Filter for 26 HP B&S ELS - Summer & Winter Use

[teer]

First post here, I have spent a few hours looking around and getting the feel of the general opinions on the forum... which has really peaked my OCD

I am getting ready to do my annual oil change on my Craftsman tractor running a 26 HP B&S ELS. Tractor was puchased new in 2007, I am only putting on about 25 hours a year and it gets used to mow our small yard in the summer in I mount a 42" snow blower on it in the winter. This engine has the redesigned oval air filter that seals much better than the older ELS.

2007 and 2008 I ran SAE 30 and B&S oil filters. For 2009 I switched to Mobil 1 5w30 and continued with the B&S filter. This year I plan to continue with the Mobil 1 5w30 but want to try a different filter.

I would like to find a 3.4" with very good flow. I was thinking PureOne but am still a bit concerned with the flow rate (I did see the thread about it having better flow than most thought it would). The WIX seems like a good option but the media seems fairly small in the 3/4" (51348) model. Would I be best with a standard Purolator PremiumPlus? Something else I am missing? Is the 3.4" Motorcraft the same thing (FL793), I see the longer version is a popular choice.

Any issue with my oil choice for summer and winter use?

Any help would be appreciated!

 

[Nick R]

The PureONE is a great filter, no flow problems at all. For your application I would switch from M1 to Shell Rotella Syn 5W-40. Those Briggs V-twin engines are rough on oil, they shear it very quickly. Rotella is and HDEO and should hold up a bit better.

 

[teer]

Would you recommend the PureONE over the Wix for this application? Any significant differnce in flow or filtering between the two?

I bought a 5 quart container of the M1 last year, would there be significant harm in finishing it up this year or would you recommend switching now? Where can I buy the Rotella Syn?

Thanks so much!

 

[Nick R]

PureONEs have very solid construction, and are rated for 99.9% efficiency at 20um, I don't think the Wix is. You can save the Mobil 1 for your car, or a smaller lawnmower. You CAN use it in the Vangauard, but if you have something else you can use it in, I would do that. Rotella should be available in Wal-mart, and my local Advance has it. The local napa here has a pretty poor oil selection, yours might be better.

 

[Deltona_Dave]

Several folks here advised me to use the MotorCraft FL-400s oil filter. I picked one up at Walmart for 4 bucks. I have an Intek 22 V-twin. It should fit yours as long as it has the 3/4-16 thread. Much cheaper than the dinky 12 dollar B&S (fram, i think) filter.

The M/C filter is a little longer, about 4 inches, vs 2.5 for the B&S, so you might want to check shroud clearances.

The PureOne purolator is PL20195 or the classic is L20195. All should work on the ELS/Intek Series.
Dave

 

[Sunstealer]

I just put the PureOne PL10241 on my B&S 20HP. What is the difference between it and the PL20195? The PL10241 is a little longer than the Briggs filter, is the PL20195 even longer than it?

 

[Colt45ws]

Yes, L20195 is FL400S size. Its about 4 3/4" tall.

 

[teer]

Looks like I will be buying some Rotella this weekend.

Filter wise, my other concern with the PureONE is the bypass pressure. The stock B&S filter is 8 psi, the 3.4" and 4.8" PureONE filters (PL10241/PL20195) are 12-15 psi, a significant difference for the little B&S. Looks like the same for the PremiumPlus line, all 12-15 psi.

The Wix 3.4" and 4.8" filters (51348/51516) are both rated 8-11 psi bypass. The Motorcraft FL400 (4.8") is 12.5-18.5 psi, I can't find the specs for the FL793 (3.4") but I assume it's the same as the larger one.

Given all this... Wix?, something I'm not looking at or ignore all this and go PureONE?

Thanks!

 

[Nick R]

IMO, the bypass pressure isn't hugely imnportant here, it won't notice it. It probably won't ever go into bypass.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: rudolphna
IMO, the bypass pressure isn't hugely imnportant here, it won't notice it. It probably won't ever go into bypass.


Right. It isn't. Bypass settings are set based on the media in each specific make/model filter and set to protect the media from rupture. It's got nothing to do with the actual throughput of the filter. It's a positive displacement pump feeding the filter. Every drop it pumps has to (and will) go through the filter one way or the other. Some oil pump assys have bypasses built into them, but I dunno of any on OPE engines.

Joel

 

[teer]

I see what you are both saying. My concern comes from two things. Purolator warns against this type of thing relating to the PureONE and motorcycles in their FAQ's. Also, when snow blowing I am often starting the engine well below freezing. I am guessing the oil is more in play at low temps but I thought the bypass would often open when starting in the very cold.

Thanks for talking me through this.