Cummins Fuel Filter Price Canada: 6.7L Cost Guide

The dash light that starts it

The change fuel filter message popped up on my dash on a Tuesday night in January, halfway through a cold snap, with a full tank of fuel I had just bought at a station I will not name. Ask me how I know that cheap fuel is never actually cheap.

I called the dealer the next morning to ask what a Cummins fuel filter costs in Canada, and the number they gave me was not a small one. That sent me down the rabbit hole of where to buy this thing in Canada without getting hosed. Here is the short version: the OEM Mopar engine filter runs about 146 CAD, the Fleetguard version of the same filter about 119 CAD, and a shop will do the whole job for roughly 250 to 350 CAD all in. Every price below is in Canadian dollars from a Canadian seller.

What you are actually buying

Your 6.7L Cummins does not have one fuel filter. It has two, and this is where most guys get surprised at the parts counter.

The first one is the engine filter. It is a cartridge that drops into a housing on the driver side. The part number is 68157291AA, and it fits Ram 2500, 3500, 4500 and 5500 trucks with the 6.7L from 2013 through 2024. This is the filter everyone means when they say fuel filter.

The second one hangs under the truck on the frame rail. On 2013 to 2018 trucks it is part 68197867AB. On 2019 and newer trucks it is part 68436631AA, and both filters live under the truck on the frame rail on those newer trucks. The Fleetguard version of the engine filter is a two stage filter in filter design: a 5 micron outer element and a 3 micron inner NanoNet element, rated for 99 percent free water separation. If you only change the engine one, you did half the job. I learned this the hard way, with a fuel pressure code two weeks after a filter change. Do both.

Real Cummins fuel filter prices in Canada

Here is what I found at Canadian sellers, all in Canadian dollars, no cross border funny business.

• OEM Mopar 68157291AA: about 146 CAD at Diesel Parts Canada. This is the genuine article in the Mopar box.
• Fleetguard FS53000: about 119 CAD at Hell On Wheels Performance in Edmonton. Fleetguard is Cummins Filtration, the folks who make the filter that goes in the Mopar box. Same two stage filter in filter design, same NanoNet media, no Mopar logo, lower price.
• Crown brand 68157291AA: about 98 CAD on sale at PartsEngine in Toronto. A budget friendly replacement if money is tight.
• Baldwin PF46152 frame filter for 2019 and newer: about 114 CAD at Dirty Diesel Customs. This is the second filter under the truck.
• Fleetguard FF5324 spin on: about 35 CAD at Tereck Diesel in Winnipeg. Heads up, this one is not for your stock truck. It is the spin on filter a lot of guys run on AirDog and FASS lift pump setups.

A dealer parts counter will charge more than any of these. That is just how it goes. If you need the filter today and cannot wait for shipping, call around. Independent diesel shops sometimes keep the Fleetguard on the shelf at a fair price.

OEM vs aftermarket: my take

I ran cheap no name filters for a year when I was pinching pennies. Then I cut one open next to a Fleetguard and the difference was not subtle. The media in the cheap one looked like a paper towel, thin enough to read through in spots.

Here is my rule now. Fleetguard or Mopar for the engine filter, every time. The fuel system on a common rail Cummins runs at insane pressure, and the CP4 pump and injectors cost more than my first car. Saving 30 bucks on a filter that protects thousands of dollars of fuel system parts is bad math. For the frame filter I will run a name brand like Baldwin or Wix without losing sleep. But the engine filter gets the good stuff. I go deeper on this in my OEM vs aftermarket fuel filter breakdown.

Cummins fuel filter replacement cost at a shop

Nothing wrong with paying a shop. I have done it myself when it was minus 30 and I had no interest in laying in a snowbank.

A fuel filter swap is about an hour of billed labour at most shops. Shop rates vary a lot across Canada, with dealers sitting at the top end and independents usually coming in lower. Add the filter on top, and you are looking at roughly 250 to 350 CAD all in for one filter, more if they do both.

Call and ask for the total before you book. Ask if that includes both filters or just the engine one. And ask what brand of filter they install. Some shops will let you bring your own Fleetguard and just charge labour, which is the best of both worlds.

How to not overpay on your 6.7L Cummins fuel filter

• Buy the Fleetguard, not the Mopar box. Same filter, 27 bucks less. That pays for the coffee and the shop towel you will ruin.
• Change both filters together. The frame one is the forgotten one, and a clogged frame filter will make a fresh engine filter look guilty.
• Watch for sales. PartsEngine and the diesel shops run sales around long weekends. I keep a spare set on the shelf and buy when the price dips.
• Prefill the new engine filter with clean diesel before you drop it in. It cuts the cranking time way down. Use fuel from a clean jug, not the drain pan. Ask me how I know.
• Do not overtighten the filter cap. Snug is enough. The housing is plastic and it will crack if you go full gorilla on it. Ask me how I know.

The bottom line

A Cummins fuel filter costs between 98 and 146 CAD in Canada depending on the brand you buy, and the Fleetguard at 119 is the sweet spot. Do it yourself in the driveway in about 45 minutes, or pay a shop 250 to 350 to do it for you. Either way, change it on time. A 119 dollar filter is the cheapest insurance your fuel system will ever get, and keeping the fuel system happy is half of 6.7 Cummins reliability.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Cummins fuel filter cost in Canada?

The OEM Mopar engine filter costs about 146 CAD from Canadian online sellers. The Fleetguard equivalent costs about 119 CAD. Budget brands run under 100 CAD. If you pay a shop to do it, expect 250 to 350 CAD all in.

How often should I change the fuel filter on my 6.7 Cummins?

Ram calls for a new fuel filter about every 24,000 km or 12 months, whichever comes first. If you fuel up at sketchy stations or run a lot of winter diesel, do it sooner. A clogged filter starves the injectors, and injectors cost a lot more than filters.

Is a Fleetguard fuel filter as good as Mopar?

Yes. Fleetguard is Cummins Filtration, the company that makes the filter Mopar puts in the box. The FS53000 is the same two stage filter in filter design with the same NanoNet media. You pay less because you skip the Mopar logo.

Can I use an aftermarket fuel filter on my 6.7 Cummins?

Yes, if it is a name brand. A Fleetguard, Baldwin or Wix filter will not void your warranty on its own, and Fleetguard is the company that makes the filter in the Mopar box. Avoid no name filters on the fuel system. A media failure there can send debris straight into the injectors, and that repair starts with four digits.

Do I need to change both fuel filters at the same time?

Yes, on 2013 and newer trucks. The engine filter and the frame rail filter share the same 24,000 km interval. Changing only the engine filter leaves a tired filter in the system, and I have pulled a fuel pressure code two weeks after making exactly that mistake.

How do I know my Cummins fuel filter is clogged?

Power loss under load, hard starting, rough idle and a drop in fuel economy are the usual signs. A water in fuel warning means drain the separator now, not next week. By the time a clogged filter strands you, the tow costs more than the filter ever did.