OEM vs aftermarket filters

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

BigChick

Junior Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2020
Posts
12
Reaction score
3
Location
Payson, AZ
Ram Year
2015
Engine
cummins 6.7L
2015 ram 3500 with ******* 6.7L diesel.

i've learned to do my own oil changes and i have used the fleetguard oil filter. fleetguard is cummins oem brand. i'll stick with them. i change the oil every 7,500 miles.

i'm now getting ready to change both fuel filters. the two filters involved cost about $125 if i use the MOPAR brand. there are aftermarket brands that costs in the range of $30. that's quite a difference. i've had the filters changed by a local shop in the past and i guarantee that they haven't been using the MOPAR brand. does anybody have an aftermarket brand of both fuel filters that they use and that are comparable with the oem MOPAR brand? i change the fuel filters every 15,000 miles.

thanks
 

Hemi395

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2013
Posts
8,965
Reaction score
15,598
Location
Cape Cod MA
Ram Year
2013
Engine
5.7 Hemi
Have you tried looking online at allmoparparts.com? That seems a bit expensive for fuel filters. However aftermarket filter quality can be all over the map and a fuel filter is important on a diesel.

I know theres people that swear by CAT filters on their trucks but I'm not sure if it requires any mods.

Hopefully someone with more experience than I do with the 6.7 will chime in.
 

06 Dodge

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2022
Posts
1,900
Reaction score
1,781
Location
Forest Grove, Oregon
Ram Year
2022
Engine
6.7L CTD
2015 ram 3500 with ******* 6.7L diesel.

i've learned to do my own oil changes and i have used the fleetguard oil filter. fleetguard is cummins oem brand. i'll stick with them. i change the oil every 7,500 miles.

i'm now getting ready to change both fuel filters. the two filters involved cost about $125 if i use the MOPAR brand. there are aftermarket brands that costs in the range of $30. that's quite a difference. i've had the filters changed by a local shop in the past and i guarantee that they haven't been using the MOPAR brand. does anybody have an aftermarket brand of both fuel filters that they use and that are comparable with the oem MOPAR brand? i change the fuel filters every 15,000 miles.

thanks
If you have no warranty to worry about try Baldwin fuel filters, I used them in my 06 CTD, I never had a problem from one in over 100K...
 

WY-Dave

Senior Member
Military
Joined
Jan 22, 2019
Posts
4,226
Reaction score
18,219
Location
Cheyenne, WY
Ram Year
2018 2500
Engine
6.7 CTD
fleetguard fuel filters here. Not as $$ as Mopar, not cheap either. I go to the local big rig shops here to get them.
FS53000 front FS20089 rear
 

BossHogg

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2014
Posts
1,932
Reaction score
2,443
Location
Oakland Township, Michigan
Ram Year
2015
Engine
6.7L Cummins
2015 ram 3500 with ******* 6.7L diesel.

i'm now getting ready to change both fuel filters. the two filters involved cost about $125 if i use the MOPAR brand. there are aftermarket brands that costs in the range of $30. that's quite a difference.
I'm not a fan of plopping down $125 for two fuel filters just because the packaging says Mopar but I'm still under the Maxcare service plan.

The problem I see with aftermarket fuel filters is; whether they can filter down to 3 microns and if they can do that over their service life. Unfortunately, the aftermarket doesn't provide any details or test results. You can find the $30 fuel filters on Amazon and guess where they are made.

I understand the high-pressure fuel system and injectors repair is a $10K plus, given that, I buy the Mopar filters.
 

joshuaeb09

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2016
Posts
1,426
Reaction score
2,402
Location
Medina County, TX
Ram Year
2022
Engine
6.7 Cummins
AFAIK the engine mounted filter is a Cummins/Fleetgaurd Nanonet filter so I would stick to either the Fleetgaurd or Mopar P/N there for warranty (also the Nanonet is a decent filter down to 3 microns). Both the Fleetgaurd and Mopar filters call out being a 3 micron Nanonet and look 100% identical. The rear filter ('19+), so far as I can tell, is a Baldwin PF46152 as it looks 100% identical to the Mopar P/N with the same exact specs. I would buy the cheaper of the two in both categories if warranty/performance is a concern. So long as they pull a filter out and it's the OE filter regardless of what the box said (Mopar/Fleetguard/Baldwin) then you really don't have any concerns talking to the techs/mechanics I know.

I plan to add the Cat 2 Micron filter after my water seperator on my next filter change and then moving to doubling the replacement interval on the engine mounted Nanonet from there on. It's pretty plug and play without cutting any of the lines and easy to remove should I be worried about any warranty work.
 

Rlaf75

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2015
Posts
1,488
Reaction score
1,504
Location
East Hartford CT
Ram Year
2011
Engine
Hemi 5.7
I don't have a diesel but have you looked into WIX or even NAPA branded filters? I have used both in the past on customer's trucks with great success
 

06 Dodge

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2022
Posts
1,900
Reaction score
1,781
Location
Forest Grove, Oregon
Ram Year
2022
Engine
6.7L CTD
I don't have a diesel but have you looked into WIX or even NAPA branded filters? I have used both in the past on customer's trucks with great success
On a newer diesels 2019 up you do not want to use Wix or NAPA fuel filters if you have OEM warranty, using them could void your fuel system warranty...
 

smittyd174

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2022
Posts
137
Reaction score
111
Location
Halifax
Ram Year
2022
Engine
5.7 hemi
I owned a 2016 ram 3500 6.7 Cummins . Did all my own maintenance, so I researched the crap out of filters . Baldwin filters don't meet the specs, close but not quite . Didn't find any that did , Luberfiner 7 microns .The big difference is in the engine mounted filter . Baldwin is a single stage filter rated at 5 microns 95% efficiency. Mopar and fleetguard are 3 microns rating .
I said this in another post is $50 worth risking $ 6000 + in injectors .
 
Top