Beware spurious 'Perkins parts
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HE PROBLEMS of "spurious" spare parts which seriously affect glide warranties was highlighted once again by the announcetent from tractor manufacturer Massey-Ferguson at last weekId's Smithfield Show that a brand of engine oil filter bearing the ■ ords "for Perkins Engines" is not a genuine Perkins part. Brian leatherley reports.
The oil filters, which could be 3ed on Perkins Engines fitted to )mmercial vehicles but have so r only been identified by Masw-Ferguson in the agricultural :ctor, could cause serious warnty problems for operators of ?skins-powered vehicles if any Igine damage occurs as a relit of fitting one of the filters. Both companies have stated at they are not genuine Perkins are parts, and that neither Massey-Ferguson (which fits Perkins Engines to its tractor range) nor Perkins will accept responsibility for any engine failure attributable to the use of these filters.
According to a Massey-Ferguson spokesman, the filters have been found to be contaminated by metallic particles in the central suction tube, from where they could be drawn into the engine lubrication pump and delivered to the engine bearings when the engine is started. Further examination by Perkins engineers has shown that the non-genuine product which is being offered direct to operators falls seriously below Perkins's standards in a number of other areas.
To help purchasers detect these parts, Massey-Ferguson says they are packaged in red and white banded cardboard boxes similar to those formerly used by Massey-Ferguson and Perkins for their engine oil filters. The non-genuine filter canisters are painted in a dark orangered colour with white lettering consisting of the words "for" in very small letters, and "Perkins Engines' in a typestyle and arrangment used by Perkins for many years.
Perkins and Massey-Ferguson wage a constant battle against non-genuine parts, which not only place customer relations in jeopardy but represent a serious threat to their own parts service.
Some months ago MasseyFerguson received £100,000 from parts manufacturer Bepco in an out of court settlement for what is understood to have been a case of "misleading packaging".
Separate legal inquiries have also begun into the spurious oil filters which Massey-Ferguson and Perkins believe are imported.