Close call !

[96 EVO]

Came within minutes of installing a counterfeit Fleetgaurd secondary fuel filter!

Can you spot the difference? 

[BradHend]

Was this an Amazon purchase?

[timaz996]

I run the FASS setup. So no worries about fake filters.

I believe there is a C missing from the red block.

Edited May 29, 2024 by timaz996

[96 EVO]

12 minutes ago, BradHend said:

Was this an Amazon purchase?

Friend bought 4 from ??? before picking up a 'new to him' coach, that had been parked for 5yrs!

His '05 Freightliner chassis coach doesn't run a secondary FF, so he offered them to me!

Didn't ask where he purchased them!

[Dr4Film]

The filter is missing the word Fleetguard normally located above the red square.

I purchased my Fleetguard Fuel Filters from Amazon, same number FF5636.

Fleetguard FF5636 Fuel Filter https://a.co/d/eOv4RBN

Edited May 29, 2024 by Dr4Film

[96 EVO]

5 minutes ago, Dr4Film said:

The filter is missing the word Fleetguard normally located above the red square.

Bingo!

[96 EVO]

I'll run genuine Donaldson, or Baldwin, but, I'm not running a Chinese made filter made to fool buyers into thinking it's a Fleetguard!

[windsorbill06]

1 hour ago, 96 EVO said:

I'll run genuine Donaldson, or Baldwin, but, I'm not running a Chinese made filter made to fool buyers into thinking it's a Fleetguard!

Just for fun, open it up.  Maybe it's filled with last years newspaper!

[96 EVO]

5 minutes ago, windsorbill06 said:

Just for fun, open it up.  Maybe it's filled with last years newspaper!

If they had fit my Aqua Hot filter head I would run them there, but unfortunately they don't.

[Chargerman]

Here’s how some of those offshore filters are made 😳

[diplomat don]

6 hours ago, Chargerman said:

Here’s how some of those offshore filters are made 😳

VID-20230627-WA0052.mov

Not that I am endorsing knock off's but wonder how different this manufacturing is from the genuine thing other than child labor. They have all the machines for replicating the canisters. Interesting. Thanks for posting, interesting watch. Thanks Don.

[96 EVO]

Don, the canisters look fine!

It's the media they use that concerns me! The important part, that you can't see!

I made paper most of my life. We would occasionally get samples of our competitors equivalent product.

The difference in quality can be quite drastic!

Edited May 29, 2024 by 96 EVO

[dl_racing427]

I wonder how many fingers are included in those filters. LOL 😱🤣

[RoadTripper2084]

The problem with filter purchases is that you have no way of knowing the actual quality of the media without destroying the filter. So you are required to buy trusted brand names to the best of your ability and hope they haven't "cost-controlled" out their quality recently in a way that negates their historical track record.

Any random knock-off might be just fine, but you have no way to know if the one you buy today is as good as the one you bought yesterday. 

 

 

[dennis.mcdonaugh]

On 5/28/2024 at 8:51 PM, 96 EVO said:

I'll run genuine Donaldson, or Baldwin, but, I'm not running a Chinese made filter made to fool buyers into thinking it's a Fleetguard!

Sounds like you think only Fleetguard gets counterfeited.  Just because it says Donaldson or Baldwin, doesn't mean its a real Donaldson or Baldwin. I bought a Parker filter on-line, but when I got it, the logo didn't look exactly like the one on the filter I was replacing and it turns out it wasn't a real Parker. You have to be alert no matter what brand you're buying.

Edited May 30, 2024 by dennis.mcdonaugh

[Gary Cole]

It doesn't appear that the metal which they are using has been coated to prevent corrosion. You can also see that there is no real seal between the filter element and the cups which hold it. That is exactly the problem I had with a counterfeit fuel filter some years ago. The inside of the filter rusted severely and the filter element, which was little more than a soggy piece of paper,  did not prevent the rust particles from passing thru to my six carburetor motorcycle.

[Happycarz]

Even Amazon can let counterfeit filters in via their marketplace sellers.

I just stopped by and purchased an expensive Fleetguard LF9009 oil filter and an Allison transmission filter set at FleetPride. I paid dearly for them, but cheaper in the long run. I rather be safe than sorry.

[DennisZ]

And here they are on Amazon.

2 Pack of FF5636 (5 micron) Fuel Filter Replaces FF5813, 4940647, P550879, BF7924, 33936 Compatible with Cummins ISC8.3 ISL9 ISB6.7 Engines

[dl_racing427]

You can't really call that a counterfeit.  Fleetguard doesn't appear in the ad or on the filter.
This one does look like a counterfeit:

Cummins Filtration Fleetguard 14000Nn Oil Filter

I'm definitely going to reputable sources to get my filters.

[Robert 60]

On 5/29/2024 at 6:00 AM, Chargerman said:

Here’s how some of those offshore filters are made 😳

VID-20230627-WA0052.mov

Amazing child labor.

[Scotty Hutto]

Yeah, I may overpay, but I buy all of my filters directly from Cummins. Over the years I’ve ended up with several counterfeit products from Amazon - sometimes it matters, sometimes it doesn’t.  But for filters the best assurance I have is to pay the premium and get it directly from Cummins, Allison, etc…

Your mileage may vary, and to each his own…

[cbr046]

The differences are subtle for sure . . .

And no guarantee an aftermarket diesel dealer, outside of Amazon, is selling the real McCoy (Amazon is riddled with counterfeits).  They (the aftermarket dealer) probably may not even know it. 

 

But wait, like a late night tv commercial there's more.  From gmtNation:

Quote

• Dec 23, 2014
• #1

I've been stocking Fleetguard filters for my vehicles for a good number of years now, I've always managed to find the upgraded media versions for my applications.

LF16104 is in question here, which is a tall filter for LS engines.

I ordered online and received three filters that are slightly shorter, have a single dumbed down stick-on label and fluted wrenching end.

The originals have all the marking printed on the can and the end is smooth.

The taller one seems to have a better paint job and it was plastic wrapped & sealed as these filters usually are.

The suspect ones weren't-and were in plain white boxes.

The date codes appear to be:

2010, 61st day for the suspect one.

2013, 277th day for the known good one.

The suspect filter was opened by my filter cutter in three turns.

The good one was very difficult, I ended up needing to put it to the grinding wheel to complete separating the can from the base. The can material as well as the base and number of threads on the good one is thicker.

The bad one is well made inside like a Hastings but is just simple filter media. It sliced like paper.

The good one has the correct Stratapore filter media backed by a thin cloth mesh backed by a steel screen. The white filter media is cotton like and was difficult to cut, I needed to saw the razor knife through it.

THE VERDICT: The suspect one is certainly a counterfeit.

I purchased these from filterbarn.com. Never again!

Another blogger in the same thread got some underperforming counterfeit brake pads.  The only difference were the 2 glue dots on the box (OEM).  The counterfeiter used a stripe of glue.

- bob

Edited June 2, 2024 by cbr046