Engine failure because of oil filter?

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Just trying to drum up a discussion.

Anyone here ever had a recent engine failure because of the filter? Since I have joined this site, I can think of 2 which considering the statistics isn't very many IMO.

Anyone ever have a fear of running a non spec'd filter?
Has anyone been able to identify a faulty filter and replace it before it created damage?

I would hope I could identify a loss in oil pressure, CEL, faulty ADBV or other noise before any damage is caused. As far as warranties for the filters, I plan on running non spec'd filters once my stash diminishes so I doubt the manufacturer would do anything to help. Also as mentioned in another thread, keep your receipts! Even if I was running a spec'd filter, but had no proof of purchase, I would still be out of luck.

No filter related issues for me as of now.
smile.gif
 
I'm sure its more common then we would like to believe. Not everyone would know. Heck I'm sure there are a few soccer moms who went 15k on conventional with a cheap cheap filter and it could have failed. I'm sure most people wouldn't be able to diagnose a oil filter failure. Short of taking the filter apart and seeing it ruined I probably wouldn't be able to tell myself.

Not an expert by any mean but yea. I'm sure most people who have had it just figured they blew the engine or something along thoses lines.

As far as non-spec its pretty much all I run. I trust a well built filter more then I trust a lowest bidder (specified) filter.

Iv had only one engine fail on me. And it was due to an oil pump.

Long story short it died at a red light. Turned it over went 20 ft died again and wouldn't start. Got out and seen a long line of oil going back.
 
I only personally saw one engine failure and it happened very quickly. the oil light went out (no gauge) but that only took 2 psi to extinguish. It makes a good case for a gauge.
A guy got the oil and filter changed at an Esso station late at night on a Fiat Ducato diesel, he had to make an unplanned delivery run to Austria and it was due for its OCI.

They didn't have the exact filter so they used one that looked the same and had the same threads, they didn't ask him they just used it.
Approx a Km and it was knocking like crazy, he lost the engine. I was called after he got it back to the station to see what was going on with it.

I have never contemplated using any other filter other than the one called for in all the years i have been doing this, this incident just confirmed my feelings on it.
 
i have seen maybe one or two engines in my many years of working in and owning an engine machine shop directly associated with an oil filter. Im sure that over the years filters had something to do with engine problems but not as many as you may think and we are a busy shop
 
There was an issue with the Amsoil Ea on some 4runners due to an incorrectly spec'd bypass pressure. As far as I know, Amsoil replaced all engines that were effected and revised their recommended filter
 
I haven't, but my good friend (a coworker) lost an engine to an ecore media failure.

Champ did buy him a new engine with a minimum of hassle though.
 
I've never had an engine failure from any cause.

I've never personally known anyone who had an engine failure related to an oil filter.

I've never purchased or used a vehicle manufacturer's brand of oil filter, if that's what you mean by non-specified.

I've run lots of different oil filter brands over the years though I didn't care for ecores since they were shorter filter housings than others I ran. I didn't like the reduction in filtration area. I've also never run a lower diameter filter housing on an engine I've owned.

I should mention every vehicle I've owned except one has had an oil pressure gauge. Call me 'old school' in that regard.
 
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Originally Posted By: Nyogtha

I should mention every vehicle I've owned except one has had an oil pressure gauge. Call me 'old school' in that regard.


Not at all, they should still be in new cars today IMO. My Jeep has the dummy oil gauge. It will go up once it has pressure, but its not "live."

A family friend let my brother borrow his Jeep TJ with the 4.0. The oil pressure gauge was everywhere when we were stopping, starting and idling. Thought something was wrong. Lol. Our boat has a digital live oil pressure gauge. Not sure how accurate it is, but its interesting to watch.
 
Well, it was a sticking point when I was truck shopping last year, it pushed the issue of a nice used Ram Bighorn package truck vs. a not-so-equipped new 2014 Ram ST. Both my wife and the new truck salesman both argued that info was now available through the dashboard information center but I don't want to have to flip through screens of info while driving to get info I'm used to having handy all the time.

And the Bighorn was cheaper and even has auto-dimming side mirrors, which sealed the deal for me.

I'm not against warning lights & sounds, but I want to see what the measured value is, not just that it's in alarm status.
 
FRAM repaired/replaced some RAM Cummins engines a little over a decade ago.

They changed the design of their oil filter from PH3976 to PH3976A as a result.
 
There was someone here who posted in the last month that a chunk of glue came off the inside of the filter and clogged an oil passage on the head of the engine and starved oil to that head. Don't recall the filter brand ... think it was STP.
 
Yes there was that one and a Purolator synthetic with a guys VW bug.

That's all I can think of since being on this site.
 
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I haven't seen the thread with a Purolator Synthetic oil filter and an engine failure.

I tried the Search function but no luck (I don't think this site' Search function has the best functionality though).

Can you post a link?
 
In the interest of accuracy and having just completed reading the 'claimed' filter failure on a VW there are several details worth noting.

First the OP said it was a Puro filter but never specified which filter it was, only linked to the applications, showing either a P1 or Classic. Nowhere in that thread is there a mention of a PSL synthetic filter being used.

Second, an aftermarket remote filter set up was being utilized as VW only uses a screen as original.

Third, the specific linked applications spec no filter integral bypass. That means that the two (in this case) engine bypasses are completely responsible for making sure that bypass psi is not exceeded. And as pointed out and documented by another member the OP of that thread was completely unaware of the oil pump pressure that his VW could produce, far more than the 40 psi he believed.

Lastly, according to OP the entire engine had just been completely rebuilt and the engine bypasses replaced in the process.

Imo there are many other unaccounted for variables beyond the filter to verify/prove that the filter was at fault in that instance. My .02
 
Originally Posted By: sayjac
In the interest of accuracy and having just completed reading the 'claimed' filter failure on a VW there are several details worth noting.

First the OP said it was a Puro filter but never specified which filter it was, only linked to the applications, showing either a P1 or Classic. Nowhere in that thread is there a mention of a PSL synthetic filter being used.

Second, an aftermarket remote filter set up was being utilized as VW only uses a screen as original.

Third, the specific linked applications spec no filter integral bypass. That means that the two (in this case) engine bypasses are completely responsible for making sure that bypass psi is not exceeded. And as pointed out and documented by another member the OP of that thread was completely unaware of the oil pump pressure that his VW could produce, far more than the 40 psi he believed.

Lastly, according to OP the entire engine had just been completely rebuilt and the engine bypasses replaced in the process.

Imo there are many other unaccounted for variables beyond the filter to verify/prove that the filter was at fault in that instance. My .02


Very true. So that being said, I can only recall of 1 true failure. 1.5 if you want to count the VW thread. Lol

As for the post above, I couldn't find it for the life of me. It is fairly recent.. 1-2 months ago or so?
 
Must have been my use of "Purolator Synthetic" in the search field based on your post that caused the search to not find the referenced thread..

So no threads yet of an actual failure with a Purolator Synthetic model?

This must be the referenced thread below. I put "Volkswagen" in the search field this time.

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3466719/1

Unfortunately when I click on the Photobucket link in that thread Photobucket informs me that link takes me to a private album.
 
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