2 Bad Super tech oil filters oil Starvativation

[oilboy123]

I have been doing long term cleaning of my Dad's 2000 Dodge Caravan over the last couple of years. So I have been using the Super Tech ST 16 filters.

I installed one a couple of weeks back and my Dad started noticing noise on start up. I thought it was a 1/2 second on start up or something? I was horrified to later find that it was making noise like a bad engine. I started the engine and it was making racket even after running for a few moments. Sounded like it was not getting enough oil to the lifters. I cut the first filter apart and found one piece of a metal sliver. My Dad put about 2k miles on the first filter with a good 600 mile trip in there. I told my Dad it's probably a bad filter before I knew it was making noise after the first couple of seconds after start up. So I told him lets try another ST filter because I had one left from another WallyWorld and the same thing.

I did notice that it would start and not have noise on some starts and on other starts it would make noise on start up and it would go away after revving the engine. Other times the noise would not go away after revving. Really weird.

At this point I was telling my Dad I think I will have to get a used engine and install it. But I told him for kicks I will throw on a Pure 1 filter. I then replaced with a Pure 1 filter. Sounds normal on all start ups. I have never seen a filter that caused a problem that went beyond an initial second or two of noise after start up.

I will add the filters have been getting pretty filled up with junk with all the cleanings I have been doing. That being said the first filter had 2k miles and the second one had 15 minutes on it and the engine sounded about the same.
I thought maybe the bypass valve was defective on the first one, but after the second one still caused noise I kind of ruled that out.

 

[Steve S]

What cleanings?

 

[oilboy123]

The engine was sludged up and I had done probably 5 RX cleanings.
It's a long story but it needed more than two cleanings done to it. Also the first two I should have changed the filters at 1500 miles but did not realize how bad the sludge was. The last cleaning with RX was about 5 months ago.


I have recently added MMO to some of the oil changes.

 

[river_rat]

 

[Johnny248]

all the solvents are killing any lubricating properties of the oil and washing out rings, bearings, etc and killing the engine. (ok so I don't know if that is true, but two years of adding cleaners sounds unhealthy for an engine)

 

[Zaedock]

Originally Posted By: Johnny248
all the solvents are killing any lubricating properties of the oil and washing out rings, bearings, etc and killing the engine. (ok so I don't know if that is true, but two years of adding cleaners sounds unhealthy for an engine)
If you don't know that it's true, then why post? This is supposed to be a forum of fact, not fiction. Auto RX is not a solvent.

 

[Johnny248]

Originally Posted By: Zaedock
Originally Posted By: Johnny248
all the solvents are killing any lubricating properties of the oil and washing out rings, bearings, etc and killing the engine. (ok so I don't know if that is true, but two years of adding cleaners sounds unhealthy for an engine)
If you don't know that it's true, then why post? This is supposed to be a forum of fact, not fiction. Auto RX is not a solvent.


I was simply saying it seems pretty excessive. Also, I'm pretty sure that a large amount of postings here are not fact, but more of opinion. From what I've read, MMO does contain solvents though.

The AutoRx website says "using synthetic, semi-synthetic, or high-mileage oil in high-mileage engines will weaken the seal material so that the seal loses its pliability" Is that a fact????

Anyway, just seems excessive on the cleaning,but the original post leaves out a lot of information regarding the vehicle and exactly what is happening.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: oilboy123
I cut the first filter apart and found one piece of a metal sliver.


Nothing else was found in the filter beside a small metal sliver? Any signs of lots of sludge/debris in the media?

Did you cut open the 2nd filter?

Some ST filers have that funky ADBV/bypass valve all-in-one design ... did these filters have that setup?

 

[oilboy123]

I have only used RX and way less MMO than the 20% or so they say you should use in the oil. I did the RX treatments earlier, the MMO I have used 2 or 3 times. No metal flakes and, but the filter was fairly loaded with carbon and sludge but not as bad as some earlier Super Tech filters. These where the first ones to make noise. Keep in mind the first filter was fairly loaded but the second one probably had 5 minutes on it. I have not tore it apart yet. Part of me is thinking not to cut the last filter up but give to the filter MFGr.

I actually screwed up my original post, this is the correction:

I changed the first filter and oil. Then I changed the oil to Super Tech synthetic 5w30 syn oil and the same Super Tech filter and still had the noise. I then put on the Pure 1 filter. Noise went away and has not come back. I was running 5w30 dino Super Tech with the other filter.

I have never seen any filter mimic like it was a bad engine? That's bizarre........ I have probably changed filters several thousand times over the years including shops I have worked at in the past.

Who makes the Super Tech filters? I normally don't run the Super Tech filters except for short cleaning/rinsing runs.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Too many stories like this one when using cheapo filters. That's why I'll spend a little more for a good filter that doesn't seem to have bad reports on the chat boards.

 

[Gary Allan]

Champion Labs makes ST filters.


..and do call for a filter retrieval kit. Let's see what they have to say.

 

[CharBaby]

I stopped using ST Filters because I was getting startup rattle with all of them in every application that I was using them on(3 vehicles). When I cut them open, they looked very well made...Go figure!

 

[Gary Allan]

They will eventually produce start up rattle in anything that commonly has start up rattle. There's never been any fundamental change in the aged characteristics of nitrile components.

 

[oilboy123]

Well I certainly was not using them because they are the highest quality......
I just wanted cheap for cleanings and it not blocking oil flow. Something is majorly wrong when I have noise on a running engine. Looks like I got 1 out of 2.........

 

[slalom44]

I'm not convinced that the engine rattle was caused by oil starvation. Here's why:

About 6 years ago I was using a ST-3614 filter. Back then, they had a clicker bypass valve, which I believe was a flawed design. I cut open two filters and found both of them to have torn media. I never had any rattle. Champion Labs soon after changed to the E-core design on this filter.

If your bypass valve didn't open up, you would see torn filter media like I did. Alternatively, your engine's pressure relief valve would have opened up, preventing oil starvation. I suspect it is coincidence that the rattle stopped when you changed filters.

If your anti-drainback valve didn't work properly there could have been no oil pressure for a moment, but not for as long as you describe.

I highly suspect that your rattle was caused by the hydraulic valves used by Chrysler in these engines. This is especially true if you were using a higher viscosity oil than is recommended. I had this problem in my wife's Caravan years ago when I tried using Mobil 1 10W-40. It went away when I switched to a conventional 10w30.

Is the filter you cut open an E-core design? If so, I can't see how you could have gotten oil starvation. Pictures would be nice.

 

[oilboy123]

Like I mentioned I had Super Tech dino 5w30 with the first ST 16 filter and the next ST 16 filter had Super Tech synthetic 5w30.

So that rules out the viscosity. I would have thought the oil would have bypassed the filter media. I did not make it real clear but I put the syn oil and a new Super Tech filter and it made noise, I then put a Pure 1 filter on with the same oil and the noise was gone.

I have the second filter and have not cut it up because I might send it in. The first filter has a black plastic cage that supports the inner part of the media. Is that an Ecore?

Maybe the filter did not starve the engine of oil, I just put that more to get better responses. Better to say restricted the oil.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: oilboy123
The first filter has a black plastic cage that supports the inner part of the media. Is that an Ecore?


Yes, that's an Ecore. It also has that funky ADBV & bypass valve all-in-one combo doohickey. Maybe that is what was restricting the oil.

If the noise went away by simply changing to a PureOne without changing any other variables, then I'd say the filter was the root cause.

 

[oilboy123]

Seems to be fine ever since that's for sure. Now what to do with the problem filter???????

I see a contact number for Champion labs. I will call them and see what's up. Thanks guys

 

[Hokiefyd]

Please keep this thread updated with what they say. It's always nice to hear how a company handles an issue like this.

 

[Gary Allan]

I think that they'll give you an option to have the filter returned to you. You might take them up on it. They'll have dissected it already, but it might be worth it for the visuals that you can post.

Anyone who gets a defective filter should use the filter retrieval service that all filter man's have. They then get to send the report down the line to the QA people who see where the holes are in the QA process.