Filters
7 products
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Call or Text (352) 722-5295Aftermarket intake filters on the 2003-2004 Dodge Ram 5.9L Cummins
On the common-rail 5.9L Cummins, intake air passes through the filter and a 4 in tube on its way to the turbo. Once the factory airbox is gone and an aftermarket intake is on, the filter has to match the kit, not just the truck. That is what this page covers: replacement elements for aftermarket intakes, a dry filter with a 4 in inlet, and pre-filter wraps. If your truck still has the sealed factory box, shop the factory-style filters instead.
Choosing filter media
The Turbo Diesel Register tested filters on these trucks and ranked them from most to least restrictive: paper, then foam, then dry synthetic, then cotton gauze. Cotton flows the most, but TDR measured a slight drop in filtration efficiency and dirt-holding capacity, and recommended a stock or dry element for dusty work and towing. That matters here. A Diesel Hub teardown of a 2003-2004 turbo found compressor-blade wear traced to poor filtration. And on a stock truck, more flow buys little. TDR concluded the factory intake was about as good as any aftermarket system, because airflow is set by displacement, rpm, volumetric efficiency and boost, not by the filter.
What we carry
S&B replacement filters, including the KF-1000, KF-1032 and KF-1035, plus the S&B WF-1017 filter wrap listed for 2003-2009 5.9/6.7L Cummins. Banks Power has the 42148 air filter element and the 42645 pre-filter wrap made for its Ram-Air cold-air intake systems. Wehrli Custom Fabrication adds the WCF100717, a dry air filter with a 4 in inlet.
Fitment notes
Go by the part number of the filter you are pulling out. Several elements here are listed across wide spans, such as 1994-2007 or 2003-2009 5.9/6.7L, so the year range alone won't tell you whether one fits your kit. The airbox, tube and fender liner changed at 2004.5 and intake kits are split the same way, so a 2003-2004 kit and a 2004.5-2007 kit may not share a filter. Any intake on a street truck should be a CARB EO-numbered kit. If you don't know what's on the truck, call the shop with your VIN and the part number off the old filter.
Frequently asked questions
Will a cotton filter add power to my stock 2003-2004 Cummins?
Not much. TDR found the stock intake about as good as any aftermarket system on a stock truck. A more restrictive filter actually gave quicker boost response and more low-end torque, and cost only 2-3 hp above 2,700 rpm. Pick media for how the truck works, with dry media for dust and towing.
What does a filter wrap do?
A wrap is a pre-filter that goes over the main element as an outer layer. Each one is sold for specific filters: the Banks 42645 is made for the 42148 and 42178 elements used in Banks Ram-Air intakes, and the S&B WF-1017 is listed for 2003-2009 5.9/6.7L Cummins. Buy the wrap that names your filter.
Is the filter different on a 2004.5 truck?
The intake hardware changed at 2004.5, so intake kits for 2003-2004 and 2004.5-2007 are listed separately. Some replacement elements here cover both ranges, but the kit part number decides, not the model year.
Not sure what fits? Call the shop at the number in the header, or use the fitment checker on any product page. We install everything we sell.