Mobil 1 or Fleetguard for 04.5 Cummins?

[Strjock81]

I have on 04.5 (600 model) Cummins equipped Ram, in which I have been using Fleetguard Stratopore filters since I have had it. My brother works at Auto Zone here for the summer and can get me the M1 filter for my truck for significantly cheaper than FG either at Dealership or bought online with shipping.

Should I stock up on the M1s before he goes back to school or stick with the FGs?

FGs have seemingly worked fine, my last UOA wasn't the greatest tho, which probably had little to do with the filter?

 

[Jonny Z]

According to the Grease study, FG does not filter much.
FG:
Cost: n/a
ADBV material: Nitrile
Spring type: leaf
Baseplate hole area: 0.328 sq/in
Filter area: 277 sq/in; 52 pleats
Center tube hole area: 1.25 sq/in
Total Weight: 425 grams
Filter and endcaps weight: 5.0 oz
Average largest pore size: 115 µm

Smallest pore size: 34 µm
30W 70F Oil flow @ 10psi: 23.3 oz per minute

I would go M1 even you don't get a deal.

 

[Strjock81]

Hmmm and everyone always speaks about FG Stratopore like its the best thing ever on the Dodge site....Maybe I oughta switch.

 

[TurboLuver]

Strjock81
I had been running fleetguard stratapore's on my 01.5 cummins, but recently switched to the Mobil1 filter. The main reason I switched was the fleetguard really isnt the be all end all filter that it is claimed to be over on the diesel boards, and the canister on the M1 is far far superior to the fleetguard.

 

[Steve S]

The Fleetguard Stratopore has different material than the tested Fleetguard. The Stratopore material looks like the Fram Extended life oil filter "the $9.99 model" . I really think the M1 filters work very good and a particle count proves the filtering claims of the M1 filter. Will there be any warranty problems by using other than a Fleetguard?

 

[lubeowner]

As stated above the Fleetguard in the test is NOT a stratapore. Remember, Cummins owns Fleetguard and I am pretty sure their engineers can make a good filter for their engine. We carry Fleetguard stratapore at the shop. Every Cummins owner that comes in really likes that, plus my dad and I both drive Cummins powered trucks. Believe me, in a warranty situation the dealer really likes to see this filter on the truck. I have cut open a lot a stratopore filters, and they look like the best built filters I have seen. The media is very different than a normal paper filter. They are extremely tough and we have been running them successfully in custoemrs trucks with 275k+ and going strong. BTW 04.5+ trucks seem to be real hard on the oil compared to older models. With the EGR addition the oil becomes very black and sooty after about 3500 miles.

 

[TheTanSedan]

I wouldn't use anything BUT the FG "Stratopore" media filter. The only comparable filter is not M1, K&N or other, but the DONALDSON Syntek "Endurance" line. Period.

Overkill would be a MANN & HUMMEL centifugal and a SS-screen full flow filter (see posts by Doug Hilary in re Class 8 trucks).

The air filter is more important on this, and all engines, in every case. Spend time on that subject, too.

And, after 20m with some heavy towing, the small cost of oil analysis.

 

[Ram_in_Texas]

"BTW 04.5+ trucks seem to be real hard on the oil compared to older models. With the EGR addition the oil becomes very black and sooty after about 3500 miles."

Off topic here, but the 04.5 has no EGR system on it. That's one of the reason I bought the Cummins over the Ford or Dodge. The black oil may be due to the retarded cam or injection timing. I'm using the FG Stratapore on my truck and want to add a bypass unit.