Originally Posted By: dnewton3
Q: How much junk does an oil filter catch?
A: Depends ...
Depends upon the filter media of each particular brand and model of filter. Most manufatures offer different options for "good, better, best" type folks.
Depends upon the contaminant loading of the oil. How dirty is the engine to start with? How dirty does it tend to run? How often or well is it maintained? A filter can only catch what is thrown it's way. An average filter can look like a hero catching a lot of "junk" in a system full of trash. Conversely, a great filter can look mediocre if there's not much to catch in a clean system.
Depends upon the level of contaminant you're viewing (2um, 10um, 25um, etc). "Normal" full flow filters don't catch many (if any) 3um particles, but they will catch most (if not all) of the 40um particles. Your question does not define the size paricle, so the answer cannot be adequantly defined. Beta ratios are a great way to even the field of judgement.
The "better" one defines the question, the "better" the answer can be.
I want to touch base on the two bits highlighted.
Good, better, best. And beta ratios.
There are consumers who research like [censored] and are told inexpensive HDMI cables work just as well as high dollar Monster cables. Testing by some labs and independent tests, if you read online, show this to be the case. And then there are the consumers who swear their inexpensive cables are great.
So what's this to do with good, better, best. OEM's set the guidelines on what performance they want out of their filter and oil. All filters built in the USA meet or exceed those specs.
Now do you want a 4cyl engine, 6 cyl, or 8cyl one? Everyone one of these will do 70mph on the highway. Good, better, best? All filters will perform based on the OEM's requirements.
Sure it's great to flex your muscles and think yours is better than the next guy. But do you really know how many 10 micron particles are in your oil and how your filter really performs. And is it the 10 micron particles you really need to remove in order to reduce engine wear? Or is it the 15? Or is it the 5? Or is it the 25?
In theory a 10 micron beta 75 rated element regardless of manufacturer would perform the same. True if efficiency is your only criteria. Contaminant capacity and how your relief valve works are also part of the equation. Considering relief valves are always + or - there can be wide variances not only within manufacturers but versus competition.
Consumers going beyond recommended oil change intervals and using better or best elements based on filtration ratings have little idea on contaminant capacity for their special beta ratio'd element and if their filter is loading up so that the relief valve is in an open condition much longer than someone using a less efficient filter. So is having unfiltered oil more damaging than better/best filtered oil at the same time? And as you can not see contaminant how do you know? Yes you can see sludgy oil but people with sludgy oil may not be candidates for better/best filtration.
Those consumers doing oil analysis ( of which i am one), using a quality filter*, making sure they change their oil with plenty of safety factor built in if they are extending drain intervals ( as i do), starting when the vehicle engine is new are generally in very good shape.
* quality filter. people ask me what I have used--STP or Super Tech. If I had a high performance vehicle i'd opt for the Mobile M1 type. Unless I had a Corvette, in which case i'd use the OEM as Champ builds that and it's very good.
