How often do oil filters bypass?

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How commonly do oil filters go into bypass? Anybody know or thought of ways to test this?

I suppose in engines with a block mount bypass like Chevrolets, you could mount some kind of simple contact switch to test this.
 
Hopefully, never.
It is a safety backup so the filter doesn't burst from high pressure. Also for filthy plugged internal media.
You also have a pressure regulator on the oil pump, and should be using the correct oil .

Does it go off ever? Could be.
Not in normal use. Only way extreme conditions.
 
gary allen has done some research on this.. use google advanced searching his name with your question. Maybe gary will come along here to give some information.
 
Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
how about during engine start up in the morning ?

I would say a very good possibility,especially in cold temps and thicker oils.
 
I'm thinking they go into bi-pass more than we think, especially with thicker oils in the winter time. Great question!
 
VERY long time ago I asked 'FilterGuy' this same question...
and he told me sometimes at start up or at very high RPM's

What ever happend to him ?
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The tests Gary ran on his van suggested seldom even with a dirty filter. Other conditions may be different. One more subject to have passionate discussions undisturbed by facts.
 
It was either Gary Allan or somebody else who told me that a thicker oil will cause an oil filter to go into bypass more than a thinner oil.
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YMMV- the more you're in pump relief, the higher your PSID. Once the pump is out of relief, the filter is mostly invisible. Once there's a single flow out of the pump, the filters drops in line (as in "get in line you pipsqueak") in terms of relative resistance/restriction ..which the engine a much bigger player.

Loading can and will alter this generic description. It would tend to increase PSID since you're basically dealing with a smaller filter. Volume limits, which aren't normally apparent to your run of the mill driver, will perhaps come into play to some degree until full warm up occurs. Again, in that scenario you're dealing with a loaded filter that would evidence any volume limits at lower levels.

At cold start, and assuming that there's vacancy in the rest of the engine, you'll see some PSID until the engine is fully enveloped, providing "back pressure" ....shoring up the back side of the media. That doesn't mean that it reaches the bypass threshold.

Engines with high volumes, higher pressure limits, higher cold pressures and otherwise exceptional conditions will have varied instances of elevated PSID ..but for your common Joe Q. daily driver ..any events will probably be transient and unremarkable.

In my observations with new and used filters it's not a matter to dwell on.
 
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