Cracked filter casing - sand ingress

[44gal]

Hi – I've got a 6mth old Triton GLX diesel. On a recent 4WD trip it ceased up on some sand dunes. The local Mitsubishi dealer said he had seen incidents such as this before – the sand gets past the filter by taking a big gulp of sand and air while under high power and it overwhelms the filter and gets into the engine turning the oil into grinding paste and ruining all the bearings, glazing up the pistons if not destroying them. The dealer said the engine needs to be replaced (at a cost of $10,000) and that it's not covered by warranty as we shouldn't have been driving on sand dunes! We disputed the denial of warranty with Mitsubishi Motors Australia Head Office. The 'customer service' department has now denied the warranty on different grounds - claiming that we must have removed the air filter at some point prior to the incident and caused the crack in the filter element housing, allowing the sand to get in. This is ridiculous – the car has only ever been serviced by the dealer in accordance with warranty requirements – we have never touched the filter! Is anyone else aware of similar instances of this happening? Thanks.

[salt36]

There has been a couple of incidents of cracked air filter casings, as far as I know the cause was not found.

I don't see how the sand would get into the oil though...

[macca002]

Regardless if you were driving on sand or not, the filter did not do its job which resulted in a failure.

As for you touching the filter, how can Mitsu prove this? Are they not supposed to prove something? Or can they just make stuff up to suit? Pretty sure if it wasn't a porked donk, and something simple, they would be singing a different tune...

[brodical]

I haven't heard of it,,,someone may have but would be bloody rare if any.....sounds like you need to speak to consumer affairs....don't give up on the warranty mate ..if no fault of your own you shouldn't have to wear it...oem filter/ serviced be them...is there problem......

[brodical]

Think it was Viking skippy maybe??? But that was the air box blow out.....mitsubishi saying filter is the issue yeah?

[brodical]

Sorry read it again ...."air filter housing"

[Chill]

Maybe ask them to prove it that its your fault and then tell them to put it in writing if they are game to. Hope you come out on top with this.

[Cowboy Dave]

Are you saying it swallowed so much sand that the engine seized?

Surely that takes a lot of sand to achieve?
Do you have a snorkel?
Any pics of the crack in the housing?
Did the vehicle sustain any frontal impact damage at any stage?

[NowForThe5th]

Once past the filter a relatively small amount of sand could cause pretty major damage.

The key thing here is how did it get into the system downstream from the filter, i.e. what caused the air box to crack and thus allow sand in.

Just driving on sand will not cause the air box to crack so there must have been some other cause.

[brodical]

Where's Viking skippy? Think he blew the back out of his

[ag9111]

Interesting that the dealer says you cant drive on sand.

Cant remember reading that in the manual.

You should ask them to clarify that point

[NowForThe5th]

No, they changed that tune Garth. Realised it wouldn't stand up. Now blaming OP for doing something to the air box and causing the crack.

[ag9111]

Must go back to kindergarten and learn to read

[lgil86]

Hi – I've got a 6mth old Triton GLX diesel. On a recent 4WD trip it ceased up on some sand dunes. The local Mitsubishi dealer said he had seen incidents such as this before – the sand gets past the filter by taking a big gulp of sand and air while under high power and it overwhelms the filter and gets into the engine turning the oil into grinding paste and ruining all the bearings, glazing up the pistons if not destroying them. The dealer said the engine needs to be replaced (at a cost of $10,000) and that it's not covered by warranty as we shouldn't have been driving on sand dunes! We disputed the denial of warranty with Mitsubishi Motors Australia Head Office. The 'customer service' department has now denied the warranty on different grounds - claiming that we must have removed the air filter at some point prior to the incident and caused the crack in the filter element housing, allowing the sand to get in. This is ridiculous – the car has only ever been serviced by the dealer in accordance with warranty requirements – we have never touched the filter! Is anyone else aware of similar instances of this happening? Thanks.

has the dealer fully investigated this? is that what HAS happened or is he ASSUMING that's whats happened going on previous cases he has seen? think they are giving you the run around mate, stick to your guns.

[donks1]

Obviously I'm speculating a bit here. But I think the full story may entail a few "yeah ha" moments on the dunes. (we've all seen them, 2 or 4 wheels up). Maybe a hard landing is what has cracked the air box, thus allowing sand to be sucked in later in the day.
Air boxes don't generally just crack. They are either fine, or explode. ( rare in diesels ) It would take a special kind of shock to crack it.
Maybe you would be better talking to insurance.

Steve

[Tony]

I've seen them crack when provents and similar are bolted on but never just on its own accord.

You'd think I'd be first to crack one with some of the roads we drive on.

Something is a miss here.
Was there anything bolted/screwed onto it?

10k sound a lot for a crate engine , I assume that's fitted and blue slipped etc?

[viking shippy]

I'm here lol....I think it's a manufacturing fault as I think the air box isn't mounted securely enough from factory ....like the box is only mounted in three spots I think this is where the weakness comes from but mine failed at 150k....
You can see in this photo the 4th leg i added in the right hand bottom corner of the shot and to the rear you can see the back wall of the box that broke....my provent is mounted to the top half of the filter box and sustained no damage but I do think the extra forces contributed to the failure.....
I repaired mine with fibre glass luckily for me before any damage was done to the engine...

[viking shippy]

44gal were did your air box break...
And how did the sand get past the filter
it would Show damage on the turbo....clog the inter cooler ....get thought the manifolds and then get into combustion chambers no where ne'er the oil sump....but realy bad for the engine anyways..

[ag9111]

3 point mounting is more flexible than 4 point.

As soon as you go to 4 point you start adding twisting forces if everything is not level.

Ever seen a 3 legged stool rock? 4 legged stools, tables rock like (something that rocks a lot?)

Just saying

[viking shippy]

3 point mounting is more flexible than 4 point.

As soon as you go to 4 point you start adding twisting forces if everything is not level.

Ever seen a 3 legged stool rock? 4 legged stools, tables rock like (something that rocks a lot?)

Just saying

What happens to a square table with three legs
For your idea to work the legs have to be in symmetrical positions with this piss week inadequately mounted box it's not...the legs are at 3 corners of a square box...in this case..giving the air box to much flex and that is what has mate the plastic fail....if the plastic had some fibre reinforcing...in it's manufacture and four mounting points I don't think there would get a problem here.... also it's close proximity to the turbo doesn't help...

[har05l]

2 airbox failures out of tens of thousands of units sold is hardly a manufacturing fault

Just plain old bad luck I think

I need to wrestle mine to get the cover off and still in one piece

[viking shippy]

2 airbox failures out of tens of thousands of units sold is hardly a manufacturing fault

Just plain old bad luck I think

I need to wrestle mine to get the cover off and still in one piece

Wow how do you know that?.....that only two have failed....!
not every problem and failure gets posted here...
some just find the info they need and get to fixing the problem....
tony has mentioned of a few failures and my mitsubishi mechanic recognised the problem also.....as he recalls replacing a few..over the years and it's not restricted to triton either...

[donks1]

Bump..

Any updates?

[lgil86]

I'm here lol....I think it's a manufacturing fault as I think the air box isn't mounted securely enough from factory ....

had a look at mine and gave it a shake today, pretty loose, will mention it at first service

[viking shippy]

It's on rubber isolation mounts so you will be able to shake/moove it..
It's only mounted in three places...not four points like it should...