There Are Oil Filters, and Then There Are Oil Filters....

[Mark-the-Spark]

... but your local T/A won't know that.

I roll into T/A Knoxville and ask the service manager about getting both engine oil fiters changed (2006 Detroit 14.0L). He starts telling me about their PM deal. I clear my throat and explain again that I only want the oil filters changed (there are two on this engine, identical part number... and I have a bypass oil filter and am not interesting in changing the horribly high priced Mobil Delvac 1 oil until the oil analysis says to).

He says sure, they can do that, and starts to write it up.

I ask him if he has the correct Fleetguard oil filters in stock. I do not like cheap filters, having checked the micron filtration ratings of various 'replacement' brands in the past. They suck.

He does not know.

I ask him if he knows what oil filters that this engine uses.

He does not, explaining that once the mechs take the old filters off, they come get new ones from the parts room. Interesting... if the engine has the wrong filters, I guess they install new wrong filters. Helluva maintenace program.

I ask him if he has any way to find out what oil filters that this engine uses.

He does not.

I leave.

Back at my truck, I pop the hood and see that the truck has Fleetguard LF-3620 oil filters on it at the moment, but know that these are replacements from the T/A shop that did the last oil change. Now curious, I fire up the laptop and the air card and go to the Fleetguard website. After checking the Detroit Diesel owner's manual, I type in their part number into the Fleetguard online catalog.

Three numbers pop up.

LF 3620, basic cellulose (paper) oil filter. This, as noted, is what is currently on the engine.

LF 3671, upgrade filter with Stratapore (tm) element. This is a much better filter, utilizing a synthetic filter media, than the basic thing you would get at Autozone for your car (or at T/A for your truck).

LF 9620, upgrade filter with Stratapore (tm) element and stacked media bypass filter.

Bypass filter? Yes, it seems that some mfrs (including Fleetguard) are making a standard size spin on oil filter that also contains a a mini version of the vaunted Gulf Coast Filter style bypass filter. Hmmm. This could potentially put the aftermarket bypass filter manufacturers out of business.

The guys at the T/A called this an extended life filter. I think they were thinking of extended filter life, while the true story is extended engine life.

In any case, they don't have the 3671 in stock, but the computer says they have the 9620 in stock. I tell them to put the 9620's on. Once in the bay, I diplomatically ask the mech to give me one of the boxes that the 9620's come in so I can read any enlightening info on the box. The mech says they don't come in boxes. Dropping the diplomatic approach, I tell the mech to show me the filters before he installs them.

Good call. He shows up with a couple of the cheap 3620 filters. Like, duh. We go back to the service manager desk, where it is eventually determined that their computer inventory system is wrong. They have the 3671's in stock, but not the 9620's. At this point I'm almost getting confused. End of a long story, I get the 3671 filters on the truck but the bill shows that I got the 9620's. I have one word -- morons :wow:

Fleetguard part information for LF3620 is listed below.

Part: LF3620
Manufacturer: FLEETGUARD
Part Type: Lube, Full-Flow Spin-On

Overall Height: 249.43 mm (9.82 in)
Largest OD: 120.27 mm (4.735 in)
Thread Size: 1 5/8-12 UNS-2B


Additional Information:
GMC 25014505
For upgrade, use
LF3671. LF3620 is Cellulose Full Flow. LF3671 is Stratapore Full Flow.
LF9620 Venturi Combo- Full Flow & By-pass

http://www.fleetguard.com/fleet/en/catalog/index.jsp

http://www.fleetguard.com/fleet/pdfs/product_lit/americas_brochures/972957.pdf

http://www.fleetguard.com/fleet/pdfs/product_lit/americas_brochures/LT15034.pdf

[Rev.Vassago]

This is the exact reason why I don't let community-college mechanics touch my truck.

[Big_Dave]

Incompetence! That's the main reason I refused to have any work done on my truck at any truckstop shops, unless there was absolutly no other choice.

Go directly to the local truck shop (Peterbilt, Kenworth, Freightliner, etc......) or to the local engine shop (Cat, Cummins, Detroit, etc......).

[Kranky 1]

I could think of all kinds of stories of "incompetence" when having a truck fixed somewhere, especially when it comes to tire road service. Food for thought, maybe I'll post some of 'em from time to time.That's why I do most of my repairs & tire work myself. Seems like just about every time I've taken something to a repair shop to get fixed, the outcome is an exorbitant bill, & a job that I have to at least partially do over myself anyway. At least if I do the job myself, & make a mistake, I'm not paying someone else big bucks to f--- it up.

[Big_Dave]

Seems like just about every time I've taken something to a repair shop to get fixed, the outcome is an exorbitant bill
I know that feeling!

I can only remember two times when I owned my truck that I was able to leave the shop without leaving more than $500 on the counter. :wow: :wtf:

[magicman]

Hell, you ought to have my mechanic. I have to feed him steaks for dinner when he works on my truck. I even have to loan him my pick up to go on parts runs for large parts. It usually ends up being on my gas, too.




































Oh well, at least I know where to find him if he screws up.......UPSTAIRS. He's my son. :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Actually, he is one of those mechanics that won't use cheap parts on your truck. He'll sit down with you and explain the differences between available parts and then let you make the decision. I usually end up with the good parts.

Of course, that $ 40 per hour labor rate doesn't hurt, either.

[Kranky 1]

[/quote]
I know that feeling!

I can only remember two times when I owned my truck that I was able to leave the shop without leaving more than $500 on the counter. :wow: :wtf:[/quote]

.......And you know what's the biggest kick in the butt? Last time I checked, the shop rates at the major establishments around here were $20.00- $25.00 more per hour than the hourly rate we get paid for running a truck! It's the same old stuff--When I have to buy something, the seller says "this is what we charge". When I hire on with a customer, I'm told "this is what we're paying"! What's wrong with this picture??????????

:yikes: :yikes: :vmad: :vmad:

[Mark-the-Spark]

Go directly to the local truck shop (Peterbilt, Kenworth, Freightliner, etc......)

They're mostly idiots too... long story :wtf: ... went into a Freightliner shop with 20' of stainless braided teflon hose for a bypass oil filter. I'd already installed two removable AN-style hose ends just to learn how it was done, so it looked like one 20' line with a fitting on each end.

Service manager said they could not cut that line... for what I wanted, they'd have to go to a hydraulic shop and have custom lines made up :wtf:

While, I assume, their mech stood around with his thumb up his country bib-overalled azz at $75 per hour :angry:

Lines are on my truck today, and do not leak (I would up doing the work myself, including cutting that line and installing another two hose ends).

Some engine shops have brains... notice that I said some.... :wow:

[Kranky 1]

2 points here that I would like to comment on:

1) You did the job yourself, so you know it was done right.

2) You didn't pay the dealer $75.00 per hour, & then have to do it over again yourself anyway because they fouled it up.

For a small investment of time, a lot of money was saved & a higher quality of craftsmanship was obtained.

[Mark-the-Spark]

For a small investment of time, a lot of money was saved & a higher quality of craftsmanship was obtained.

Hopefully true (on the latter part), but the sad part of the story is that I would have paid a fair sum for a professional to have done the work, even though I was sure I could do a competent job with my limited knowledge... but no professionals were available, regardless of the big brand name sign in front of thier shop :angry:

It's just a damn sorry state of affairs, and it's not just restricted to big trucks. My dad, an almost lifelong Cadillac man, can't get professional dealer service on his car -- he has to go to a long known independent. While I tell him to buy a BMW if he wants a real car, it is well known that a BMW dealer charges an arm, leg, and first born kid for an oil change -- but I've never heard of that oil change (or any other BMW or Ferrari maintenance) being done wrong or in a slipshod manner.

We've become a nation of tractor mechanics :wacko:

Walked over to one of our sister company trucks the other day... the gal driver was idling the truck for A/C, and I kept hearing the air compressor sneezing.

Me: "Um, you know that you've got an air leak?"

She: "Yeah, I had it in the company shop the other day, they changed the air compressor and some other stuff... "

Me: "Um, you know it's still leaking?"

She: "Yeah. They couldn't figure it out." Shrugs.

Me: "You know the DOT will put you OOS if they find out?"

She: "Really?"

Me: Shrugs.

[Big_Dave]

it is well known that a BMW dealer charges an arm, leg, and first born kid for an oil change --
Most shops will accept your testicles wrapped in $100 bills in lieu of an arm, leg & first born. :yikes: :wow: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: ;) :p

[LSMR]

For some reason I never really trusted truckstop repair shops.As a supervisor with Ryder back in the 90's I used several truckstops for road service & tire service.In all fairness I never had any problems but still I just never trusted them.

As far as your dealings with the T/A I really don't see what your problem was.Most shops will replace filters with the same number that came off.You seem to forget that these people change filters everyday and just maybe are familar with the various PN# of filters on different engine manufactures.Personally when I had my shop I rarely "looked up" filters.I would use a cross reference if a filter I pulled of was a unfamilar brand and of course I would look up pn#s if an engine was unfamilar to me.

The T/A you went to had the correct filter that was approved by the mfg of your engine.The fact that they didn't have the two "better" filters doesn't make them crooks or incompetent.In this day and age no one will stock slow moving PN#'s.It might not be right but that's the way it is.

My suggestion for you is to carry extra filters of your preffered brand with you.