Best Air Filter For Duramax Diesel

Chevrolet Silverado LTZ 3.0 Duramax 2021
Image: Chevrolet Silverado LTZ 3.0 Duramax 2021 by RL GNZLZ (BY-SA)

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Air filters for the 6.6L Duramax’s various generations (LB7 through L5P) run well above what a typical gas-car air filter costs, because of the larger media area and heavier-duty construction diesel intakes need — expect roughly $50-$100 for a genuine option here, not the $15-$20 a gas-engine filter might cost. This is also a narrower category than most of our roundups, so we’re covering six verified, cross-referenced options.

# Product Price Where to buy
1 ACDelco Duramax Air Filter (A2947C / A3087C) $50-$65 Amazon
2 WIX 49184 Heavy Duty Corrugated Air Filter $55-$72 Amazon · eBay
3 Donaldson P610875 PowerCore $60-$86 Amazon
4 Fleetguard AF27860 $51-$61 Amazon
5 S&B Filters Intake Replacement Filter (KF-1035/KF-1035D) $69 Amazon
6 aFe Power Pro-Guard 7 (Magnum FLOW) $85-$97 Amazon

The picks, in detail

ACDelco Duramax Air Filter (A2947C / A3087C)
Pick 01 of 06

ACDelco Duramax Air Filter (A2947C / A3087C)

GM’s own-brand Duramax air filter, the safe default match for factory airbox fitment on LB7 through LML-era trucks.

  • GM cross-referenced OEM part numbers by generation
  • Direct factory airbox fitment, no modification
  • Paper media rated to OEM flow spec
  • Sold individually per generation
Pros

  • Exact OEM fitment, zero guesswork
  • Backed by GM parts warranty
Cons

  • No flow advantage over stock — a like-for-like replacement, not an upgrade
  • Priced above typical gas-engine filters due to the diesel-specific media
Price: $50-$65
WIX 49184 Heavy Duty Corrugated Air Filter
Pick 02 of 06

WIX 49184 Heavy Duty Corrugated Air Filter

Widely cross-referenced heavy-duty filter (also sold as NAPA 9184) built to the same Mann+Hummel spec as the GM OEM part.

  • Heavy-duty corrugated media
  • Cross-references to Donaldson P610875 and Fleetguard AF27860
  • Round/obround housing fit for the factory airbox
  • Sold individually
Pros

  • Same manufacturing group as ACDelco’s OEM filter at a comparable or lower price
  • Very widely stocked at parts chains
Cons

  • Standard paper media, not a high-flow or washable design
  • Price varies a lot by retailer, worth shopping around
Donaldson P610875 PowerCore
Pick 03 of 06

Donaldson P610875 PowerCore

Donaldson’s PowerCore primary filter, the same trusted heavy-equipment filtration brand used across commercial diesel fleets.

  • PowerCore pleated media for higher dust-holding capacity
  • Primary round filter for the factory Duramax airbox
  • Commercial/fleet-grade construction
  • Cross-references to WIX 49184 and Fleetguard AF27860
Pros

  • Donaldson’s fleet-grade reputation for dust-holding capacity
  • A step up in build quality over basic paper filters at a modest premium
Cons

  • Costs more than the WIX/ACDelco equivalents for the same fitment
  • Overkill filtration capacity for light-duty daily driving
Price: $60-$86
Fleetguard AF27860
Pick 04 of 06

Fleetguard AF27860

Cummins-Fleetguard’s version of the same fitment, popular with owners who already run Fleetguard fuel/oil filters and want one brand across the truck.

  • Same physical fitment as the Donaldson P610875/WIX 49184
  • Fleetguard’s commercial-grade filtration media
  • Round primary filter housing
  • Widely stocked at heavy-truck parts suppliers
Pros

  • Good middle-ground price between WIX and Donaldson
  • One-brand consistency for owners already buying Fleetguard fuel filters
Cons

  • Functionally near-identical to the WIX/Donaldson cross-references, no unique performance edge
  • Less common at general auto parts stores than at diesel/fleet suppliers
Price: $51-$61
S&B Filters Intake Replacement Filter (KF-1035/KF-1035D)
Pick 05 of 06

S&B Filters Intake Replacement Filter (KF-1035/KF-1035D)

The dry replacement filter for S&B’s own cold-air intake systems, also usable as a standalone factory-airbox upgrade on some Duramax generations.

  • ISO 5011-tested 99.72% filtration efficiency, published by S&B
  • Dry (non-oiled) media, no MAF-fouling risk some oiled filters carry
  • Sized for S&B intake housings, LB7-LMM generations
  • Washable and reusable design
Pros

  • Independently published efficiency numbers most competitors don’t disclose
  • Reusable, lower long-term cost than replacing paper filters
Cons

  • Sized for S&B’s own intake housing — confirm fitment if running the stock airbox
  • Some diesel-forum owners report occasional fitment or sealing complaints
aFe Power Pro-Guard 7 (Magnum FLOW)
Pick 06 of 06

aFe Power Pro-Guard 7 (Magnum FLOW)

aFe’s oiled Pro-Guard 7 media filter, sold both as a standalone factory-airbox drop-in and as the replacement filter for aFe’s own intake kits.

  • Pro-Guard 7 oiled synthetic media rated to outflow stock paper by up to 17%
  • Reusable and washable design
  • Sized for the stock airbox on multiple Duramax generations
  • Serviceable rather than disposable
Pros

  • Genuine flow improvement over stock paper filters, not just a marketing claim
  • Reusable, cuts long-term filter spend
Cons

  • Oiled media carries a small MAF-fouling risk if over-oiled during service
  • Priced at the top of this list
Price: $85-$97

Buying tips

  • Confirm your exact Duramax generation (LB7, LLY, LBZ, LMM, LML, L5P) before ordering — filter dimensions changed across the model’s life and a wrong-size filter won’t seal in the airbox.
  • Diesel air filters run well above typical gas-engine filter prices ($50-$100+ is normal here) because of the larger media area and heavier-duty construction diesel intakes need — that’s not a markup, it’s the real market.
  • If you switch to a reusable oiled filter (S&B, aFe), follow the manufacturer’s oiling instructions exactly; over-oiling is the most common cause of MAF sensor contamination complaints.

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