OOPS – A FUEL FILTER DISCUSSION FOR 2019-2024 TRUCKS (AVAILABILITY PROBLEMS)AND WHAT IS BRPROAUTO?
Hello 2019-2024 Ram Turbo Diesel truck owners.
Over the many years, the late Bill Stockard and, since November 2016, Greg Whale have had the task of reviewing the TDR’s website for the “best of the best” technical posts of problems and solutions.
The assignment of editing for “clarity and brevity” is not an easy task. As an example, the typical opening to describe a problem might go something like this: “On a warm summer evening, I started up my diesel, and I met up with a gambler, on a trip to the Dairy Queen.”
Wait, that sentence sounds like Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler” meets the TDRs audience on an after-dinner drive, I digress.
Enough humor.
Often, TDR members have “oops” experiences where they will start a project only to find that their workmanship (or, in my case, lack thereof) can cause the problem. Likewise, an oversight, or a failure to check the obvious, or a problem with an owner-supplied accessory (we call it accessorizing the accessories) was the cause of the problem. (Oops is my acronym for “owner operator problem and solution.”)
Enough rambling. What is the reason behind this “Oops” correspondence?
2019-2024 Chassis-Mounted Mopar Fuel Filter 68436631AA Availability Problem
Supply problems come and go. The latest? The chassis-mounted fuel filter from Mopar, made by Baldwin, cannot be found anywhere.
What is an owner to do?
Because of this shortage, the staff at Geno’s Garage has to make work-around recommendations.
Here goes:
• Purchase the Baldwin filter. Good luck.
• Purchase possible counterfeit Mopar filter from Amazon or eBay. See our exposé on these products, and you’ll realize you are better off saving your money. [HOW TO SPOT THE FAKES]
• Purchase a chassis mount and engine mount fuel filter relocation kit. Yes, these kits are an alternative and the replacement filter elements are more common and less expensive than the Mopar chassis and engine filters that you use, if you can get ‘em.
• Purchase a cheap copy of unknown origin or quality.
However, for the price of the kit plus your labor, it will take a long time to pay back the cost savings you would realize with the kit’s alternative, less expensive, filters. Is the truck still under warranty? That question is also a consideration if you use the kit. And, remember the “oops” situation that started this discussion? If you install a relocation kit, you are your own warranty station. The same scenario applies if you use the counterfeit or aftermarket fuel filter.
Stellantis (bproauto) to the Rescue – The Final Answer
If you are steadfast that the replacement has to be the “Mopar” fuel filter, you have two options:
1. Do nothing with the chassis mounted filter and continue to service the engine’s filter. Seriously? Yep. If the chassis mounted filter catches water, the water-in-fuel light comes on, and you have to address a problem. But, how often has this happened to you?
Yes, leave the chassis mounted filter alone. Let it do its job. You can and should still change the engine filter at its 15K service interval.
Now, to give you some “comfort” with this concept, remember that the ’07.5-’12 trucks only had one fuel filter (engine mounted), and way back when, the ’07.5-’09 was only a 5-micron rated unit. You could use the 5 micron or the better 3-micron unit from ’10-’12. It wasn’t until 2013 that Ram added a chassis mount filter and went to the better 3 micron, engine-mounted fuel filter. Yep, that look back in time should give you a bit of comfort.
2. Purchase a bproauto brand fuel filter, part number 1BP00846AA. Who is “bproauto”? Good question, read on!
Announcing bproauto
Last fall, the aftermarket parts group at Stellantis (yep, that Stellantis, the folks responsible for the 14 different automotive brands/entities and their associated OEM parts market names) announced the expansion of their “bproauto” line of aftermarket parts. Quoting from Aftermarket News, “The launch of bproauto in North America in summer 2023 helps address a key pillar outlined in the ‘Stellantis Dare Forward 2030’ strategic plan – to grow sales in the independent aftermarket. bproauto offers a proven second-line brand of high-quality aftermarket parts that cost less than original-equipment (OE) offerings and are backed by a standard two-year/unlimited-mile warranty.”
Got it? It reads to me like the customer will have options. The Mopar name brand or the “store branded” item. Another way to look at it, several years ago you may remember Mopar’s “Value Line” products. Okay, now they offer more stuff and it is called bproauto.
We’ve corresponded with our Mopar account folks, and they tell us that “bproauto parts are sourced to Mopar standards and are backed by the same Mopar warranty that OE parts enjoy.”
Got it! Stellantis “factory specification parts,” warranty is good and the filter is less expensive. The bproauto line of parts is worthy of your consideration. (Hey, I like to save money!)
Conclusion
Don’t worry, be happy. Change the engine mounted filter at is regular 15K interval. (Again, the truck didn’t have a chassis mounted unit until 2013!) When the chassis-mounted Mopar filter is finally available, go back to your normal maintenance schedule.
Or, better yet, become familiar with the bproauto line of parts, save money, and service both filters at your standard 15K interval.
