Bypass micron rating: How low to go?

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Sep 7, 2022
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I am going to be putting a bypass filter on my truck. I was given some filter heads and a myriad of mismatched hydraulic filters from a company that was cleaning out some old inventory. These are high end filters with a Beta rating of 1000 (some 2000, not that this really matters).

What size are the additives in oil? This arises because some of the filters given to me are 1 micron Beta 1000 and 1/4 micron Beta 20. Looking at bulk molybdenum dithiophosphate, it appears to be in the 1/2 - 1 micron range (when new)

How low is too low on a micron rating? I do not want to strip any additives out of the oil. Filter changes due to clogging are not an issues because they were free!
 
You won’t strip out additives.

 
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Here are some previous threads on this topic:

 
Thank you for the reply. I guess my search skills need some work. Will delete thread after a day or two.
 
You won’t strip out additives.

kschachn, some of the articles/links you provided directly contradict the "you won't stip out" stating that most of the anit-foaming additives are in the 3-micron range.

Yes, I agree that most of the commercial bypass systems filter poorly and are at best Beta 20 (in reality Beta 2) at the 1 or 3 microns they state. However like one of the threads mentioned, when you get into a Beta 200+ filter you can start removing additives.

It does seem plausible to be able to remove needed additives by over-filtration.
 
kschachn, some of the articles/links you provided directly contradict the "you won't stip out" stating that most of the anit-foaming additives are in the 3-micron range.

Yes, I agree that most of the commercial bypass systems filter poorly and are at best Beta 20 (in reality Beta 2) at the 1 or 3 microns they state. However like one of the threads mentioned, when you get into a Beta 200+ filter you can start removing additives.

It does seem plausible to be able to remove needed additives by over-filtration.
Not sure about the lubricants side of things, but we definitely have had some of our NanoNet filters strip out fuel additives and lubricity enhancers from diesel fuels. Something to consider when you get down to the low single digits in micron ratings.
 
Any motor oil additive in solution is going to have a mean diameter far smaller than the VM present in the oil. If you’re adding some sort of solid material that stays in suspension then I might be worried. But anything in solution cannot be filtered out
 
Any motor oil additive in solution is going to have a mean diameter far smaller than the VM present in the oil. If you’re adding some sort of solid material that stays in suspension then I might be worried. But anything in solution cannot be filtered out
Has anyone done a decent analysis of the "sediment" I see settled out in the bottom of Pennzoil jugs?

Is it just "really fine" calcium carbonate, or...????

I think anything added to oil is needed - - and:
anything that settles out - - - can be filtered out
 
Has anyone done a decent analysis of the "sediment" I see settled out in the bottom of Pennzoil jugs?

Is it just "really fine" calcium carbonate, or...????

I think anything added to oil is needed - - and:
anything that settles out - - - can be filtered out
But the fallout hours back into solution once hot.
 
Thank you for the reply. I guess my search skills need some work. Will delete thread after a day or two.
Keep thread up!! Like the references the one guy gave and searching for bypass filtration can be tricky… I used to have an oil guard bypass filter in my Honda accord2004 and my brother sill drives to this day… good luck with truck…
 
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