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My first thought would be that some retailers are purchasing cheap knock off filters made in China! They get them for next to nothing and sell them at discount prices compared to dealer pricing. The tabs could be removed to get around patent issues? Functionally they may be the same as long as the quality and the seals still work properly for sealing purposes but does one know for sure?? Also... do we know why the tabs were on the original filter design?? This is another reason I've been investigating Racor and other alternative filters for a replacement as one knows what company is standing behind the product and not just some China made cheap knock off with no commitment to the required filtering capabilities. Racor, Fleetguard and others have been in the business of diesel filters for years supplying the big rigs with reliable diesel fuel filtering equipment.
In examining the tabs and filter housing one can see that the tabs lock the filter in place with a side effect that makes the filter hard to remove the from the housing when its time to replace. The real question...does eliminating the locking tabs cause side effect problems or was it just an over design on the original filter?? Will vibration cause the filter side movement in the housing without the locking tabs thereby making the o-ring seals ineffective and/or internally leaky allowing unfiltered fuel to enter the injection system??
Get a photo of the filters the dealers are selling and see whether the tabs are still used? If the tabs are remove then maybe its ok but if they are selling filters with tabs it would seem to suggest the tabs are a integral requirement of the original design enabling the seals to function properly.
Another way to get the filter is to purchase the complete filter housing assembly. I was able to get the entire new OEM housing and filter from ebay for $39.95 including shipping. The packaging, filter housing and filter did have "made in Czech Republic" printed along with "AC Delco" and numbers all over everything.
In examining the tabs and filter housing one can see that the tabs lock the filter in place with a side effect that makes the filter hard to remove the from the housing when its time to replace. The real question...does eliminating the locking tabs cause side effect problems or was it just an over design on the original filter?? Will vibration cause the filter side movement in the housing without the locking tabs thereby making the o-ring seals ineffective and/or internally leaky allowing unfiltered fuel to enter the injection system??
Get a photo of the filters the dealers are selling and see whether the tabs are still used? If the tabs are remove then maybe its ok but if they are selling filters with tabs it would seem to suggest the tabs are a integral requirement of the original design enabling the seals to function properly.
Another way to get the filter is to purchase the complete filter housing assembly. I was able to get the entire new OEM housing and filter from ebay for $39.95 including shipping. The packaging, filter housing and filter did have "made in Czech Republic" printed along with "AC Delco" and numbers all over everything.
