On the trip home from North Carolina after purchasing my coach, I noticed the Filter Minder was fully in the red. So I stopped in Oklahoma and purchased a new air filter, Fleetwood #AH8503.When I arrived in Arizona, I noticed that once again it had pegged in the red. I carefully examined the ducting from the intake up on rear cap to the filter minder sensor port just past the air filter. A little more research and I confirmed that this filter cross references with a Donaldson P537488 which is what is spec'd in my owner's manual. I have no idea, nor can I find info on the CFM ratings, but it does bring up an issue. This is the same filter spec'd for a 400hp ISL. An ISL is 543 cu. in., a 600hp ISX is 912 cu. in. which ingests a lot more combustion air. Either these filters are way overkill for an ISL, it may be they are inadequate for an ISX.Replacing the Filter Minder would be a cheap troubleshoot up front and I am planning to do that. I am also looking for other possibilities to consider since we are currently set up for the winter/spring in an RV park and will not pull out until April. If this is not the right filter for an ISX, or someone else has run into this before and has more information, now would be a good time for me to find out about it.

You might want to get ahold of Banks Engineering. They have improved the air intakes and exhaust systems of many motorhomes, and really know what they are talking about. Perhaps you could somehow get dual air filters, and then have 'overcapacity' of your own!Fred.

Stuart: I am surprised you have the same filter as my ISL. Is this unit new to you? I would get onto the IRV2 forum and post your problem. There are some really knowledgeable Sig owners on that forum.Moisheh

HI Fred, Banks might have a solution but before I see the big $, I am hoping someone has experienced this and has a cost effective solution.I am just as surprised Moisheh, I would have bet money an ISX filter would be larger. Yes, just bought this one in December in Myrtle Beach. Lots of things needing attention are popping up to keep me busy.I did post this on IRV2 as well and am waiting for a response post from a retired Fleetguard rep. Will share here if I learn anything.

There is a Yahoo Monaco owners group. You should join it and post your question there

Try the Cummins forum here on IRV. Better yet phone Cummins and they will tell you if that is adequate.

Filiter Minder Pegs in Red | Good Sam Community

Ivylog
Explorer III
Feb 12, 2015
Double post.
Ivylog
Explorer III
Feb 09, 2015
Dang, I was hoping for a free air filter... Should have kept my mouth shut.:(
Amazing how sleeping at a Holiday Inn improves your IQ.:B
StuartT
Explorer
Feb 01, 2015
Update: Ivylog, take a bow!

At his suggestion, I measured the water drop on my Filter Minder and found it to peg the indicator at 19" of water rather than the 25" is should take. That is 76% of it's theoretical calibrated rating. I did this with a 6' x 1/4' clear plastic tubing and a barb connector mated to the Filter Minder.

I am going to pick up another Filter Minder locally (Freightliner has the same model #) so I can test it on the spot.

Funny how simple high school physics can solve a problem.
StuartT
Explorer
Jan 31, 2015
I have been asked several times in this thread if I reset the filter minder. I didn't really give it any thought or reply before since I thought it was more of a rhetorical question. But since it keeps popping up, let me go ahead and answer that yes, "I pooshed da button". :)
mpierce
Explorer
Jan 31, 2015
slickest1 wrote:
In all the years of trucking I have never found those filter minders to be very accurate. I have pulled filters that the minder showed in the green and they were dirtier than I would run. I used to run trucks in very dusty conditions and would check the filters weekly which is way overkill for a motorhome. These filters on the motorhomes that are a sealed unit can not be checked that easily so I plan on changing mine to a cartridge type. I don't care about the extra expense of changing a filter too soon.

This! I farm, and run a small trucking company. I have NEVER had a filter minder go into the red! I have had farm tractors get their air filter so plugged, under very dusty conditions, that it would smoke like a chimney, and barely move.

I have also have one break off. Guess what? Now, it is sucking dirty air back up that tube, unfiltered!

1. They are cheap. Just put a new one on, and see what happens. Cheap. Then, take it out, and accelerate up to highway speed, at FULL throttle. What does it do?

2. Did you reset the old one? Push the little button.
StuartT
Explorer
Jan 30, 2015
Ivylog wrote:
Assuming your air intake is similar to mine... fairly simple to check for any obstructions which I doubt as it's a simple system. While I cannot find how many miles on your 08, I find it hard to believe that two filters are defective. I would go with the larger diameter filter by making two 2" extensions for the straps that hold the filter. Two large zip ties might work for the extensions to the straps/snaps.

There are 43,000 miles on this unit.

I have inspected the intake box from the outside and the interior of the down pipe to the air filter plus the elbow and ducting continuing on towards the turbo (the minder is in the middle). Nothing.

So after I do a water column test on the filter minder and assuming it is reasonable calibrated, upgrading the filter will be the next step. I have seen strap kits online. Unfortunately the upgrade will have to wait a bit as I have several more pressing repairs on my plate to accomplish first.
StuartT
Explorer
Jan 30, 2015
Dale.Traveling wrote:
Since the coach is new to you any chance of contacting the last owner concerning the filter minder? Maybe it's been like that from the beginning or there's something else the last owner might now about. If you have the maintenance logs anything there?

Unfortunately I am not in a friendly frame of mind regarding the former owner. There have been a multitude of things he was less than forthright about so I will have to pass on that option.
slickest1
Explorer
Jan 30, 2015
In all the years of trucking I have never found those filter minders to be very accurate. I have pulled filters that the minder showed in the green and they were dirtier than I would run. I used to run trucks in very dusty conditions and would check the filters weekly which is way overkill for a motorhome. These filters on the motorhomes that are a sealed unit can not be checked that easily so I plan on changing mine to a cartridge type. I don't care about the extra expense of changing a filter too soon.
Ivylog
Explorer III
Jan 30, 2015
Assuming your air intake is similar to mine... fairly simple to check for any obstructions which I doubt as it's a simple system. While I cannot find how many miles on your 08, I find it hard to believe that two filters are defective. I would go with the larger diameter filter by making two 2" extensions for the straps that hold the filter. Two large zip ties might work for the extensions to the straps/snaps.
Dale_Traveling
Explorer II
Jan 30, 2015
Since the coach is new to you any chance of contacting the last owner concerning the filter minder? Maybe it's been like that from the beginning or there's something else the last owner might now about. If you have the maintenance logs anything there?

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