Air filter foam went through intake.

[Heisenberg.Blanchette]

Hi everyone!

My jeep has been full of problems during the last few months. I took it to the dealer multiple times(like 5 or 6) for code p2002, they changed a bunch of sensors etc. but nothing fixed it.

Yesterday the truck was almost undriveable(service throttle, traction, loss of power etc.)

So this morning I decided to look at the air filter and found this :

If you look at the last picture, you will notice missing foam. Both filters are of the ecogard brand, same part #.

I tried locating the foam down the intake pipe with an endoscope camera, but all I could find was black soot/tar...

The codes :

The jeep is under warranty, and I'm bringing it to the dealer tomorrow.

I've never seen such a thing and I have changed a lot of air filters. Because of this a lot of snow/dirt/water went down the intake.

Any advice?

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[Escape.idiocracy]

Run a factory Mopar filter…
I know it’s dumb- but seriously, after watching a couple diesel snorkel install videos, the Mopar filter is the only one that passes the smoke test… ??‍

Out of curiosity- do you have your inner fender liners still installed?? Seems like you have an excessive amount of moisture getting in the air box ???

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Questions - why is that filter so distorted and contorted? They should lift right out and lay flat after removed.

The foam is a "pre-filter" and should face down - how could it get up into the top and sucked into the intake? Only if the filter didn't seal properly, IMO

Any other diesel JT owners wanna comment on my take?
It's the same sort of assembly on gas, air comes into the bottom box, moves upward, through the foam first, then through the paper, and if the paper part is sealed correctly in the box, the foam would be stopped like any other dirt.

Am i really off-base here - doesn't that thing look really distorted like it missed the seal area?
Something just doesn't seem right here.
I can install and remove the same filter over and over and over and not have it twisted up at all.
So my question - is the diesel that hard to get a filter out of or into?
Come on, diesel guys...........

 

[Rusty PW]

The foam is suppose to sit down in the air box. Air enters that first before hitting the pleaded paper. If the filter was seated correctly. Then I would say a critter was using the foam to make a nest somewhere.

 

[Rusty PW]

We were typing at the same time. Yeah.....the distortion is a worry. If it wasn't seated right, then yeah it may suck pieces' of foam through the intake.

 

[Escape.idiocracy]

The filter is orientated correctly- going off this photo…. The pre-filter foam is down towards the box….

The filter definitely didn’t seal/pinch correctly between the box and the top/lid….. the distortion makes me think that it was wet at some point…. If the blue pre-filter was sucked through- there’s no way the turbo induction blades are in good shape…. Praying for a critter for your sake ???

 

[Escape.idiocracy]

This video shows what I’m talking about in regards to filter seal…. Overall it’s for a snorkel, but the filter element smoke test is the important part.

Around the 21 min mark.

 

[Heisenberg.Blanchette]

Questions - why is that filter so distorted and contorted? They should lift right out and lay flat after removed.

The foam is a "pre-filter" and should face down - how could it get up into the top and sucked into the intake? Only if the filter didn't seal properly, IMO

Any other diesel JT owners wanna comment on my take?
It's the same sort of assembly on gas, air comes into the bottom box, moves upward, through the foam first, then through the paper, and if the paper part is sealed correctly in the box, the foam would be stopped like any other dirt.

Am i really off-base here - doesn't that thing look really distorted like it missed the seal area?
Something just doesn't seem right here.
I can install and remove the same filter over and over and over and not have it twisted up at all.
So my question - is the diesel that hard to get a filter out of or into?
Come on, diesel guys...........

I installed the filter with the foam facing down, as it should be.

From what I can see, the filter was sucked into the intake for whatever reason; the turbo was pulling air from it, making it distort and letting dirt through..

 

[Heisenberg.Blanchette]

Run a factory Mopar filter…
I know it’s dumb- but seriously, after watching a couple diesel snorkel install videos, the Mopar filter is the only one that passes the smoke test… ??‍

Out of curiosity- do you have your inner fender liners still installed?? Seems like you have an excessive amount of moisture getting in the air box ???

That was the last time I buy anything from ecogard, I can tell you that.

Otherwise the truck is completely stock.

 

[Escape.idiocracy]

That was the last time I buy anything from ecogard, I can tell you that.

Otherwise the truck is completely stock.

Ligit if the pre filter was sucked in, you should pull the intake tube off, and the turbo elbow and at least visually inspect the veins…. I just don’t see how something like this could pass through without bending/breaking some of the veins.

You might also find some pieces wedged in the intake tube.
Inspection beats replacing a $1400 turbo (just parts no labor).

 

[Volt0]

Sorry to ask, no offense intended, but did the OP take this gladiator through some splish splash? Hit any big water puddles during a rain, going 40mph? Do any crazy water crossings?

snow moisture?

 

[chorky]

Others have mentioned already - use a factory filter. Those orange foam edged filters, in my experience, have all bee far too flimsy. Probably a combination here of not a good seat upon install, a flimsy frame, and your engine was clearly sucking hard for breath.

I would not drive it if possible - just to avoid any potential further damage. If you can find a way to have it towed in.... That would be best. I'm willing to bet the turbo cut the pre-filter into pieces and shoved it into the intake - hopefully theres not major damage though.

That filter doesn't look to have the same type of metal mesh that a factory filter has so its more likely to become distorted.

Questions - why is that filter so distorted and contorted? They should lift right out and lay flat after removed.

The foam is a "pre-filter" and should face down - how could it get up into the top and sucked into the intake? Only if the filter didn't seal properly, IMO

Any other diesel JT owners wanna comment on my take?
It's the same sort of assembly on gas, air comes into the bottom box, moves upward, through the foam first, then through the paper, and if the paper part is sealed correctly in the box, the foam would be stopped like any other dirt.

Am i really off-base here - doesn't that thing look really distorted like it missed the seal area?
Something just doesn't seem right here.
I can install and remove the same filter over and over and over and not have it twisted up at all.
So my question - is the diesel that hard to get a filter out of or into?
Come on, diesel guys...........

It looks to me that he is holding the intake portion and the filter is sucked up into and lodged in that. I think it's facing the correct way just all sorts of twisted up.

Because of this a lot of snow/dirt/water went down the intake.

What do you mean by this? Were you in deep water? Or maybe just a rainstorm?

 

[Heisenberg.Blanchette]

Others have mentioned already - use a factory filter. Those orange foam edged filters, in my experience, have all bee far too flimsy. Probably a combination here of not a good seat upon install, a flimsy frame, and your engine was clearly sucking hard for breath.

I would not drive it if possible - just to avoid any potential further damage. If you can find a way to have it towed in.... That would be best. I'm willing to bet the turbo cut the pre-filter into pieces and shoved it into the intake - hopefully theres not major damage though.

That filter doesn't look to have the same type of metal mesh that a factory filter has so its more likely to become distorted.




It looks to me that he is holding the intake portion and the filter is sucked up into and lodged in that. I think it's facing the correct way just all sorts of twisted up.





What do you mean by this? Were you in deep water? Or maybe just a rainstorm?

I started noticing erratic behavior when in a rainstorm about 2 months ago. (service throttle etc.)

I erased the codes with my bluetooth scanner to make it home. It did not come back for a while.

I mentioned it to the dealer. He said I should have kept the codes in there and nothing wrong after they looked.

Then I got caught in heavy snow Yesterday, and the dash is permanently lit up from everywhere.

I suspect that this filter has been crooked for a while now, allowing all kinds of crap into the intake.

 

[chorky]

I started noticing erratic behavior when in a rainstorm about 2 months ago. (service throttle etc.)

I erased the codes with my bluetooth scanner to make it home. It did not come back for a while.

I mentioned it to the dealer. He said I should have kept the codes in there and nothing wrong after they looked.

Then I got caught in heavy snow Yesterday, and the dash is permanently lit up from everywhere.

I suspect that this filter has been crooked for a while now, allowing all kinds of crap into the intake.

Oh man I hope it's not all that bad. If the filter was crooked like that for a while, I wouldn't necessarily be too worried. It's not great, but it's not like driving in a sandstorm for days either. I was under the impression that when inspecting you might saw a bunch of dirt, water, and crap past the filter in the intake portion. I would be more concerned about what happened to that foam pre-filter than potential snow getting into the engine. Certainly hope they figure it out and that its not a bad situation!

 

[ShadowsPapa]

The filter is orientated correctly- going off this photo…. The pre-filter foam is down towards the box….

The filter definitely didn’t seal/pinch correctly between the box and the top/lid….. the distortion makes me think that it was wet at some point…. If the blue pre-filter was sucked through- there’s no way the turbo induction blades are in good shape…. Praying for a critter for your sake ???

Yeah, in that pic it's definitely the correct orientation, then my next thought becomes - was the top clamped down tight, the screws tight? The orange edge seal is supposed to be squeezed tight between the air box bottom and the top you screw down onto the bottom. The reason for so many screws is to apply pressure all the way around and clamp that thing in place.
So then I wonder -
Was it actually not fully in place?
Was it not tightened down - did the screws not get tightened, or maybe bottomed out before tight?
Otherwise - if the filter got wet and plugged and there was enough vacuum from that turbo - WHOOSH, it sucks the filter out of place.
So to me it was either not in place with the seal where it belongs
or
it wasn't clamped tight
or
it got so wet no air could pass......

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