Carbon Collecting in Oil Filter folds

[UGASpike]

I was speaking with a rep from HPL about cleaning capability and whether I should run a few more intervals of Valvoline Restore and Protect or do a round of HPL Engine Cleaner before transitioning. I sent him a few photos of the filter from my most recent oil change, and he noted it was unusual that the carbon appeared to be collecting in specific areas of the folds rather than being distributed more evenly across the pleats.

Is this normal? I don't really know what I am looking for/at so any input is helpful.
For reference, this is the cartridge filter setup in a 3.0L twin-turbo (Ecoboost) PHEV.

5K in service. (75k on odometer)

3k Miles in service. (65k on odometer)

 

[oil pan 4]

That's where I always see them collect.
That's really not bad at all for an Valvoline Restore and Protect filter. Puter back together and run it another oci.

 

[Reloader59]

Very normal from what I've seen. That part of the pleat acts as a trap. What type of filter is it?

 

[Hohn]

Completely 100% normal, absolutely nothing to worry about. The distribution of carbon in the filter isn't unusual at all, it's the normal result of how oil flows through media.

Flow through the media isn't distributed perfectly uniformly along the media. It's quite normal that the media near the threaded endplate is the last to load up because more oil flows through the dome end of the filter and less through the endplate end.

 

[UGASpike]

Very normal from what I've seen. What type of filter is it?

IIRC, Both of these are Microgard Select MSL10050.

 

[UGASpike]

Thanks, all. I hadn’t thought much of it initially, but after his note and going through the cut-and-post filter thread, I didn’t see any others that looked quite like this.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

If it doesn’t collect there its going through your filter.

 

[Reloader59]

Great filter. It has more filtering efficiency that most out there. It definitely did its job. If you keep looking, there are plenty that look the same.

 

[Hohn]

Thanks, all. I hadn’t thought much of it initially, but after his note and going through the cut-and-post filter thread, I didn’t see any others that looked quite like this.

It's actually very LOW levels of carbon for 5k miles on Valvoline Restore and Protect, suggesting to me that the engine is pretty clean already.

Run another Valvoline Restore and Protect run or move to HPL now, doesn't matter. The amount of residual cleaning left to do is so modest that a Microguard Select will last 10k on either oil.

 

[Cujet]

In aircraft engines, that's exactly where we see carbon bits accumulate on our spin on Champion oil filters. I've always taken it for granted. We tend to cut the filter element off of the core, and flatten it out to inspect. But to me that looks 100% normal.

 

[dustyroads]

Totally normal and not much carbon in total. No need to run the cleaner. You could go straight to whatever HPL oil you plan to use for a full interval.

 

[jetman]

I was speaking with a rep from HPL about cleaning capability and whether I should run a few more intervals of Valvoline Restore and Protect or do a round of HPL Engine Cleaner before transitioning. I sent him a few photos of the filter from my most recent oil change, and he noted it was unusual that the carbon appeared to be collecting in specific areas of the folds rather than being distributed more evenly across the pleats.

Is this normal? I don't really know what I am looking for/at so any input is helpful.
For reference, this is the cartridge filter setup in a 3.0L twin-turbo (Ecoboost) PHEV.

View attachment 323872
5K in service. (75k on odometer)

View attachment 323874
3k Miles in service. (65k on odometer)

totally normal

 

[Tortuga]

Link to photos of similar carbon deposits in filter pleats.

Looks just like I’ve experienced in the past.

 

[ZeeOSix]

I was speaking with a rep from HPL about cleaning capability and whether I should run a few more intervals of Valvoline Restore and Protect or do a round of HPL Engine Cleaner before transitioning. I sent him a few photos of the filter from my most recent oil change, and he noted it was unusual that the carbon appeared to be collecting in specific areas of the folds rather than being distributed more evenly across the pleats.

The big stuff will migrate down in the folds as shown, because the flow of oil makes it migrate to that area. The stuff that is small enough to be trapped within the depth of the media will be much more distributed throughout the media.

 

[4wd]

This is from a 2k run (109k to 111k) on the 2017 Tahoe with HPL Engine Cleaner 30 in Mobil 1 Extended Performance. During the run the fuel system had:
Bottle of Redline PEA
Bottle of LM GDI cleaner
Can of CRC intake cleaner (at the throttle body)

Oil was then changed to Valvoline Restore and Protect 5W-30
Both filters AC Delco PF63

 

[wwillson]

I sent him a few photos of the filter from my most recent oil change, and he noted it was unusual that the carbon appeared to be collecting in specific areas of the folds rather than being distributed more evenly across the pleats.

This is incorrect. I have cut a lot of oil filters in the last 25 years and virtually all particles caught will collect in the valley of the pleats.

 

[UGASpike]

It's actually very LOW levels of carbon for 5k miles on Valvoline Restore and Protect, suggesting to me that the engine is pretty clean already.

Run another Valvoline Restore and Protect run or move to HPL now, doesn't matter. The amount of residual cleaning left to do is so modest that a Microguard Select will last 10k on either oil.

I dumped in Mobil 1 Advanced clean to compare filters at the same OCI... for science . Next drain and fill will be HPL 5W-30, but honestly, your SAE 40 thread has me wondering about their SAE 30 for both of my vehicles.

 

[RobbS]

I dumped in Mobil 1 Advanced clean to compare filters at the same OCI... for science . Next drain and fill will be HPL 5W-30, but honestly, your SAE 40 thread has me wondering about their SAE 30 for both of my vehicles.

Mobil 1 Advanced Clean peaks my interest. I have already run 5 intervals of Valvoline Restore and Protect myself so I'm interested in Mobil 1 results.

 

[themusinggreg]

Would think that's normal. Fluid is flowing through the filter, and it's only at the ends where it's folded that fluid flow is perpendicular to the element. The rest of the time it's running pretty well parallel. So any heavy stuff's going to be pulled along and hit the wall where it's folded.

 

[JackWildfeuer]

Normal.

Larger hard bits too large to load up the rest of the media will always get stuck in the folds of the pleats. The smaller stuff that is able to penatrate the media but too large to pass collect in all of the filter media. I think it is the abscense of that smaller stuff in the rest of the filter is what he is talking about. So it is what is visualy missing her is calling abnormal.

So you expect varnish and smaller carbon to be in suspension and to be caught as well.

The unaided human eye is not the best tool but often it is all we have!