BETA RATING AN OIL FILTER

[MULESKINNER]

I'm trying to find the best oil filter I can for my 2007 Harley Davidson Twin Cam engine. Harley states a five micron filter is required and so far the only filter I can find at that rating is the factory filter. I found this site http://www.noria.com/learning_center/cat...oup=Lubrication

I'm wondering if anyone can add any info regarding this method of rating an oil filter? I really wanted to run a Mobile One filter, but Mobile does not list the micron rating of thier filter and they don't list a filter for my application.

 

[cparksjr]

Not sure just five micron gives enough information. What at 5 micron? You can have different beta ratings for that. For the most part, Harley is most likely going to have the best filter for you. It is important to balance the filtering capacity and you could have to fine of a filter that would potentially clog quickly or not pass enough oil through it.

 

[SuperBusa]

Here's another good link about Beta Ratio.

http://www.oilanalysis.com/article_detail.asp?articleid=564

 

[SuperBusa]

Originally Posted By: MULESKINNER

I'm wondering if anyone can add any info regarding this method of rating an oil filter?


The articles should lay it all out. Basically, a filter can be rated on how effective it is at catching a range of particle sizes ... that is what the Beta Ratio is all about.

Does Harley give a Beta Ratio for the 5 micron requirement? Why not just run their OEM filter is the filtering performance is really so critical? Obviously, the larger the particle size, the more effective the filter is at catching the particle.

 

[Pablo]

This link has some useful info as well:

http://www.natrib.com/publications/appnotes/app_clean.php

 

[MULESKINNER]

I don't have a problem with using Harley's filter, I just think there might be a better filter out there. I like M1 filters, but no listing. I don't like the pricing on Harley oil filters, real expensive. At least I would like to have a choice, rather than being held hostage by Harley.

No beta listing for Harley's filter. The maker and quality is a mystery.

 

[Gary Allan]

Quote:
No beta listing for Harley's filter. The maker and quality is a mystery.


Well, even if Harley only demands a 5um rating nominal ..that's an extremely good filter in terms of filtering efficiency. It may be junk in terms of construction (I doubt it) but 5um at any sensible beta number is great.


Wix appears to now have an exact match field on their site. The normal application utility says that it takes a 51348 ..which is a PH3614 3/4-16 thread filter. Rather common.

 

[bmwtechguy]

Mobil 1 oil filter that crosses to the PH3614 size is a M1-102. That's a very solid, efficient, high capacity filter, but overpriced unless on sale, IMO.

If you really want to spend some money or want chrome, get an Amsoil EaOM134 or EaOM134C (chrome). That should get you all flow, efficiency, and capacity you can stand. It is guaranteed to cost more than the Harley filter, too.

 

[G-MAN]

Originally Posted By: MULESKINNER
I don't have a problem with using Harley's filter, I just think there might be a better filter out there. I like M1 filters, but no listing. I don't like the pricing on Harley oil filters, real expensive. At least I would like to have a choice, rather than being held hostage by Harley.

No beta listing for Harley's filter. The maker and quality is a mystery.


Champion makes the OEM Harley filter for TC engines. You might be interested in this thread I started over on the V-Twin forum concerning this very subject. In short, Champion has said in e-mails to both me and another forum member that the Super Tech ST3614 is a direct replacement for the OEM HD filter and meets all Harley OEM requirements.

 

[bmwtechguy]

Leave it to Harley to try and hold us hostage to their oil and now their filters. SuperTech, here we come!

 

[EagleFTE]

I don't think Harley is holding people hostage. There are a number of excellent filters out there such as Amsoil, Perform, etc. But they are all fairly expensive. Now the ST on the other hand is obviously not expensive. As I'm sure G-MAN knows though the Champion HD filter uses the traditional design and not the Ecore design that Champ, ST and STP use. Not sure what the media difference might be. Most interpret the HD Super Premium 5 Micron filter to be a 5 micron nominal (50%). Of course they don't provide Beta Ratios but neither do most labels. If it is a 5 Micron nominal that is a pretty good filter. I personally don't know anyone that uses HD moter oil or an HD product in the tranny but the filter is very popular. People like everything but the price. I have an ST on my GM 4.3 that will need to be changed this summer so maybe I will cut it open to see if there is a visible difference in media compared to the HD.

 

[G-MAN]

Originally Posted By: EagleFTE
Most interpret the HD Super Premium 5 Micron filter to be a 5 micron nominal (50%). Of course they don't provide Beta Ratios but neither do most labels. If it is a 5 Micron nominal that is a pretty good filter.


I don't think any company makes an automotive oil filter with a Beta of more than 2 @ 5 micron, which is nominal/50%. Any higher Beta than 2 at 5 micron and the filter would be too restrictive for an automotive or motorcycle lubrication system, IMO. (Hydraulic filters are another matter.)

The oil circuit on a Harley v-twin would seem to be a prime candidate for the Ecore type filter. It's a high flow, low pressure system.

 

[EagleFTE]

Originally Posted By: G-MAN
Originally Posted By: EagleFTE
Most interpret the HD Super Premium 5 Micron filter to be a 5 micron nominal (50%). Of course they don't provide Beta Ratios but neither do most labels. If it is a 5 Micron nominal that is a pretty good filter.


I don't think any company makes an automotive oil filter with a Beta of more than 2 @ 5 micron, which is nominal/50%. Any higher Beta than 2 at 5 micron and the filter would be too restrictive for an automotive or motorcycle lubrication system, IMO. (Hydraulic filters are another matter.)

The oil circuit on a Harley v-twin would seem to be a prime candidate for the Ecore type filter. It's a high flow, low pressure system.


Agree on both points. Nominal of 5 seems too fine of filtration but they are not going to give us the actual Beta Ratios. It would be nice if someone had the equipment to do the test for the consumers.

Going back to the original post some have reported problems with M1 -102 being too restrictive for the HD system. Somewhere there is a Email that I've seen posted where Champion told the guy not to use the M1-102 on his HD. Evos seem especially sensitive to restrictive filters.

I think the Ecore desing would be fine for a low pressure system like the HD. After all I've not seen the nylon cage fail on a cars with much higher pressures. I've used them numerous times on cars.

 

[G-MAN]

Originally Posted By: EagleFTE
Going back to the original post some have reported problems with M1 -102 being too restrictive for the HD system. Somewhere there is a Email that I've seen posted where Champion told the guy not to use the M1-102 on his HD. Evos seem especially sensitive to restrictive filters.


In the same vein, Purolator specifically warns against using their PureOne filters on motorcycles for the same reason.

 

[SuperBusa]

What?! ... an oil filter that can be too restictive?! Tell me it's not so, as there have been numberous attempts to try and convince me that there is no such thing as a "too restrictive" oil filter, or that a filter's bypass valve setting doesn't really matter much.

 

[dnewton3]

There was a thread a while back in the "motorcycle" section of this site where I stated that there is no such thing as a "motorcycle specific" filter. I absolutely got pounded for saying that by some people. But the reality is that specs are specs; flow, efficiency, bypass settings, thread pitch, etc all are spec'd for certain criteria. A filter that survives on a little JD/Yanmar tractor can just as easily survive on a HD motorcycle, or a Suzuki outboard marine engine, or a 4-cylinder Yugo, IF the specs are similar/same.

I made the mistake of taking on the HD faithful, tying to use reason and logic about the specs of any engine, and the resultant applications from the major filter brands (Wix, Purolator, etc).

I seriously doubt that HD "requires" a 5um rated filtler, when Wix, Purolator and Champion all offer filters that meet OEM specs with much higher nominal ratings (for example, the 51348 from Wix is 19 nominal). What I really suspect is happening is that HD is "recommending" a tighter, better fitler so that they can offer yet another opportunity for the HD faithful to justify spending more money than necessary on their babies. And that's fine for them; I just don't get sucked into all that hype. I was admonished for my (perceived) lack of knowledge on the HD cam chain tensioner issues. Well, if HD's answer for their continued cam chain tensioner failures is tigher filtration, then why have they not revised the specs?

There is a huge difference between what's "required" to meet specs, and what's "suggested" or "recommended" to appease the audience. Perhaps HD upped the ante, revised the specs, and didn't release the data? Well, then they are in violation of the M/M warranty act; because to "require" a particular item/service for warranty enforcement, without providing it for no cost, nor access to it for aftermarket consumption, is a violation of federal law.

Further, there is no way Wix, Champion, Purolator, etc would risk having to pay out warranty claims for failed engines, knowingly offering filters that don't meet OEM specs. Champion says their ST3614 meets HD specs. Wix says their 51348 meets HD specs. Purolator says their L10241 meets HD specs. I know that when I researched this very topic, I saw that HD offers their 5um fitler as an "upgrade". That, to me, means it's not "required", but rather an opportunity to provide "better" filtration. At a "better" (for HD) price ...

 

[G-MAN]

Originally Posted By: dnewton3
Further, there is no way Wix, Champion, Purolator, etc would risk having to pay out warranty claims for failed engines, knowingly offering filters that don't meet OEM specs. Champion says their ST3614 meets HD specs. Wix says their 51348 meets HD specs. Purolator says their L10241 meets HD specs. I know that when I researched this very topic, I saw that HD offers their 5um fitler as an "upgrade". That, to me, means it's not "required", but rather an opportunity to provide "better" filtration. At a "better" (for HD) price ...


I agree 100%. However, the 5 micron filter is only an "upgrade" for the Evo engines. It is the only filter specified for the TC engines. And the real difference between it and the other HD filters is the 5 micron filter has an ADBV whereas the others do not. I personally think that is the real distinction and what the TC motors need, and why this filter is spec'd for the TC and just "optional" for the Evo.

 

[dnewton3]

I'll fully admit I'm not one of the HD faithful (although I've owned a few in my days gone by). But I also know brand loyality and marketing advantages when I see them.

Still - it's possible that HD sstrictly specs the 5um filter for the TC engines, but then why do all the aftermarket alternatives spec such "mundane" typical daily-use filters, if the 5um is so gosh-darn important?

No one company, not HD, nor the aftermarket, is going to willingly eat the warranty costs because of offering a filter that is below the performance specs needed/stated by the OEM.