Can i check if my air filter needs to be replaced via my filter minder? If so how?

 

Your filter minder actually has a scale on it, and the red plug inside moves and shows you how many percent is "clogged"...

 

Does the engine need to be on or anything?

 

I changed mine when it was still good ,well thats what the gauge said. When I held them (one in each hand) The old one was clogged becuase it was 21/2- 3lbs. heavier.
now I feel better knowing when the next service should be instead of looking at a gauge to tell me.

 

My filter minder did not MOVE till 70K but once it moved it went up pretty fast. I kept thinking it was broke.

And i have heard that those air filters can hold 2 or 3 lb of dirt and still be fine

 

Ford states 99.99% removal of particles 1 micron and larger PLUS holds 1200 gms (2.65 lbs) of dirt.

Ford also states that the filter should go 70-100k miles - based on average driving conditions (dust, etc).

Donaldson (filter manufacturer) rates the filters "Relative Efficiency" at 99.97%.

Everywhere I have seen discussions on the filter minder, the statements are the same - they are very reliable. There is very little that can fail on them (but I suppose like anything else, they CAN fail). I have no doubt that if you aren't pulling a vacuum at the point of the filter minder, then you either have a seal leak or a boot leak on the inlet air boots or your filter is not clogged enough to affect performance (ie require changing).

Personally, I changed my filter element at 30k - just to see if my detailed mpg data or my used oil analysis changed. They did not. I have now weighed my filter and will do so when I take it out as 04F-250mark did (just for my own data point). I doubt that I can go more than 70k miles before I change it out this second time - but not because I believe it needs it, but just because I hate to let things go to the point that you have to take action. I also am impatient and want to see another data point on the mpg and oil analysis (silica). I am amazed, but these filters really can go 70k+ before changing. Josh at River City Diesel states a rule of thumb - If you are stock on your turbo, stay w/ the stock intake (based on economics AND performance). If you have an upgraded turbo, then get a new intake (he likes AFE apparently).

1200 gm reference:
<TABLE style="WIDTH: 634pt; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=845 border=0 x:str><COLGROUP><COL style="WIDTH: 634pt; mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 30902" width=845><TBODY><TR style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt" height=17><TD class=xl24 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-TOP: #d4d0c8; BORDER-LEFT: #d4d0c8; WIDTH: 634pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #d4d0c8; HEIGHT: 12.75pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: yellow" width=845 height=17>http://www.powerstrokediesel.com/index.aspx?PageId=147</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Here is the site for the manufacturer info (FYI) .........
<TABLE style="WIDTH: 634pt; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=845 border=0 x:str><COLGROUP><COL style="WIDTH: 634pt; mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 30902" width=845><TBODY><TR style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt" height=17><TD class=xl24 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-TOP: #d4d0c8; BORDER-LEFT: #d4d0c8; WIDTH: 634pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #d4d0c8; HEIGHT: 12.75pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: yellow" width=845 height=17>http://www.donaldson.com/en/engine/support/datalibrary/001220.pdf</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>