July 2018 | VehicleServicePros.com 19
fuel fl ow becomes prematurely restrained as the
fi lter collects particulate, and this condition occurs
earlier than planned maintenance intervals, then
it is likely an indication of a serious contamination
problem within the fuel storage system.”
Proper and frequent monitoring of the state of
fuel in storage tanks can help identify issues as
they arise, allowing fl eets to address them immediately
before irreparable damage occurs to vehicle
components or systems.
Donaldson’s De Guelle
advises to combat contamination
before water or other
particles enter the storage
tank, fleets can invest in
high-effi ciency fi ltration products
designed for use before
the fuel enters the storage tank
upon fuel delivery. In particular,
fl eets operating model
year 2013 or newer high-pressure
common rail engines or
that may be experiencing fuel
quality issues showing up as
lift pump or injector failure,
or premature on-board fuel
fi lter plugging, would be ideal
candidates for these products.
AIR INTAKE FILTERS
Air intake filters allow
clean air to fl ow into the
engine chamber to aid in
the combustion process. It
is imperative this air have
the least amount of particles
possible. Contamination can
cause increased engine wear,
a reduction in engine performance
and potential vehicle
downtime. When it comes to
air intake fi lters, fi lter suppliers
overall suggest dry air
intake filters compared to
oiled options.
“Dry media typically gives
the optimum combination
of high effi ciency, low initial
restriction and long life,”
Donaldson’s De Guelle says.
“While oiled fi lter elements
have the potential to provide
long fi lter life, they can present
issues with overall particle
separation effi ciency as well as
other problems.”
It is always recommended
by the OEM and fi lter suppliers
alike to replace the fi lters
rather than clean them.
“Th ere is a risk of dirt reaching
the clean side of the fi lter
while cleaning, plus possible
fi lter damage from high pressure
water or compressed air,
making cleaning or washing a
gamble,” De Guelle says.
Air fi lters should be monitored
and serviced based on
airfl ow restriction levels in the intake system,
he adds.
“It is common in the industry for maintenance
shops or operators to remove and clean air fi lters
with air hoses or by knocking them against the
ground or another object,” Cummins Filtration’s
Gwin says. “Th ese practices are very likely to
damage the air fi lter element in such a way that it
compromises the ability of the air fi lter to perform
as intended. A tear or rip in the fi lter media can
lead to dust particles and other contaminant passing
directly through the fi lter and downstream
into the engine where it can cause severe engine
damage. As little as 100 grams of dust is enough
to ruin a heavy duty engine.”
To monitor air intake fi lter performance,
Luber-Finer’s Hussein suggests using an air fi lter
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