Article: How fine is too fine?

[kschachn]

It probably only applies to certain types of VM with very long chain polymers. It sounds like they only get filtered temporarily until the oil warms up, with the issue being that it can temporarily restrict the filter element until then.

I would have thought the other way around. Long linearized chains being easier to tangle in the element.

Nevertheless the anti-foaming agents will be much smaller.

 

[Carlostrece]

How fine does filtration need to be to be effective at reducing wear?

 

[kschachn]

How fine does filtration need to be to be effective at reducing wear?

@ZeeOSix

 

[ZeeOSix]

How fine does filtration need to be to be effective at reducing wear?

Been talked about for years here. The bottom line is the longer your OCI, the better wear protection you'll get from a more efficient oil filter. Every engine wear study concludes that cleaner oil results in less wear because there are less particles getting smashed and smeared in the oil film between moving parts. And it's actually the paticles 20u and below that do the most wear because they are small enough to get between moving parts.

The wear from particulate over an OCI is proportional to the length of the OCI and the cleanliness level of the sump over the OCI. If you did 1000 mile OCIs, you wouldn't need as much filtration. The way I cover the bases on this is to run oil filters that are 99% @ 25u or better - even if I do relatively low OCIs. Everyone needs to decide how much filtration is "good enough" for them, but I base my decision on wear study conclusions - what else is there, nobody here is going to do a million dollar test program to prove it to themselves, lol. Why not use a filter on the high side of efficiency? And the whole "flow over filtration" is a myth and misconception - doesn't really exist. See my thread about that. You can get plenty of good oil filters that meet that efficiency level for $8-$10 (ie, many branded extended filters under the PGI umbrella).

 

[Carlostrece]

@Hohn you started a useful and informative thread. It good reading.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Could that cause the filter to go into bypass mode for a while?

I highly doubt it would from that. It would go into bypass if the oil was real cold and thick with pretty high engine revs. Keep the gas pedal action light until the oil warms up some. Oil warms up pretty fast, especially if the engine has a coolant to oil heat exchanger, which most engines 20 years old or newer have.

 

[Carlostrece]

I highly doubt it would from that. It would go into bypass if the oil was real cold and thick with pretty high engine revs. Keep the gas pedal action light until the oil warms up some. Oil warms up pretty fast, especially if the engine has a coolant to oil heat exchanger, which most engines 20 years old or newer have.

My car is 29 years old.

 

[oil pan 4]

How fine do bypass filters filter?

Most seem to be around 4 micron some are 2 micron.

 

[oil pan 4]

How fine does filtration need to be to be effective at reducing wear?

From the 1950s to 1970s they were running like 40 micron oil filters. 40 is better than no oil filter. There's still plenty of 30 micron filters sold even today. I call em rock catchers.