IT'S A MYSTERY

Yesterday, when I opened the rear engine compartment door on the motor home, I discovered that the air filter was collapsed inward, very much like it had been damaged by a collision with something. Well, that just wasn't possible, as the filter is mounted right up against the engine door, and there was no damage to the fiberglass door. What the heck caused this metal filter to become warped, almost as if someone with very large hands, crushed it like an aluminum beer can?

When I started to remove the filter, I discovered that the rubber intake hose had become detached from the filter, and was hanging straight down. That rubber 5 inch flexible hose was cut about half way through, where it makes a 90 degree turn before connecting to the filter. Everything else including the upper intake area near the roof was OK with no visible damage, and there was nothing in the filter that might have obstructed the intake air flow.

While driving north on Hwy 395, I noticed on the long uphill grades, that our speed was below what it should have been, but everything else, including a smooth running engine was normal. After discovering that the engine was literally sucking air so hard, then it made sense why we had lost some power while ascending the hills. The question remains, what caused the air flow blockage on the upstream side of the filter, that was so severe, that it caused this damage?

I called Joe at Joe's RV & Truck where I just had the motor home serviced, and he agreed, that there had to have been some sort of severe air blockage to cause this to happen. After checking everything, the only possible cause must have been the hose was collapsing, and restricting the air flow to the engine. How it disconnected from the filter, I have no idea, as the clamp was still tight around the hose. Joe arranged for another filter to be sent to a sister store in Gardnerville, about 15 miles south of Carson City, and it's supposed to be there this afternoon. Because Joe just serviced the motor home, he really stepped up to the plate and is taking care of the cost of the new filter, under the possible idea that somehow, this damaged filter was defective. He asked me to hang onto the filter, and bring it back to Lake Havasu, which I will most certainly do. Doing business with folks like Joe, who put the needs of the customer above everything else, is becoming more and more of a rarity. Taking care of problems like this is what earns customer loyalty, and Joe is the gold standard when it comes to doing the right thing!