Need help! Air filter replacement

[GaDawgFan]

I have my Motorhome getting chassis maintenance done. I just received a call that to replace the air filter on my 300 hp Cat will be $472. That is $200 for the filter and $272 for labor. Can someone please tell me if this is normal? It's a 20000 model Itasca Horizon.

 

[therealsimpsons]

I needed to replace mine on a 400hp C-9 Caterpillar this spring. Its a Donaldson filter and looks like a small waste basket. I searched locally in a 50 mile radius from home, and the best price I could get was $262.00, just for the filter. Some were as high as $360.00 (NAPA). I found the OEM Donaldson filter online, had it shipped to me from Arizona to Illinois for $21.00, for a price of $113.00. I installed it myself. It took me about 20 minutes including taking the old one out. It would have been much less time if I knew what I was doing! 

Your owner's manual should have the filter part #.

 

[catblaster]

I bet if you gave us a part number off of your old filter someone here would find you a cheaper one.  I have a similar story on my 300 cummins...NAPA $270, on line $90 plus shipping.

 

[driftless shifter]

Can't you blow out the Donaldsons with compressed air. Used to do that regularly with on/off highway semi tractors. Remove them and blow them out from the engine intake side. They'd get so dirty you'd knock 'em about a bit before blowing them. Can be a dirty, dusty job, but when the indicator resets for an investment of time, instead of $$, seems sensible to me. The ones I remember had pretty solid construction, like they're meant to be cleaned and re-used a few times.

Bill

 

[therealsimpsons]

Can't you blow out the Donaldsons with compressed air.
Bill

Not sure where, but somewhere in the back of my empty head, I read not to do that because it would get dust in the intake. Might have just been a ploy to get me to buy a new one, not sure.

Stan

 

[Charlie 5320]

Compressed air might blow a hole, or small holes in it. Then you would get dirt in the intake/engine. I don't have a filter that cost that much, but if I did, I'd try and clean it but would be extra careful. If using compressed air I'd turn the pressure down to less than 20 psi, even then it may pin hole it. I'd be mighty leary of doing damage to the filter.

 

[seabreeze331]

filterbarn.com is a good source for replacement and oem filters.

 

[Redman]

Most filters on medium duty diesels of this sort SHOULD have a safety element as a separate unit within the primary element-when the restriction indicator ,shows red you have the choice- clean the primary element or REPLACE both - the smaller safety element should never be cleaned.

The primary element may be sent to be cleaned and re-used, or carefully blown out by compressed air, low pressure , indirect flow and be gentle. The filter must never be "rapped" against a surface to cause the dirt to shake off.

Alternatively a detergent type cleaner may be used to remove the dirt and then thoroughly rinse the filter till water flows clear. A technique to check on the integrity of the primary filter is to smear vaseline on the end cap of the safety element, any dirt leaking through will easily be seen caught by the grease.

Since the most likely reason for an engine to be "dusted" is a leak in the air tube between the filter and turbo/manifold. Wiping the interior of the tubing with a white cloth is one way to test for the integrity of the tubing, another is to spray the rubber connectors and tubing with starting fluid while the engine is idling-if a leak is present the engine will speed up when the fluid is sprayed.

Did all this with farm machinery that operated in dust you couldn't see through - a very good use of GPS to steer you through the dark. Under these conditions that you never see even in a desert dust storm in New Mexico, the filters would run over 400 hrs without restriction-and even though the cheap fix gets you through the day the cost of a filter is cheap compared to the machinery and the cost of downtime.

Get a source of filters you can trust and learn how to change it yourself AND inspect the intake. You owe it to your unit and believe me, you care a lot more than the $18.00/hr grease monkey that runs up that $125.00/hr labor charge at the shop. Hey. not rocket science - even a stubble jumper like me can figure it out!

God luck.

 

[USA-RVNomads]

Don't use a compressor to blow out your filters, use a ShopVac. Just reverse the flow of air. Its strong enough to blow out the dirt yet gentle enough not to damage the element fibers. You can vacuum them out too.

Remember that many companies charge a premium for their parts and the labor rate is based on the flat rate time in their book. As long as the part meets mfrs specs, you shouldn't have any issue with using either a generic or their name brand. The difference in many cases is labeling only, many companies subcontract out their parts. I once worked for a company that produced parts for air compressors. We supplied many of the major brands who charged 100+ times more once their brand name was on the package. Oil is the same way. A company in Michigan sold us our own branded oil in five gallon pails. Our competitors also source theirs from the same place. I had pictures of both coming off the line at the same time. Same bucket, different labels, the guys were sticking labels on the pails as they came off the conveyor and before they stacked them onto pallets. Those pictures changed a lot of customers minds over to us and they loved the price difference!

 

[Jeff]

If the 93.00 is for a Donaldson filter it is a great deal. Considering the consequences of dirt getting into the engine I am not sure how comfortable I would be with other options.

 

[buckstand]

Check out:  www.rvchassisparts.com   

Thats where I get all my filters (air and fuel) for my Cat, generator and tranny. Belts and tranny fluid also.

 

[Mavarick]

The Baldwin filter for my Cat is app $125 if I recall. It takes about 30 min for me to change and another 15 to clean elbows and everything. $472 sounds high unless you are not willing to do it yourself. A few things to consider;
The biggest mistake most make is changing their air filter too soon (it?s a great sales pitch during maint). Air filters are not like liquid filters. A slightly used air filter works much better than a brand new one. Use your filter indicator to tell you when it needs changing and to show that it is in fact working. 18? or higher is time to change, below that leave it alone.
Next biggest is trying to save a few bucks by cleaning the filter. You will ingest way more dirt into the intake system by trying to clean a filter than you will by leaving it alone until it reaches at least 18? (most RV?s because of space, do not use the safety filter like most larger diesels).
Never use compressed air as it will damage the element. Most take their air filter for granted when in reality in can do way more damage than any other mishandled filter. A dirty fuel filter will put you on the side of the road until it is changed. A damaged intake system can dust the rings in you engine. For a 3126B that?s about $18K repair bill give or take a bit. It really pays to learn a bit about the intake system and pay attention to it.
Prob a bit late on your orig question but hope it helps for next time.