Fleetguard Air Filter

[Larry Fisk]

I just had my coach serviced by Peterson CAT in Eugene, OR. They called to tell me the Air Filter that was installed 2 years earlier was too restrictive for my C-13 and was more suited to a C-7 or 9. They suggested installing a less rstrictive "Fleetguard" filter so my engine could breath better. Anyone familiar with this brand and is this a good idea? I did notice after my previous service my filter indicator was reading high off the bat. Not maxed out but in the yellow. Hopefully this change will help my fuel mileage also.  What do you think my friends?

[Richard And Babs Ames]

http://www.cumminsfiltration.com/html/en/index.html Fleetguard is Cummins Filter Group.

[Larry Fisk]

Thanks for the link Richard. I had not heard of them before.

[Joel Ashley]

Peterson's is one of the best outfits around, Larry, with very professional technicians.  They've serviced our Beaver a couple of times, and I'd trust what they tell me.  The Fleetguard name has been around awhile, though I didn't know they were part of the Cummins universe.  You might ask Peterson's why Fleetguard and not a CAT product, though as long as the filter meets the C13's specs, it probably just comes down to price.

-Joel

[Richard And Babs Ames]

http://www.cat.com/parts/filters  CAT Filter if you want to compare. I think they are both well made products and would work for your engine.

https://dynamic.donaldson.com/webc/WebStore/hierarchy/hierarchy.html?section=10021 Donaldson is also a well respected  filter producer.

These are the best known in the heavier filtration industry.

[Larry Fisk]

Thank you Guys for your input. I am going to go with their suggestion and see how it goes. I am sure they are right when they said my engine was needing more air. As I said before the indicator was almost maxed out from the get go with the other filter. I have only had the Beaver for two years and I am still learning, but Peterson CAT did seem very knowledgeable about my coach and what I needed. I am so ready to fly down to Eugene and pick it up to begin our wintering in warmer country. Thanks again, maybe my wife and I will see you on the road!

[Edward Buker]

I have a yellow indicator also on a new filter that was installed in a 500HP C12 application. It always, if reset, runs up to the same yellow point in scale and has not changed since being installed. This indicator measures the vacuum being pulled and not the exact filter contribution. The change from where this indicator starts out will be the added change due to the filter restriction changing. Our "zero" or start point sits in the yellow and not in the green. It tells us that the vacuum is higher and more restrictive than you would like but the filter may not be the main culprit.

Peterson is a good outfit but a technician telling you to get a less restrictive filter can only come with some loss in actual filtration (pore size) unless the filter has vastly more surface area than others which is always limited by space. You may want to understand that if they have a filter that is less restrictive, what it is you are giving up. I would trade off in favor of some restriction over poor filtration causing engine component wear.

The air intake system includes all of the components involved, each having their own restrictions, including the filter being one of the components. I have often looked at the size of the coach air intake on the side and thought that it looked awfully small. Not sure if that is part of our problem. They (Monaco, Beaver) could have kept using that same part as displacement, turbo boost, and engine sizes increased.

I have purchased a Donaldson Extended life "Endurance Filter" and when I get to install it, will have a result if anything changes using that filter. By design it is a better filter with more surface area and better particle entrapment characteristics. Not sure if it will help with the air intake restriction issue.

Here is a link to the Donaldson Endurance filter. The technology they use is a very fine media web above the filter surface that traps and holds the particles away from the main filter media. That reduces filter pressure drop over time as contaminants mount up. There is a graph showing that characteristic. This filter type will not solve a restrictive air delivery system that is inherent in its design but would reduce the added loss from the filter component over time. I consider it to be one of the best filters on the market.

http://www.donaldson.com/en/engine/support/datalibrary/000165.pdf

Later Ed

[Larry Fisk]

Thanks Ed, As I said I still have a lot to learn and your explanation of the indication your seeing is certainly more involved in what your seeing than I understood before. I hope the filter they installed is not to liberal in regard to the filtering properties. I think I will give them a call just to ease my mind. Thanks again Ed..

[Edward Buker]

Larry,

Don't get alarmed if it is a named brand filter. Fleetguard is a big outfit and a name brand. Peterson is reputable. There may be better filters out there but I doubt if it is a "poor filter". If your yellow indication is resolved and it was due to a dirty filter then great. If there is a high quality filter that is less restrictive, but filters well, and Peterson has figuired that out then it would be good to pass that info along.

later Ed

[Larry Fisk]

Thanks again Ed, I really do appreciate having folks like yourself to get good information from. The BAC is a priceless resource when you need help with a problem or just information. Thank you to everyone that helps us newbies!

[Tom and Pam Brown]

It is possible the filter that cat has was made by Fleetguard to their specifications.  They do alot of private label manufacturing for other companies and yes even Cat though they are a sub of Cummins.  The only issue you need to be concerned about is what the filter micron rating is on the fleetguard versus the Cat original filter.  Normally if it "breaths better" the filtering capacity in microns is more.  They are also rated by CFM and should have some sort of numeric identification for the CFM rating as well.
Just food for thought.