Air Filters For Your Trucks

Whenever one of these silly "quality parts" discussions comes up, am I the only person that imagines Chris Farley wrestling a deer in a Plymouth GTX, or Big Tom Callahan saying " I can get a good look at the quality of a Tbone by sticking my head up the cows @ss, but Id rather take my butcher's word for it!" ???

IdaD wrote:
To date I've only used Fleetguard filters except for the fuel filters, they've been Mopar.

That said I use Fram filters in my wife's 10+ year old Pilot and that car has been stupid reliable since we bought it new.

The Mopar fuel filter under the bed is made by Racor who also makes it for everyone else(even Fleetguard) since they still have a patent on it.

The Mopar fuel filter in the engine is made by Fleetguard.

So technically you are using all Fleetguard.

To date I've only used Fleetguard filters except for the fuel filters, they've been Mopar.

That said I use Fram filters in my wife's 10+ year old Pilot and that car has been stupid reliable since we bought it new.

Cummins12V98 wrote:

SweetLou wrote:
No one here even mentions Wix. Why?

Simply NOT the same quality as MOPAR or FleetGuard. I posted the one I run and I think by now you know I am a pick MoFo just order it and be happy!!!

I will bet you money that all three are likely made at the same factory and/or use the exact same media just dyed a different color. In fact, Mopar doesn't even make their own filters and contract it out to other filter manufacturers like Wix, Fleetgaurd or Purolator depending on who has the lowest bid for that particular filter.

This happens all the time in the filter industry especially when it cost less money to buy and re-label a filter from another company than to create all new factory lines and machines on a low margin item.

Cummins12V98 wrote:

4x4ord wrote:
I can’t remember the last time I changed an air filter on a pick up. If the air restriction indicator were to ever get close to red I’d take a look at the filter and depending on what it’s plugged with I might consider lightly blowing the filter out with compressed air and throwing it back in again. I believe a dirty filter does a better job of filtering than a new one.

Of course you haven't replaced the air filter as you replace the truck FIRST. :B

I was waiting for that ! Lol

ShinerBock wrote:

4x4ord wrote:
I can’t remember the last time I changed an air filter on a pick up. If the air restriction indicator were to ever get close to red I’d take a look at the filter and depending on what it’s plugged with I might consider lightly blowing the filter out with compressed air and throwing it back in again. I believe a dirty filter does a better job of filtering than a new one.

This is correct. A dirty filter actually does a better job at catching contaminants than a clean one. It just has less flow than a clean one.

Agree ^.

Was taught this in Fleetguard training seminar.

4x4ord wrote:
I can’t remember the last time I changed an air filter on a pick up. If the air restriction indicator were to ever get close to red I’d take a look at the filter and depending on what it’s plugged with I might consider lightly blowing the filter out with compressed air and throwing it back in again. I believe a dirty filter does a better job of filtering than a new one.

Of course you haven't replaced the air filter as you replace the truck FIRST. :B

SweetLou wrote:
No one here even mentions Wix. Why?

Simply NOT the same quality as MOPAR or FleetGuard. I posted the one I run and I think by now you know I am a pick MoFo just order it and be happy!!!

SweetLou wrote:
No one here even mentions Wix. Why?

There are a lot of reasons and most of them have to do with people going with what makes them feel better. That is the reason why some buy OE or a certain brand over anything else even though they have no data to support that using anything else will decrease how many miles their engine will last versus the OE.

Does the WIX let more contaminants in? Maybe, maybe not. If it does allow more contaminants, is it within spec to were it will not decrease the life of components or the engine? If so, then what's wrong with using it? If one can show me that filter A will decrease the life on an engine over filter B(not just let more contaminants past) then I would be more inclined to change my mind.

As with most things, a topic like this has more to do with subjective feelings, here say, or "that is what my daddy used" rather than actual data, testing, or real world experience of running multiple type of filters in a controlled environment. If someone only uses one brand all their life, then how do they know if something else is not just as good if not better?

A dirty filter does clean better than a clean one as long as there are no leaks that allow unfiltered air to bypass the high resistance filter.

As long as you are getting enough power there really isn't any harm in running filters longer. You might want to check every couple of years to be sure that rodents haven't gotten in there and gnawed some holes in the filter.