by-pass filtration

[Bruce O.]

I purchased a Harvard 500L filter to use for by-pass filtration on my GM 6.5TD. The filter and housing holds 12 qts. increasing my total oil capacity to 20 qts. The system is supposed to filter down to 1 or 2 micron.

I am wondering whether I am better off not installing the filter and continuing to change oil every 3,000 mi. or installing the filter and changing once a year or so. I put on about 12,000 /year and run Schaeffer's Supreme 7000 15W-40.

 

[Bio-T]

Bruce,

Harvard is a real good industrial filter for lubricating oil, hydraulic fluids and water.

I have a friend that used the Harvard 500L on a Ford PSD with a 15 qt sump. He had to put a restrictor in the output line as the 500L flows 1.25 Gallons per minute. (Good for a stationary filter for industrial use) Normal flow for most bypass filters is 1 quart per minute when the oil is at normal operating temps. This depends on the restrictor orifice which regulates flow. If you do install it on your truck, a call to Harvard might be best prior to installation.

I do use a Gulf Coast 01 on my 95 PSD. It has a 5 quart capacity and uses a PT media for filtering.

 

[msparks]

It definately makes sense to use some type of by-pass filter especially when you have something that holds almost 4 gallons of oil.

If the Harvard works I would go for it. I would be interested to see the UOA of the Scaffers over a long drain interval with a by-pass.

 

[deepsquat]

WOW ..a 20 quart system! You sould be able to go a year no problem...heck I would run a UOA before dumping the oil out...just to make sure it is even close to being used up.

 

[Bruce O.]

Schaeffer’s advertizes that it uses “micron moly” which they say is .05-8 microns in size. This moly additive is supposed to be soluble, preventing it from being filtered out. Does this mean that the moly additives in say the 8 micron size range shrink preventing a 2 micron filter from trapping them?

 

[Ken2]

quote:

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Originally posted by Bruce O.:
Schaeffer’s advertizes that it uses “micron moly” which they say is .05-8 microns in size. This moly additive is supposed to be soluble, preventing it from being filtered out. Does this mean that the moly additives in say the 8 micron size range shrink preventing a 2 micron filter from trapping them?

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Micron Moly is molecular in size. It is totally oil soluble. Maybe you got those size numbers from the solid molybdenum disulfide in some of Schaeffer's gear oil or some grease. The Micron Moly in Schaeffer engine oil, hydraulic oil, some gear oil, and some grease is not solid and cannot be filtered out of the oil. "... a proven frictional modifier, Micron Moly®, a liquid soluble type of Moly that plates to the metal surfaces of the engine. Once plated, the Moly forms a long lasting lubricant film, which prevents the metal surfaces from coming into contact with each other." (emphasis mine)


Ken

 

[GeorgeCLS]

I concur that the Harvard is a superb filter; certainly one of the best. I have reviewed oil analysis results (spectro/particle counts/ferrography) for several diesel pickups (Ford/Duramax/6.5Td) which yielded extraordinary results. The Ford, with 60,000 miles on its Delvac 1 oil, was much better than normal oils at 5,000 mile odi.. The Harvard really does work. I can highly recommend.
George Morrison

 

[oldman]

Blackstone labs, site sponsor. They do a great job.

 

[Bruce O.]

Thanks.

I'll post the results on the oil analysis forum as soon as I get them.

 

[Bruce O.]

I now have 5000 mi and 7 months since my last oil change when I installed the by-pass filter. I have pulled a sample and wondering where to send it. I'm sure that I could find some heated discussion on this subject by doing a search but would prefer not to. Could someone please just throw out the name of a lab.

We collect and send out oil samples for our industrial customers where I work. We work with a company by the name of CSI but they wouldn't be able to process a used engine oil sample properly.

 

[RalphPWood]

Oldman,

We got back an oil analysis report on the Gardner Denver compressor at work. The oil has 4,028 hrs and is normally changed every 8,000 hrs. I change the Motor Guard every 500 hrs. The report is very impressive. The lab is owned by the people that sell the oil, Gardner Denver Rotolube-8000. The 8000 means it is an 8000 hour oil. I am anxous to see what they say when the oil has 10,000 hrs on it. The company wants me to use the Motor Guard elements. I have to remove the plastic cone.
Does Blackstone labs do an oil analysis that has the particle count TBN and the whole thing? I have the big Fleetguard 750 HP filter on a 8.3 Cummins at work. It has the roll your own submicronic element. The oil has a black tint to it at 300 hrs. I hope to go 500 hrs between filter changes. The filter adds four gallons to the oil capacity. I roll the elements on the table with two rolls of Kleenex Viva and three rolls of Scott 1000 sheet. The Kleenex is easy to roll. It clings and doesn't try to unwind. It takes awhile to roll the TP enough to make a 7 1/2" element. The TP makes the filter a submicronic filter which is what I require. I have been doing the palm test with the Frantz and Motor Guards for 40 years and it has never failed me. Some like to see the numbers. The head engineer carries it to extreme. I haven't tested the stock Fleetguard LF-750-A element. I think Wix Lubra-Finer and Fleetguard all use shredded newspapers in a steel cartridge.When I was driving a truck I cut open a few and found cotton waste with the seeds and cotton twigs. Frantz made an improved element for these big housings twenty years ago. I haven't seen those for awhile. If I didn't require submicronic filters because of the soot in a diesel engine I would just buy the stock elements.

Ralph

 

[oldman]

Ralph,
Yes Blackstone can provide a TBN and Terry Dyson, site sponson as well, will also provide in-depth analysis. I use the UOA in case Toyota asks me questions concerning warranty. You are right, the oil remains clean to the touch and is very easy to maintain the Motor Guard.

 

[RalphPWood]

Thanks Oldman,

I have always been partial to the Motor Guard. The last time they told me they didn't make lube oil filters anymore I decided that was the wrong answer. They still get calls from people wanting them. They are glad to send them to me.
Warranty problems are sometimes caused by following the car makers recommendations. They recommend oil that can't protect the engine but may give you a little better mileage. They recommend oil drain intervals too long for the poor filters that they put on the cars. Normally a Toyota won't give you any problems if you use a good oil and never allow it to get dirty. I was reading in a trucker magazine about a guy who went into a truck dealer with a noise in the engine. He had some type of depth filter and told them he had never changed the oil in 250,000 miles. They said sorry we can't do the work under the warranty. He pulled out a stack of oil analysis reports that showed there was nothing wrong with the oil and they repaired the engine under warranty. They sometimes have 500,000 mile warranties on truck engines. I don't think I would have told them that I had never changed the oil.
Engine problems are not caused by not changing the oil. They are caused by not keeping the oil clean. And sometimes not using an oil that can keep the parts from touching each other. If you could keep a strong film of clean oil between the parts the engine would never wear out. Clean oil can't stop wear but it can come close to it. A superior filter can only clean oil but clean oil can do a lot of things.

Ralph