coolant filter mod

[jimraelee]

For those of you who run a coolant filter like the setup in the tech section... how often do you change your fiter... and why??? Have you opened up a filter to see how bad it was???? or just doing it on XX months because its good PM to do???

thx for your feedback

 

[argve]

If I remember correctly I think I did it about 10k miles typically. What I did was I kept testing with strips until I seen a clear pattern of when it needed to be changed then just put on my maintenance schedule. The first couple of filters I did pretty quick so that if there was anything in the coolant that it would all be out before I started my testing to determine my PM Schedule.

 

[Ironman03R]

I was told do it yearly. Just keep an eye on the SCA. I'm commin up on a year for mine so I'll cut it open and see whats in there, if anything interesting I'll post pics.

 

[hesutton]

I change it when the SCA's drop below 1.5 or so. Year and a half or so. I've cut my last one open and it was very surprising how much crap it catches.

Heath

 

[jimraelee]

Ok, I am coming up on a oil change... 10k since install. I think I will take the safe approach, change it and cut open to see. I don't see the filter catching all that much crap from our systems. However I have seen numerous blocks with lots a rust deposits, flaking metal from the block wedged around the freeze plugs. So if its stuck down there, its odviously floating in the system.

 

[h2odrx]

Who has the best complete kit for this?

 

[Ironman03R]

I just bought a NAPA coolant filter base off Ebay, then got a filter from Napa. I made a bracket that attaches to the fuel filter head for the filter. Then I went to AutoZone and got 2 "T" fittings, a small section of 5/8" hose, and several clamps. Just cut each heater hose and install the "T" fitting, run the hoses to the filter head and tighten the clamps and your done.
Probibly have $30.00 in the whole thing.

 

[Dsl_Dog_Treat]

Who has the best complete kit for this?

Pricewise, Napa. Got my kit for 27 clams and some change.

Then just a few miscellaneous fittings and clamps. Total cost was IIRC 35 bucks for the entire conversion.

 

[69dieselfreak]

Who has the best complete kit for this?

id half to say fleetgaurd
i dont like that funky looking filter head thats all the fleet gaurd has a head and bracket 2 pieces looks much better price wise im not shure i found mine in the parts room at work and snagged it up

 

[hesutton]

Fleetguard states the "Standard Service" water filters are good for 500 hours or 25,000 miles. CLICK HERE, it is on page 5. Page 6 lists the all the Fleetguard filter heads and the part numbers.

Heath

 

[91crew]

Anybody that got the Napa kit...Did you drill out the output passage in the top of the filter mount. The hole seems really restrictive.

 

[Dsl_Dog_Treat]

Anybody that got the Napa kit...Did you drill out the output passage in the top of the filter mount. The hole seems really restrictive.

Nope, tis setup as a bypass, so it's really not that big of a concern.

 

[Agnem]

The recommendation is Yearly. I've been told that the glue used in filters becomes brittle and unstable beyond that. On my two trucks that have them, it's like throwing away a new filter. If your really racking up the miles, I'd say every 6 months. Let's face it, the only reason to replace a filter is because its full of junk, and won't flow any more. 10K seems like too often to me, when you consider an oil filter might get changed 2 or 3 times in the same period, and it's flowing full force to beat the band. If the water filter stops flowing it's just like not having one, not that that is good, but it doesn't hurt anything beyond not having one. You may as well get the most life out of them that you can, within reason. Keep in mind, this is coming from a guy who changes his oil and filters at 2K.

 

[91crew]

Does it matter which hose is bypassed to the inlet or outlet? Can I have the hose going to the water pump on the outlet side?

 

[The Warden]

FWIW, I change mine annually (in fact, I'm due to change it soon)...and I do the coolant filter and the fuel filter at the same time. Makes things easier for me I've been meaning to cut one apart, but haven't actually done so yet...

Does it matter which hose is bypassed to the inlet or outlet? Can I have the hose going to the water pump on the outlet side?

I don't think it really makes a big difference. The big advantage I'd see for putting it on the inlet side of the heater core is that there'll be that much less crud going into the heater core to clog it up. Also, IMHO if you run the inlet hose for the filter from the inlet hose for the heater core and run the outlet hose to the outlet hose for the core, it'll make the plumbing simpler.

BTW, the tech article shows a bunch of hose fittings coming from the filter head. All you NEED is a T-fitting and the shutoff valves (and, you don't really NEED the shutoff valves per se, but I thought it'd be nice to have). I put the other fittings on only so that I wouldn't have to bend the hose 90 degrees in a short space and risk kinking them. This reduces the stress on the hoses, and will hopefully help them to live longer.