Where can I buy a filter minder for my 95 airbox, other than the dealer? I've got it plugged off with a bolt but it looks tacky.











95 CTD 2500 CC,4WD, Auto

 

Probably any heavy duty truck shop, We have Fleetpride and a few Frieghtliner and International dealers around here.

 

Napa can get you one also

 

Just a couple things about these. First off, they are a joke. I would just cover the hole with something that looks better than a bolt and don't worry about the FM. With my old filter, which was covered in close to 1/4" of heavy, oily dirt (previous owner must have been relaying on the FM), the minder was only pulled in 1/2 way. I replaced the filter with a quality, name brand filter, reset it, and after the first short 5 mile ride it was pulled in half way again, and thats where it has been every since. i have noticed the same thing with other Rams...my father's '97 does exactly the same thing. So accuracy is questionable at best.

Next, if you do want to replace it, you can't just go get one for ANY diesel airbox and expect it to be anywhere near accurate. If they are anywhere near accurate from the factory, (which I already established they aren't, but lets assume they should be), then they will be calibrated to the engine size they are attached to. A HD truck diesel will draw much higher intake vacuum than our little Cummins, so their FMs will be harder to pull down. If you put one on our little Cummins, they wouldn't move until your filter was well beyond completely plugged. And if you were to put one from our trucks on a HD truck, it would probably be drawn all the way down as soon as the truck was started, even with a new filter.

Jim

 

I'm not interested in the accuracy so much as covering the hole with something presentable. I beleive in maintenence of a vehicle and go overboard most of the time, just can't stand the sight of the bolt with RTV

 

Sorry NH but your entire post is full of fallacies.
All a filterminder is is a simple vacuum gauge. They are all the same except in the way they mount and the red zone marking. Been that way for at least forty years. Until electric minders came out the same minder was used on almost every diesel engine and works excellent. The reason many Dodge owners think the minder doesn't work is simply that their filters have never been clogged enough to make the minder move or they are trying to pull too much air with a modded engine though a stock filter.

Tons of filterminder info here http://www.filterminder.com/products.asp

 

I understand the concept of "a little dirt will help with the filtering" argument, even if i don't agree with it (the same dirt that helps with the filtering will also restrict airflow). But as I said, my filter didn't have "a little dirt", it was covered with a very thick layer of OILY dirt. I even attempted to scrape some off the filter, but it was difficult to remove because it was so thick and sticky. In fact, the filter was so dirty, that there was a decent layer of dirt UNDER the filter element. I would definately say the filter was dirty to the point of restricting airflow (I even noticed a sizable power increase after replacing the filter). Then the BRAND NEW filter brought the FM to exactly the same reading as the dirty one. Yea, they are really accurate.

I have many relatives in the diesel repair industry, and FMs are thought of as an idiot device for someone too lazy to take the time to check their filters. You might believe the web site, but I don't put much stock in the beliefs of the COMPANY THAT MAKES THEM. Of course their thoughts would be that they are the greatest thing since sliced bread.

I won't keep hijacking this guy's thread though. I don't know where he can buy one, i was just advising him that I wouldn't bother with one. In fact, if he wants to PM me his address, I'd send him my FM and plug my hole, since I don't care how it looks, and I don't mind removing my airbox cover to check my filter.

Oh, and if 2 filters on 2 different size engines are equally plugged, the larger engine will create more vacuum since it requires more airflow. Thats also why larger engines require larger filters. So no, FMs can't be exactly the same for different size engines.

Jim

 

Oh, and this is off their own web site:
"The Filter Minder ® measures restriction or vacuum. The air filter service indicator is calibrated per engine or vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations."

So it doesn't sound like they are all the same, or universal.

Jim

 

NH,
FWIW, With a stock airbox and a pretty dirty K+N It sucked down the minder to 50% at 40LBS boost. Went to a BHAF setup, 40 lbs boost didnt suck it down at all. Maybe telling you how inefficent a stock airbox and filter are...

 

If you don't trust Filterminder, do you trust what Fleetguard and the other filter manufacturers say. They all say to go by the gauge!

 

My filter minder didn't do too well of a job minding my filter (IMO) either. I didn't bother to put it back on with the BHAF.

I'll mind my own filter from now on.

 

The way Dodge likes to cut pennies off their production costs by eliminating things like grab handles, key halos, plastic trim,etc, don't you think they first thing they would have cut is the filterminder if they deemed it ineffectual?
They could have just said change your air filter every 2500 miles instead of providing the minder. The fact that they keep it must mean something.

As far as visually telling when a filter is clogged--- it's totally impossible. I've operated Cats in forest fire situations where the minder has pulled down but not until the filter was over an inch deep in fine ash. Then again I've had a filterminder pull down when the filter looked clean but was covered with very fine Mt St Helens volcanic ash.
The filterminder and the electronic check filter idiot lights used on newer engines give quite a bit of leeway. Whenever I've had a minder pull down or and light come on there has been no improvement in engine performance cleaning or replacing the filter.

To each his own but I'll continue to trust and go by my filterminder.

 

Oh, I respect the experience Bill, no doubt they have a place.

I baby the truck so much now, never been or will go off road (shoulder of the road maybe), stay out of dusty situations, hate to hear mud and rocks slinging out of the tires if I get in loose stuff, etc.

With an outerwears prefilter and an **** maintenance schedule, I feel comfortable without the minder.

 

I know someone with a 95 who after pulling the FM out because it was broke, thought it was a great hole to squirt ether into on a cold morning

 

You are not taking into account that they can go bad. They are just a rubber diaphram.

Also, The turbo bearing/seal designs are the same (in general) so intakes have to be desgined to flow x amount(volume). When they become restricted the amount of restriction (indicated in vac.) will be relitive.

Have I put the minder into my BAHF? No. I am retentive enough I don't need a idiot light for my filter. And I do waste money and change the filter before I "has to be". I also don't run 18K on oil changes as Cummins recommends.

As for the question everyone is right on. As for the need, do what ever gives you happiness in your heart. If it makes you happy to have one replace it. If it doesn't matter to you, there are numerous ways to repair the hole and make it nice without it.

Randy