tbb2

It is time for me to replace the air filter and fuel filter.

I am not finding any specifications or recommendations in the Haynes or Chevrolet service manuals.

Please provide any personal suggestions and/or history of products used.

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2003 Chevrolet Express 3500 Cargo Van; LQ4 6.0L V8

greenfire

What vehicle?


I like Wix filters.

canucklehead

Any parts counter at the dealer or parts store will have the part numbers.
I have a Fram air filter, and I remove it and blow it out with compressed air every oil change. The fuel filter I just used an OEM replacement. Brand doesn't really matter for either.

cleveland63b

what vehicle? and yes brand/price/quality are different.

tbb2

2003 Chevrolet Express 3500 Cargo Van; LQ4 6.0L V8

tech2

interval for ff is every 30 000miles....unless you have a returnless fuel system, in which case its never.
iirc air filter oem interval is either every yearly or every 2nd year ? I always buy oem air filters as most aftermarket brands do not meet oem filtering standards...if impossible to know the filtering quality of a filter until its to late and the maf is contaminated...so I just spend the extra and buy the oem.


wipe your finger down the housing behind the air filter and before the maf. if you can wipe dirt off the housing...you filter is nfg. Typically, with crap filters, the filter is clean and everything behind the filter is dirty.A good filter that seals the box and has good filter media will not have that crud after the filter but the filter media will be dirty.

tbb2

I have consistently fond dealer parts to have inflated prices.
An air filter and fuel filter from the dealer are $204.
Alternate sources are $53.
I have a hard time appreciating a 400% price jump when typically the car dealer only puts the part(s) in a box with the vehicle make on it.
Amazing how little comparison tests are available.

cleveland63b

not sure how a fuel and air filter for a gas engine are that high but there is a difference in quality between OEM and aftermarket. Micron ratings and the way they are built differ, there are some aftermarket brands that make a very similar product but still not the same your comment about being the same part in a branded box is bogus. Years of comparison in professional repair shops have proved it over and over.


I have also cut multiple oil filters apart and you can clearly see a difference.

tbb2

I'm sure there are quality differences between most every manufacturers' products.
That basic knowledge does not translate to OEM being best or equitably priced.
Thus the reason I started this thread.

Same part different box is not bogus.
My 28 years of maintaining my passenger sedan proved that.
The older the vehicle the less likely OEM seems to mean anything.
I have physically pulled a "new" catalytic converter out of the box to find it was not original equipment and looked just like the aftermarket 1/2 price product.

Having found that GM owned/owns ACDelco and that ACDelco was the OEM part for brake fluid I contacted ACDelco. ACDelco still represents that they provide OEM parts for GM.

The ACDelco fuel filter is $26.
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2003 Chevrolet Express 3500 Cargo Van; LQ4 6.0L V8

greenfire

Some name brands (as mentioned above) will have the same oem quality for less money. Also sometimes you can find oem online for less than the dealer. A case of oil filters for example.


I usually narrow my search to top quality brands and oem.. then go with the lowest price.