Differential Pressure Gauge?

[jetman]

I'm thinking about putting a differential pressure gauge on my vehicles w/Amsoil EaBP90 bypass oil filters to help me determine when the bypass filter is getting dirty. What pressure range differential gauge should I purchase? 0-5psi? 0-30psi?

I called the Amsoil tech line and they said 0-30. That seems a little high to me. What are your thoughts?

Thanks

Don

 

[Steve S]

Why not keep it simple and do the touch test to see if the filter gets warm.

 

[mjo]

Is this for a remote dual filter mount?

 

[jetman]

It would be for Single filter setups.

I called Amsoils tech line, and they eventually said 0-25psi range. But, I didn't get a warm fuzzy feeling when I talked to them.

Don

 

[SteveSRT8]

Touch test is very scientific, too much for me.

You should budget for oil analysis anyway with this setup. That will tell you. Once you establish a baseline you're good to go.

We use to run bypass filters on everything but found that on newer motors there was no significant additional life.

At the rate my setup flowed oil into the bypass filter you'll be needing a HUGE gauge to see some extremely fine variations in pressure!

 

[jetman]

Touch test doesn't do it for me. I like gauges, probably because of my background as a pilot. When getting on an airliner, have you ever looked into the cockpit? Gauges, gauges, & more gauges.

WWGrainger has all sorts of differential gauges. Scales range from 0-3psi to 0-1000 psi and everything in between. They aren't cheap, so I would like to get it right the first time?
My guess will probably be a gauge scale of 0-5 psi.

Don

 

[SteveSRT8]

That's right, a very small range but with a HUGE dial!

 

[jetman]

Steve S you genius!

You gave me an idea. Touch Test?

Why not take differential temperature measurements with my infared digital thermometer at the bypass filter and oil pan occassionally when we get home from running erands etc? A tread towards higher differential temps means the filter isn't flowing as much hot oil an needs changing because its clogging up.

I'll try this and UOA for now.

Don

 

[slalom44]

If you are installing a single filter setup and you the filter is draining into a non-pressurized area (valve cover or oilpan), I don't see what a differential pressure gauge would accomplish. Your incoming oil pressure will be the same as your post-pump oil pressure and your exit pressure will be near zero. Your differential pressure gauge wouldn't read any differently regardless of how plugged the bypass media was.

If you have the EaBp-90 in parallel with the stock filter, the differential pressure would be influenced by the differential pressure of the full-flow filter. It still wouldn't detect a plugged bypass filer.

I'd stick with the touch method.

 

[unDummy]

You can time the output of the bypass filter and compare the new and aging filters output. Basically, if your oil is turning black, it would be good to know the output of the filter.

Use a jar and a timer.

For the dual flow filter mount, you're stuck with the touch method.

 

[mjo]

Isn't the crankcase pressure near atmospheric due to PCV? If that's the case then there isn't the need for differential pressure if returning to the sump - just read the pressure before the filter.

 

[Gary Allan]

You need to move the restrictor down stream of the unit and place the gauge across the filter. There should be no differential after the unit is saturated. As the media loads, the pre-restrictor pressure will drop. On the cheaper BP80A the restrictor is .030

I would be hard to index it for what a sensible differential is for condemnation. 5psi - 10psi? What decay in flow rate is going to translate to a readable number?

You would still need to do some particle count testing to see where it starts to climb and where it starts to runaway towards no bypass filter levels.

The figures Amsoil tech cited are standard numbers for zero pressure return hydraulic filters. I don't really see them being applicable here.

 

[morris]

diff presure? put two gauges on a engine once. after 3k there was no diff. a wast of time. as long as there is enough presure to keep the bearings ok, dont worry. how ever if you are running 20k each oil change, it might be a good idea

 

[NapaBavarian]

I haven't read to the end to see what happens, but what if you installed an oil temp gauge with the probe just before the filter? When the filter clogs and stops flowing you won't see as high a temp, and you could install it in the cockpit...er...by the pilots seat...I mean drivers seat.

Try summit racing, depending on your car you might be able to hide it somewhere too.

Originally Posted By: jetman
Steve S you genius!

You gave me an idea. Touch Test?

Why not take differential temperature measurements with my infared digital thermometer at the bypass filter and oil pan occassionally when we get home from running erands etc? A tread towards higher differential temps means the filter isn't flowing as much hot oil an needs changing because its clogging up.

I'll try this and UOA for now.

Don

 

[morris]

"When the filter clogs and stops flowing you won't see as high a temp," when does a good filter, clog in 3k miles?

 

[jetman]

Amsoil, maker of the bypass filter(EaBP90)we have on our daily drivers, recommends 30k miles or more.

We drive about 18k rural easy miles/yr on our daily drivers. The oil is Amsoil SSO 0-30w. Our plan is to do a UOA once a yr, then based on the results, change the oil & full flow filter. Differential temp will tell us when the bypass filter is starting to clog and needs changing.

In the past, before we added the bypass systems, we've gone 17k w/2 ff filter changes, before doing a UOA and changing the oil. IMO, the bypass filter eliminates the need to change the ff filter between oil changes, and will add to this oils longevity.

We hope this helps