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Originally Posted by Cam
I have an '01 Century Class. These are my questions, I'll appreciate insight into any and all of these things:
Air filter- How often do you change yours and do you do anything like blowing it out with an air hose periodically? I once changed my air filter and it seemed my mpg jumped .5 miles. That's a whole lot of money. The new air filter pays for itself if it gives me a .5mpg boost over just 1700 miles. I don't ever want to lose mpg due to an air filter, and that air filter I spoke of wasn't that old.
I'll assume engine air filter. I do mine once a year. Inadequate air filter changes can actually show up on used oil analysis as silicon. More frequent changes will allow you to be ahead of "dusting" (non-filtered air entering your engine). I highly recommend OEM for this exact reason.
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In-cab air filter- OEM ICAF has big gaps in it. Aftermarket ICAFs are fine, no big openings. I have to wipe my dash frequently. Would you suggest I forget the OEMs and just stay with the aftermarket ones?
Which one? There's two, one for the bunk, and the regular cab air filter. Luberfiner has a good set of filters that are static-charged and apparently work much better. I change mine once a year as well.
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Jakes- Mine are weak, weak, weak. Is there a common problem with jakes? Do you think it's just something electrical that has to be turned up or something mechanical that needs to be repaired?
First do a valve set, second your jakes may need rebuilding. It's not as major as it sounds, mostly o-rings and such. What engine is it? Some are much weaker then others.
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Shocks- How often do you change yours?
Look at it this way, if they're "bleeding" (which is when most guys change them) you've gone about 2X as far as you should. Good shocks make for a smoother ride, and much better handling. Shoot for every 2-3 years. They're usually quite easy to change. Another thing, keep on top of your ride height.
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Coolant hoses- Do you regularly change yours? I was told mine are made of a material that will blow up like a balloon before they break. I was told that's when to change them. Right or wrong?
I've changed all mine once in 4 years now. If your engine ever overheats, or you idle a lot, shoot for every 2-3 years.
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Sealed lubricating systems- My driveshafts have no zerts. I think I have a slack adjuster or two without them. Perhaps even a couple more things (I was serious about knuckle-bonehead). ops: Think I can have zerts added to my driveshaft? Would you have zerts put in anywhere you can? Nothing I can do about my sealed front hubs is there?
"sealed" driveshafts are the spawn of the devil. If you can add them, DO IT. There will usually be a "blank" you can pull out with a hex. Insert zerk into hole where there used to be a blank.
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Front slack adjuster- Watched a mechanic beat it to death. It had no zert and wouldn't open so he felt no remorse, told me himself I need to change it. The clips are obvious. How do you take the splined part off?
Not sure what you're saying here. A slack adjuster needs to have zero tension on it first, then you remove the clevis pins. From there you take out the c-clip, and it slides right off.
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Coolant- How often do you change it?
It totally depends on what type it is. Regular stuff once every 2 years. Some stuff can go 10+ years.
One thing though, do not let coolant go to long. You will start to get corrosion problems with your liners. After it eats through your liners, you'll need a rebuild.