[iowguy]

The air filter on the right is next to a new one. The used one has 15 hours (for 3 months) on it. Does it look like it's time to change? I know it may be hard to determine from a photo.

It is on a JD 455.

The other picture shows the air restriction indicator at 10.

I'm just trying to troubleshoot why the 455 starts...only sometimes.

 

[RussKish]

Can you do a light test on the filter? I would do the new, then the old and compare how much light is getting through the filter element. The it is up to you whether you want to try it with and new filter and see if it starts any different, or try it without (hoping that the area is free from dirt, dust, grass, etc).

 

[TUDOR]

Try the air restriction indicator with the new filter and compare.

Fifteen hours is a really short time for an air filter to get dirty enough to cause excessive restriction. Five hundred hours would be more realistic, and then only if the working environment is exceptionally dusty.

 

[dave_r]

I've killed an air filter in only a couple of hours, but it was in a very dirty environment (not a particularly large air filter on a Honda GX270, and right next to the bags of a power vacuum, vacuuming up pine needles, dead grass, pine cones, and buckets of dirt). I'm slowly working on converting it to a larger cannister-style air filter.

 

[TUDOR]

I've killed an air filter in only a couple of hours, but it was in a very dirty environment (not a particularly large air filter on a Honda GX270, and right next to the bags of a power vacuum, vacuuming up pine needles, dead grass, pine cones, and buckets of dirt). I'm slowly working on converting it to a larger cannister-style air filter.

I changed the air filter on my GT at 500 hours on a rare occasion, and more often than not, closer to 1000 hours, but 60% of those hours were in winter when dust is not a problem. That tractor did not have a mower deck, either. Strictly FEL and log splitter duty, with a bit of tilling on a rare occasion.

 

[BigBlue]

I don't think you can ever reliably judge an air filter's condition based on hours, as evidenced by the comments above. It's all about usage conditions. The filter in the picture doesn't look particularly dirty, but it could be full of fine dust. OP could try to blow it out from the inside, do the light test, or just replace it. Personally, I'd blow it out and reset the intake restrictor and then check again after a few hours.

Rob

 

[iowguy]

Would there ever be a reason to replace the air filter if the air restriction indicator is at 10?

 

[mrbeef]

Starts sometimes? We need (or I need) a better description of the problem.

Here is an air filter I recently took out of my project 455... It still started and ran.

Is the dust ejector on the air canister... I don't think that is the problem but it can cause your air filter to have a much to short life....

 

[iowguy]

Yes, the dust ejector is still on the canister.

 

[iowguy]

I looked closer at the dust ejector and noticed that the back half of it has broken off.

The secondary filter looks very clean.

This may be a coincidence, but each time I have tried to start it with the canister removed, it starts right up.

 

[Wfburton159]

What is the no start conditions? The engine cranks and turns over but doesn't start? Or does it not even try to turn over? It is a little more complicated obviously but a diesel engine only needs air and fuel to run. That filter does not look that dirty to me by the pictures. The dust ejector shouldn't have anything to do with this. If anything with part of it missing you are bringing in more dirt and debris.

But like stated earlier we need way more information on what the actual starting issue is. Crank and no start, or no crank and no start.

 

[iowguy]

It'll crank and crank until you discharge the battery. It just won't start.. often.