Engine Air Filter

[Andy Clark]

I have the sealed Ecolite air filter canister that many of you also have. About what reading on the Filter Minder should I be seeing with a clean filter? My Filter Minder stays on the bottom of its cavity. I checked its operation and it's OK. I also checked the hose connecting it to the intake piping and that's OK too. Do I need to worry about a collapsed filter element, or is "no reading" on the Filter Minder normal when using a new/clean filter? Problem is, my filter is not new.
Thanks
Andy

[Bryan Quinn]

Hello Andy,

I'd love to hear some thoughts of others who know something more about this, as I've often wondered about mine.  After last filter change, the filter minder always goes up a little, and it was my understanding that it should only go up when it's dirty.  

Bryan

[Karl Welhart]

The filter minder should go up a few notches on the meter just after resetting.  I would not let it go much further than the notch before the red zone (22).  If the minder is not moving up after resetting, then you should check for a problem with the filter, hose or line from the minder.  If the filter has more than 20k miles on it or a couple of years of service, I would change it...

[Bryan Quinn]

Thanks, Karl, for the info!

[Andy Clark]

The filter minder should go up a few notches on the meter just after resetting.  I would not let it go much further than the notch before the red zone (22).  If the minder is not moving up after resetting, then you should check for a problem with the filter, hose or line from the minder.  If the filter has more than 20k miles on it or a couple of years of service, I would change it...

Thanks, Karl. the Minder and the line to the intake are both working properly. I'm suspecting the filter element has failed in some way (collapsed?). I can find no records from the PO that it was ever changed (now 60K miles), and also my latest oil sample came back indicating a small level of dirt contamination. I'm going to change the filter ASAP, because, being a Type A, I shall worry about it if I don't. <G>
Andy

[Dwight Wilson]

Hi Andy,
I just changed the filter on my C13 . I think the coach was still using the original. It was at about 23 (about 50,000 miles now) when I changed it and the new filter shows close to the bottom but still registers a bit of restriction which I think is likley normal. If it isn't registering at all I would suspect air is bypassing the filter somewhere. Hope this is helpful.

[Roy Warren Co-Admin]

If you have a 2005 Patriot Thunder with the C13 and have not done something to improve the air intake, I guarantee you will be reading a high vacuum gauge pressure.  The air restrictions from the inlet to the filter to where the vacuum guage is located will cause this high reading.   Only after considerable rearranging of the air filter and changing the air intake hoses have I been able to get decent readings and then I can see the increases as the filter begins to get dirty.  I always have some reading on my guage when I put in a new filter.  By the way, I had a lot of work done in warranty to get improvement in the air flow and they made a lot of changes on the 2006 which has much better air flow.
Roy

[Dwight Wilson]

Hi Roy: I recently bought the unit so don't know if the air intake has been upgraded or not. I do have an airbox manifold assembly on the intake end of the filter with two large diameter (6" + flex tubing) heading to the driver's side intake. I do wonder why the intake is on the drivers side when the air filter sits along the passenger side though, Seems to me that it would be more efficient on the passenger side, where the filter is located? I did note a significant drop in the filter guage reading with the new filter. Thoughts?

[Andy Clark]

Hi Andy,
I just changed the filter on my C13 . I think the coach was still using the original. It was at about 23 (about 50,000 miles now) when I changed it and the new filter shows close to the bottom but still registers a bit of restriction which I think is likley normal. If it isn't registering at all I would suspect air is bypassing the filter somewhere. Hope this is helpful.

Very helpgul, Dwight. Thanks. I'm going to the coach tomorrow to look for.... A. a plugged filter minder fitting at the intake, or B. a torn/collapsed filter. Even though I'm doing to change the filter next week anyway, I just gotta know...!!
Andy

[Roy Warren Co-Admin]

Dwight,
I enlarged the hole at the intake in the fiberglass inside the mesh screen.  Placed a smooth pipe into it which would fit into the flex tubing then changed the location of the filter so it paralleled the back of the coach.  I also cut the door frame a little so the flex tube would not be squashed down to go between it and the filter input.  Connected the back of the filter to the original hose which cut out one 90 degree turn.  If you have a manifold leading into the filter with two intakes, one on each side of the coach, that is one of the first attempts done by Monaco to get more air.  
Bill McGimpsey enclosed the whole area above the engine door to give him plenty of air from which to draw into the filter.  He really reduced the vacuum.  
Hope this helps.
Roy

[Michael Marcocchio]

Hello Dwight Wilson I am in Alberta as weiil I just bought a 2005 Beaver Patroit Thunder as well from the sounds of your unit you have the updated air intake system where they run another air intake opening on the pass side of your coach then feeding into a air collector box joining the left hand intake then going into the air cleaner

[Andy Clark]

Very helpgul, Dwight. Thanks. I'm going to the coach tomorrow to look for.... A. a plugged filter minder fitting at the intake, or B. a torn/collapsed filter. Even though I'm doing to change the filter next week anyway, I just gotta know...!!
Andy

Well, the Filter Minder appears to be working correctly and the hose connecting it to the intake is clear. I must have a hole in the filter somewhere, because there's absolutely NO reading on the Filter Minder after a short freeway trip.
Andy

[LarryNCarolynShirk]

Andy,

Please describe how you determined the Filter Minder was functioning, and how you determined the hose was clear.

Larry

[Andy Clark]

Andy,

Please describe how you determined the Filter Minder was functioning, and how you determined the hose was clear.

Larry

Well, I disconnected the hose at the intake end, sucked on it and it held the vacuum. So, no holes in the hose. Also the Filter Minder went up and stayed there until I reset it. I reconnected that end of the hose and disconnected it at the Filter Minder. I blew through that end and it was clear. Still trying to get the taste out of my mouth!!!
Andy

[Dwight Wilson]

Hello Dwight Wilson I am in Alberta as weiil I just bought a 2005 Beaver Patroit Thunder as well from the sounds of your unit you have the updated air intake system where they run another air intake opening on the pass side of your coach then feeding into a air collector box joining the left hand intake then going into the air cleaner

Nice to "meet?" you Michael. It does look like it may have been upgraded but both intake ducts go all the way over to the drivers side which seems in my mind to be inefficient. Do you have another grill installed on the passenger side to accommodate the added duct? I haven't put enough miles on yet to determine where my mileage sits so will probably just stand by to see how it goes. Thanks for the advice, hope to see you all on the road sometime.  Determined to "get out of winter" next year!