amsoil oil filters now filter to 20 microns

[The motor guy]

Why did they change from 15 microns at 98.7 percent to 20? I thought Donaldson made amsoil filters? I use the Donaldson ELF7349 oil filter on my truck and it still says 15 microns at 98.7%. I use the EAO09 oil filter on my lawn mower and since they switched over to the EAo09 15K filters they only filter to 20 microns. I went ahead and just went back to the OEM Kawasaki oil filters cause I didn't see a point in using them anymore at 15 bucks a pop plus shipping. I am looking for a cheaper alternative cause the last time I checked the Kawasaki oil filters were 28 micron filters.

 

[901Memphis]

They have been @20 microns as long as I can remember.

 

[eljefino]

I think the media varies from can to can.

You generally get good results from the FL-1A "big Ford" size.

 

[tig1]

The oil is far more important than the filter for long engine life.

 

[The motor guy]

Originally Posted By: tig1
The oil is far more important than the filter for long engine life.


I don't agree with that. Doesn't matter what oil you're running if it isn't filtered good enough.

 

[The motor guy]

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
They have been @20 microns as long as I can remember.


It was around the time they had tons of claims for the Toyota sludge engines, which is why they stopped making some of the smaller filters. Then about a year later they brought them back out and adjusted the drain intervals to 15,000 instead of 25,000 miles. I just had a stock pile of the old EAO09 filters, so I didn't care.

 

[Kruse]

Originally Posted By: tig1
The oil is far more important than the filter for long engine life.


I gotta agree with this statement. You could run a $2 Quaker State filter with oil changes every 7K miles and the engine will outlast the rest of the car. A lot of people change their oil every 10K miles done by Jiffy Lube and they have no idea what oil in in their engine and they get along just fine. Unless they are have an engine with lots of sludge, even a filter with torn media will not measureably shorten engine life.

 

[901Memphis]

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
Originally Posted By: tig1
The oil is far more important than the filter for long engine life.


I don't agree with that. Doesn't matter what oil you're running if it isn't filtered good enough.



tig1 is right, any "decent" filter will keep large particles out of the bearings. I still prefer good filters but no one has any proof they do anything beneficial.

 

[The motor guy]

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
Originally Posted By: tig1
The oil is far more important than the filter for long engine life.


I don't agree with that. Doesn't matter what oil you're running if it isn't filtered good enough.



tig1 is right, any "decent" filter will keep large particles out of the bearings. I still prefer good filters but no one has any proof they do anything beneficial.


So you're saying any well maintained engine isn't going to create big enough particles anyways to matter? They will be scooped up by the oil filter before it gets to ta larger size? I noticed with the 15 micron filter the oil took much longer to turn dark then with the oem Kawasaki filter.

 

[901Memphis]

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
Originally Posted By: tig1
The oil is far more important than the filter for long engine life.


I don't agree with that. Doesn't matter what oil you're running if it isn't filtered good enough.



tig1 is right, any "decent" filter will keep large particles out of the bearings. I still prefer good filters but no one has any proof they do anything beneficial.


So you're saying any well maintained engine isn't going to create big enough particles anyways to matter? They will be scooped up by the oil filter before it gets to ta larger size? I noticed with the 15 micron filter the oil took much longer to turn dark then with the oem Kawasaki filter.


Well all filters are varying degrees of efficiency depending on micron size and number of passes. The Fram Ultras are rated at 99%+ efficiency at 20 microns and 80% @5 microns but that doesn't mean that it can't catch a 3 micron particle it just may take longer.


Both the oil and filter are somewhat important but there's good enough and also overkill and a cheap API SN oil paired with a Purolator classic is going to get you further than a Fram Ultra with API SA oil will.

 

[rslifkin]

The better filter can certainly keep more stuff out of the oil and will theoretically cause less bearing wear, etc. Although that may or may not be what actually leads to the engine hitting "end of life." Plus, it would likely be the difference between an engine that lasts a bit longer than you care for it to and one that lasts a lot longer than you care for it to.

 

[tig1]

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
Originally Posted By: tig1
The oil is far more important than the filter for long engine life.


I don't agree with that. Doesn't matter what oil you're running if it isn't filtered good enough.


But any respectable filter, filters "good enough". Even engines using the OCOD last very well as long as a quality oil and reasonable OCIs are adhered to.

 

[deven]

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
Originally Posted By: tig1
The oil is far more important than the filter for long engine life.


I don't agree with that. Doesn't matter what oil you're running if it isn't filtered good enough.

IIRC, back in the day Bob the creator of this website did some tests on running motor oil without an oil filter and nothing bad happened to the engines, FWIW.