Effiency of stainless filters?

[Gary Allan]

One of our members is supposed to be using one now. He intended to do a particle count on it, I believe.

I think that one brand alleges 40um filtration. Not too bad ..but not great by any stretch. In conjunction with a bypass filter they would probably make sense ..but the economics just isn't there after you figure that the bypass and the stainless are going to run you a good bit. You then figure if you have a bypass filter, your full flow will be good for a very long time ..and you should only have to factor time since it shouldn't be loaded with too much of anything. In that manner, you're looking at a 20 year payback.

Now if you're tearing down your off road vehicle every few years ..or are wearing out motors more from slinging mud or spinning your tires on slick rocks and whatnot ..then I don't think it matters too much what level of filtration you have. You're looking at a 3-5 year refresh rate anyway

 

[beanoil]

For street, perhaps. For dirt bikes, I can confirm that you get less wear, and finer filtration from paper. You'll eventually spend more on maintenance parts than filters, especially if it's a high strung thumper. Make your oil choice carefully also. Since K,S,and Y share oil with the trans, it gets chewed up pretty quick, especially factoring in 13k redlines. I like MX4T, but K-Mart has a boatload of older redcap M1 15-50, and it performs very well also @ 3.00 to 4.50 a quart depending on store.

 

[unDummy]

What application is this for? What PN/brand can you use?

 

[babyhuey]

Thinking about trying stainless mesh filter on my bike.At $40 it beats $6 a pop[before asking its an off road vehicle that gets oil changed frequently].Anyone ever tested them for effiency.I have seen the ads state they do everything from clear up acne to make your computer faster,but as I found out when changing cams in my truck, Ad men are second only to future ex wives when it comes to lyin!!

 

[RinconVTR]

Stainless Steel screens absolutely, positively...DO NOT filter better than paper/synthetic filters. Check your micron rating on that stainless filter, then look at a cheap paper micron rating. The stainless filter have a rating of around 40-35 microns min, good paper is around 10, and some are better than 10 min.

These filters really wont harm an engine that requires a higher flow filter. Some motorcycles do, and as such do not have filters that filter below 30-40 microns. But it sure woiuld be nice to know which filters vary their rating to obtain oil flow needed.

They are also on the market for those who change their oil so often, it saves money not to replace the filter everytime. (mainly ATV and motorcycle apps) Because its changed so often (the idea is) anything smaller than what the filter cant grab, is soon removed.

But do you really want the mess of cleaning the oil filter at every oil change? What if you dont clean it well enough?

 

[dwendt44]

Rincon is correct.
Just how do you get all the filtered particles out without back flushing?
You can't with any degree of certainty. Trapped particles will stay in the mesh.