Filter efficiency

[BlindBaby]

Some oil filters tout their efficiency on the side of their box, while others list the percent of efficiency on their web site. the efficiency rating, usually expressed as a percentage is based upon particle size somewhere between 10 and 25 microns.

I would assume all this filter efficiency testing is done in a laboratory under controlled conditions. That being said, what size particles is the filter likely to face once it's been installed?

I realize that contaminant size should vary widely, but in most well-maintained engines, what size contaminants cause the most engine wear?

 

[901Memphis]

ISO 4548-12 is the industry standard. Usually testing for particles in the 20 micron size. Anything over 95% @20 microns is more than enough.

I believe oil filtration isn't big on engine wear, but air filtration is huge to wear.

 

[901Memphis]

As a follow up to my answer, yes all the filter manufacturers have access to their own private iso labs, but not all manufacturers print their efficiency because it's not superb, they only have to meet oem specifications which can be anywhere from 60-94%@20 microns depending on the manufacturer.

Good filters like Fram Ultra or Amsoil EA are in the 99%@20 microns efficiency range. Fram Ultra is actually closer to 99.5% Amsoil EA is 98.7%

Fram Tough Guard is 99%, Wix/Napa Gold are 95%, Fram extra guard is 95%.

I believe Motorcraft is approximately 93.7% from the last published spec

 

[ExMachina]

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis

Good filters like Fram Ultra or Amsoil EA are in the 99%@20 microns efficiency range. Fram Ultra is actually closer to 99.5% Amsoil EA is 98.7%

Fram Tough Guard is 99%, Wix/Napa Gold are 95%, Fram extra guard is 95%.

I believe Motorcraft is approximately 93.7% from the last published spec


Fram Ultra, Amsoil EA, Purolator Synthetic (not the classic or pureone pleaseOil Filter and Royal Purple oil filters are all the best you can do. The other oil filters use a lot of paper in the media, and some only mix in a little synthetic glass fibers. Fram TG, Mobil 1 Extended Performance, Bosch Premium all mix in lots of glass fibers, but still have paper in the media too.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Originally Posted By: ExMachina

Fram Ultra, Amsoil EA, Purolator Synthetic (not the classic or pureone pleaseOil Filter and Royal Purple oil filters are all the best you can do. The other oil filters use a lot of paper in the media, and some only mix in a little synthetic glass fibers. Fram TG, Mobil 1 Extended Performance, Bosch Premium all mix in lots of glass fibers, but still have paper in the media too.


How about Wix XP/Napa Platinum?

 

[ExMachina]

Originally Posted By: slacktide_bitog


How about Wix XP/Napa Platinum?


Not good. https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3502965/1

 

[901Memphis]

Originally Posted By: slacktide_bitog
Originally Posted By: ExMachina

Fram Ultra, Amsoil EA, Purolator Synthetic (not the classic or pureone pleaseOil Filter and Royal Purple oil filters are all the best you can do. The other oil filters use a lot of paper in the media, and some only mix in a little synthetic glass fibers. Fram TG, Mobil 1 Extended Performance, Bosch Premium all mix in lots of glass fibers, but still have paper in the media too.


How about Wix XP/Napa Platinum?


Wix publishes beta ratios that translates to 50% efficiency at 20 microns. Not my cup of tea. People believe that Wix themselves publishes an incorrect figure for their own product.

I can tell you it's been verified that Wix own figures are exactly correct, but you'll have to take my word for it, as well as Wix of course who again publish this figure.

Prepare for possible thread derailment over Wix XP efficiency.

 

[ExMachina]

I don't mean to spoil the plot for the new movie "Terminator: Genisys" out now, but they defeat the Terminators by installing NAPA Platinum oil filters in some killer robots from the future, and Purolator Classics in others. Decisive win for the humans....

 

[901Memphis]

Originally Posted By: ExMachina
I don't mean to spoil the plot for the new movie "Terminator: Genisys" out now, but they defeat the Terminators by installing NAPA Platinum oil filters in some killer robots from the future, and Purolator Classics in others. Decisive win for the humans....

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: ExMachina
I don't mean to spoil the plot for the new movie "Terminator: Genisys" out now, but they defeat the Terminators by installing NAPA Platinum oil filters in some killer robots from the future, and Purolator Classics in others. Decisive win for the humans....


I knew there had to be a good reason for those filters somewhere.

 

[Bud_One]

Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Originally Posted By: ExMachina
I don't mean to spoil the plot for the new movie "Terminator: Genisys" out now, but they defeat the Terminators by installing NAPA Platinum oil filters in some killer robots from the future, and Purolator Classics in others. Decisive win for the humans....


I knew there had to be a good reason for those filters somewhere.

Ok, that was pretty funny

 

[bvance554]

I still get a kick out of the 'synthetic' oil filters. Some people buy into the marketing of adding the word synthetic in front of something. Did someone say fiberglass was a synthetic media? Cellulose is one of the most efficient filter medias out there and anyone who wants to argue otherwise has drunk some synthetic kool aid.

 

[901Memphis]

Originally Posted By: bvance554
I still get a kick out of the 'synthetic' oil filters. Some people buy into the marketing of adding the word synthetic in front of something. Did someone say fiberglass was a synthetic media? Cellulose is one of the most efficient filter medias out there and anyone who wants to argue otherwise has drunk some synthetic kool aid.


I'm sorry but I have to disagree with you. Cellulose media has a lower efficiency and holding capacity than full synthetic microglass media. Cellulose media also degrades in oil and microglass does not making it possible to store indefinitely such as a classic car that gets low mileage but see a long FCI/OCI time wise.

Of course I love Fram Ultras, because of the outstanding specs they pose at bargain prices. 99%+ efficient at 20 microns and 80 % @5 microns with holding capacity up to 32 grams. Show me a cellulose filter that comes close to that.

I will add to the discussion I think it's funny people who buy Fram Ultras or other microglass filters and change them at 5k...as you may have seen I ran my last Ultra for 13k miles.

Also I must state my position on filters in general again that I firmly believe air filter efficiency is far more important than oil filter efficiency. I just use microglass filters so I can do oil changes without changing the filter every time.

We may not be able to prove that high efficiency oil filters result in less engine wear but the possibility is certainly there in theory.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
I can tell you it's been verified that Wix own figures are exactly correct, but you'll have to take my word for it, as well as Wix of course who again publish this figure.

I'll start the derailment.

Are you saying that someone else verified those Wix XP numbers? I'm not asking you to divulge any sources. I'm willing to take your word for it, if, in fact, "someone else" tested them and found those numbers to be accurate.

I get a little skeptical because Motorcraft's published low efficiency numbers were inaccurate, and testing showed them to be better than advertised.

 

[ExMachina]

Originally Posted By: bvance554
I still get a kick out of the 'synthetic' oil filters. Some people buy into the marketing of adding the word synthetic in front of something. Did someone say fiberglass was a synthetic media? Cellulose is one of the most efficient filter medias out there and anyone who wants to argue otherwise has drunk some synthetic kool aid.


Do your research on ISO 4548-12 oil filter multi-pass testing methods, and the numbers published by oil filter makers using various media, and also see for yourself what the thick cellulose pulp paper oil filters look like up close, blocking flow too much, compared with smaller strands of glass fibers, its intuitive:

last 2 from http://www.trailerlife.com/trailer-how-t...ne-oil-filters/

 

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted By: ExMachina
I don't mean to spoil the plot for the new movie "Terminator: Genisys" out now, but they defeat the Terminators by installing NAPA Platinum oil filters in some killer robots from the future, and Purolator Classics in others. Decisive win for the humans....


[censored] I was gonna see that this weekend!

 

[BlindBaby]

I checked Wix's website; where are you finding their efficiency numbers?

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
I can tell you it's been verified that Wix own figures are exactly correct, but you'll have to take my word for it, as well as Wix of course who again publish this figure.

I'll start the derailment.

Are you saying that someone else verified those Wix XP numbers? I'm not asking you to divulge any sources. I'm willing to take your word for it, if, in fact, "someone else" tested them and found those numbers to be accurate.

I get a little skeptical because Motorcraft's published low efficiency numbers were inaccurate, and testing showed them to be better than advertised.


Guess you missed the talk awhile back when Batman did some secret lab testing on the WIX XP and concluded the low efficiency numbers seemed to be caused by internal leakage.

 

[ExMachina]

Originally Posted By: BlindBaby
I checked Wix's website; where are you finding their efficiency numbers?


You have to look up your oil filter on the web. For example, for a PF48 equivalent Wix XP, see http://www.wixfilters.com/Lookup/PartDetails.aspx?Part=1863386
and notice the B2=20, well thats a Beta filter performance measure, and the "2" means 100% divided by 2, which gives us 50%, and the "20" means 20 microns, so this filter is ISO 4548-12 50% at >=20 microns particles.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: ExMachina
B2=20, well thats a Beta filter performance measure, and the "2" means 100% divided by 2, which gives us 50% ...


It doesn't quite work that way.

B = Beta Ratio

Efficiency % = (B-1)/B X 100

Examples:

Beta Ratio -- Eff %
2 -- 50.00
5 -- 80.00
10 -- 90.00
15 -- 93.33
20 -- 95.00
25 -- 96.00
50 -- 98.00
75 -- 98.67
100 -- 99.00
10000 -- 99.99