></TR>
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http://www.wackywack.com/images/dmax/fuelfilters/filters17800b_sm.jpg (http://www.wackywack.com/images/dmax/fuelfilters/filters17800b.jpg)


17,800 Mi on CAT (Pre-OEM, no additive), Note Rust in bottom</TD>
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http://www.wackywack.com/images/dmax/fuelfilters/filters17800c_sm.jpg (http://www.wackywack.com/images/dmax/fuelfilters/filters17800c.jpg)


17,800 Mi on OEM (Pre-CAT, no additive) Minor Rust</TD>
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http://www.wackywack.com/images/dmax/fuelfilters/filters17800d_sm.jpg (http://www.wackywack.com/images/dmax/fuelfilters/filters17800d.jpg)


17,800 Mi on both (Pre-CAT, no additive) Minor Rust</TD></TR></T></TABLE>

My short CAT prefilter was black to the top after 10600 miles and 300 hours. Full to the top and didn't have to prime prefilling. I ran that long on purpose in the future I'll change around 7500 miles.


I was in Germany at a huge tradeshow in April. Cat had a whole wing for their products...big enough for a D11 dozer and over a dozen equally large pieces of equipment. Part of their video presentation specifically talked about filtration and showed their production line for filters. Pretty impressive.

Nick, thanks for the pics. I guess I will take the CAT filter out to 20k and see what it looks like then. Looks like I was on the right track in that our fuel is pretty clean out here, or at least at the station I do most of my filling at. It's a good thing I didn't change my OEM at the same time looking at the above pics, it would've been a waste.