Article - "How to Choose the Right Oil Filter for Your Car"

[Ed_Flecko]

Excuse me if this has been posted before. I thought there is some pretty good information!



https://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/30697/choose-oil-filter

Ed

 

[Trav]

The best oil filter is a good air filter and a tight PCV system. You have to keep the dirt out.

 

[Davejam]

The article mentions the air filter briefly.
This is a good article, thanks for sharing.

 

[benjy]

a real eye opener from the pros!!! be sure to NOT forget or use a filter for more than one oil change + use a better filter as well as one in between extended changes + my FAV lighter oils aka xxW20's that have thinner oil films are likely allowing MORE wear!! but many that trade often leave a comprised engine to the NEXT owner!! they have many great truthful articles, that one is great but there more info in this updated version.

 

[ZeeOSix]

The best oil filter is a good air filter and a tight PCV system. You have to keep the dirt out.

But all kinds of debris is still generated inside a running engine (besides any dirt that might get in via air intake and PCV systems), so a better oil filter will keep the oil cleaner. That's the whole reason oil filters were invented.

Yes, that's a very good comprehensive article ... thanks for posting.

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

This paragraph was one of the best that I read in the whole article.
How Often Should You Change Your Oil Filter?
Many installers, parts stores and even auto makers say the oil filter needs to be replaced only at every other oil change. While you may think you are saving money by this practice, it really is false economy.
Thanks for posting the article.

 

[Trav]

But all kinds of debris is still generated inside a running engine (besides any dirt that might get in via air intake and PCV systems), so a better oil filter will keep the oil cleaner. That's the whole reason oil filters were invented.

Yes, that's a very good comprehensive article ... thanks for posting.

Not much is generated inside a good running engine with the correct oil serviced properly. Most of the particles are so small they are measured in ppm and will go through any filter except a bypass. If the thing is chucking debris like like a band saw then you need more than a good filter. The engine does not produce silica it ingests it.


Silica is Your Engine’s Worst Enemy

There are many different types of contaminants that can enter an engine oil, and most of them have destructive potential. These include water, glycol, fuel, the wrong oil, dirt, wear debris, etc. Solid contaminants are generally referred to as being the most destructive.


After oxygen, silicon is the most abundant element on the earth. Silica and silicates (forms of silicon dioxide) make up a large proportion of the earth’s crust in the form of natural soils and terrain dust.


External contamination of lube oil by dust (silica and alumina) is generally regarded as the most harmful to engine surfaces. As a point of reference, both of these common particles are harder than a hack saw blade. Engine components do not have surfaces as hard as a hack saw blade."

Before getting into with me take it up with the people who wrote it.

 

[RazorsEdge]

But all kinds of debris is still generated inside a running engine (besides any dirt that might get in via air intake and PCV systems), so a better oil filter will keep the oil cleaner. That's the whole reason oil filters were invented.

If you have all kinds of "debris" as you say inside the engine, the guy who built that particular motor did not have a clue what he was doing.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Not much is generated inside a good running engine with the correct oil serviced properly. Most of the particles are so small they are measured in ppm and will go through any filter except a bypass. If the thing is chucking debris like like a band saw then you need more than a good filter. The engine does not produce silica it ingests it.

"Most of the particles are so small they are measured in ppm" doesn't make sense because ppm is a concentration of particulate matter, not the size of the particles. The more ppm there is of particulate, the dirtier the oil is, and the more wear potential there will be. It's been shown in every technical paper about engine (and other machinery) wear that the cleaner the oil is the less wear there is. It's also been shown that higher efficiency oil filters result in cleaner oil (ie, less ppm, a cleaner ISO cleanliness level). Even been PC data from used oil analysis on this chat board plotted out and you can see how a better filter decreases the PC levels.

There is plenty of particulate generated inside an engine from combustion ring blow-by and some normal metal-to-metal wear. Ever cut open an oil filter used over cold winter months when there's lots of rich running with results in quite a bit of carbon debris in the filter? I have on a car (V6 Altima) with only 50K miles on it that was clean looking inside and didn't use hardly any oil. Even if the air filter and PCV system is 100% leak free, there will always be debris generated inside an engine even if it's in super good condition. It doesn't have to be "chucking debris like a band saw" to be generating enough debris where a better filter would keep the oil cleaner.

 

[ZeeOSix]

If you have all kinds of "debris" as you say inside the engine, the guy who built that particular motor did not have a clue what he was doing.

See post #9. Lots of guys who do C&Ps here on filters used over the cold winter months show quite a bit of combustion blow-by debris in the filter. There is always ring blow-by and other internal sources of debris generation in every engine, regardless of how "tight" they are.

I'm still waiting for someone to post up links to technical papers showing that dirtier oil is better than cleaner oil when it comes to engine wear.

 

[400rwkw]

So, aren't the bosch or purolators the best filtration oil filters off the shelf. What 99.9% at 20 micron?

 

[gfh77665]

15+ years ago Honda was one of the first to advocate for 5w-20 and later 0w-20 oils. Anyone who dared to question this was immediately blasted and insulted. The refrain was "The Honda engineers know best!!!"

Now, Honda for example, calls for a filter change every other time. Why all of a sudden is the Honda engineers recommendations not to be believed?

Also, how do we explain all the C&P pics of filters posted here with 10K miles on them looking like brand new inside. "Could have gone another 10K" etc..

 

[Ed_Flecko]

"So, aren't the Bosch or Purolators the best filtration oil filters off the shelf. What 99.9% at 20 micron?" I, personally, have never heard of that level of efficiency. Have any BITOG members said that?

I recently contacted Fram Customer Support about the "Ultra" oil filter for my 2019 Toyota Tacoma with the 3.5L, V-6 (cartridge filter Model XG9972) and they told me that their testing shows Multi-pass Efficiency - ISO 4548-12 test - 99.6% @20um.

Ed

 

[400rwkw]

"So, aren't the Bosch or Purolators the best filtration oil filters off the shelf. What 99.9% at 20 micron?" I, personally, have never heard of that level of efficiency. Have any BITOG members said that?

I recently contacted Fram Customer Support about the "Ultra" oil filter for my 2019 Toyota Tacoma with the 3.5L, V-6 (cartridge filter Model XG9972) and they told me that their testing shows Multi-pass Efficiency - ISO 4548-12 test - 99.6% @20um.

Ed

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/purolator-confusion.212979/#post-3292472

 

[Ed_Flecko]

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/purolator-confusion.212979/#post-3292472

Maybe I'm not looking in the right place, but I just looked at http://www.pureoil.com and I don't see any efficiency ratings, anywhere, for either the P1 or "The Boss".

Ed

 

[Trav]

"Most of the particles are so small they are measured in ppm" doesn't make sense because ppm is a concentration of particulate matter, not the size of the particles. The more ppm there is of particulate, the dirtier the oil is, and the more wear potential there will be. It's been shown in every technical paper about engine (and other machinery) wear that the cleaner the oil is the less wear there is. It's also been shown that higher efficiency oil filters result in cleaner oil (ie, less ppm, a cleaner ISO cleanliness level). Even been PC data from used oil analysis on this chat board plotted out and you can see how a better filter decreases the PC levels.

There is plenty of particulate generated inside an engine from combustion ring blow-by and some normal metal-to-metal wear. Ever cut open an oil filter used over cold winter months when there's lots of rich running with results in quite a bit of carbon debris in the filter? I have on a car (V6 Altima) with only 50K miles on it that was clean looking inside and didn't use hardly any oil. Even if the air filter and PCV system is 100% leak free, there will always be debris generated inside an engine even if it's in super good condition. It doesn't have to be "chucking debris like a band saw" to be generating enough debris where a better filter would keep the oil cleaner.

used oil analysis measure particles in PPM and not particle size, even the cheapest oil filter will filter perfectly fine. Where did I ever say dirty oil was better for the engine? Don't come up with that school bus thing again, that has lost its relevancy. 30+ years ago the oil filter efficiency was more relevant that today because of poor PCV systems and air intakes that leaked badly, I cant remember too many times I actually found an air cleaner gasket on a carb, most had long been lost or broken.

Today the oil filter is far less relevant so much so that a 3.5 Nissan for example has an oil filter the size of a riding mower and companies are even advocating for using that twice. Where are all these particles?
When I buy a filter I look for good build quality, a good seal and media that doesn't have a reputation for tearing. The efficiency numbers are not a priority.

 

[gfh77665]

Filters are a balancing act between flow, holding capacity, and efficiency.

 

[Davejam]

This paragraph was one of the best that I read in the whole article.
How Often Should You Change Your Oil Filter?
Many installers, parts stores and even auto makers say the oil filter needs to be replaced only at every other oil change. While you may think you are saving money by this practice, it really is false economy.
Thanks for posting the article.

I mean this is a topic covered on this forum fairly regularly. The article kind of glossed over this point and probably could have an entire article on that point alone.
The majority of oil filters on the market are not of the highest quality, and in that case I agree.
But in a properly maintained vehicle using a filter rated for that length of service there is no downside to changing the filter every other oil change.
Their recommendation is the safer one, but it is not absolute nor meant to be taken as such.

 

[ZeeOSix]

used oil analysis measure particles in PPM and not particle size, even the cheapest oil filter will filter perfectly fine.

Where've you been, I'm talking about ISO 5011 PC data, not UOA ppm counts - two different things. UOA ppm doesn't really tell you much, you need ISO 5011 particle count data (look it up). As I've shown before, there really isn't any much if any correlation between UOA insolubles % or ppm to actaul ISO 5011 PC data. You really can't tell the true cleanliness level without the ISO test numbers.

And the bus study (it wasn't school buses) was and still is relevant. Bottom line is, and always will be, that better filtration results in cleaner oil which results in less engine wear. I'm still waiting for anyone here to prove otherwise with some technical references - been waiting 10+ years, lol.

"Even the cheapest oil filter will filter perfectly fine." So will a fine screen like in the old VW engines if you go with that mindset on filtering performance.

 

[Ed_Flecko]

On the PurolatorBOSS® website ( http://www.pureoil.com/en/do-it-yourself/oil-filters/purolatorbossr/ ), I see the advertisement that states "Over 99% Dirt Removal Power™" (did you notice the ™ mark?). I decided to call Purolator (919-926-4210) and ask if they would explain that phrase and, also, disclose the exact filter efficiency rating, based on ISO 4548-12 testing.

The gentleman I spoke to said:

1.) The "Over 99% Dirt Removal Power™" comment on their website is a Trademarked phrase and, no, they will not provide any further details. Stop.

2.) All of their filters are designed with the sole objective of meeting (NOT surpassing) OE specs. That's ALL they guarantee. They are not trying to make the most efficient filter available...they're ONLY trying to meet OE specs. That's it.

3.) They will not disclose their tested, exact micron efficiency rating because "there's about 4 or 5 different ways to test for efficiency..." He said they have no way of knowing what method the original testing method was, so for Purolator to disclose their results, which may have been arrived at via a different testing method is akin to comparing "apples to oranges".

In summary, if you buy a Purolator or Wix, all you can be assured of is that it meets your OE filter specs of the filter that came equipped on your vehicle.

I'll stick with my Fram Ultra.



Ed