I wanted to ask if anyone had heard of the ultra filter.This is a filter that can be removed, cleaned and reused.The filter element is made from laser cut,medical grade type 304 stainless steel micronic filter cloth.This is the same stuff hospitals use to filter blood.It claims unmatched protection aganist oil contamination and resulant engine failure.Far superior to any traditional oil filter.Oil changes can be prolonged to 7000 miles.I don't know there website.I suppose you could try ultra filter.com I came across it by accident.The biggest drawback is the price,$99.95.Anyone heard of this filter?
lifetime oil filter
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Cleanable filters with "micronic cloth" are used in the hydraulic industry. However, at some point they still are replaced.
The question is how long do you expect to own your car? So the claim of you'll never need to buy another one may be that they don't expect you to come back to them for that particular vehicle.
The other problem is in the cleaning. Even though an element is cleanable, if you are not careful, the fibers in the "micronic cloth" ends up separating. You'll never know unless you have a microscope. Then you let through the element larger particles, which creates more engine wear.
Also, how does one clean the filter? What are the additional costs. From what I understand about the hydraulic ones that are cleanable, it's more than just taking a hose to one and washing it out.
The next question is, what is their liability should the filter fail? Maybe you'll get a new filter back. Maybe they'll claim your cleaning methods damaged the filter and therefore they'll deny warranty.
Can one offer a cleanable filter for automotive use? Sure.
The next step is to think it through..
The question is how long do you expect to own your car? So the claim of you'll never need to buy another one may be that they don't expect you to come back to them for that particular vehicle.
The other problem is in the cleaning. Even though an element is cleanable, if you are not careful, the fibers in the "micronic cloth" ends up separating. You'll never know unless you have a microscope. Then you let through the element larger particles, which creates more engine wear.
Also, how does one clean the filter? What are the additional costs. From what I understand about the hydraulic ones that are cleanable, it's more than just taking a hose to one and washing it out.
The next question is, what is their liability should the filter fail? Maybe you'll get a new filter back. Maybe they'll claim your cleaning methods damaged the filter and therefore they'll deny warranty.
Can one offer a cleanable filter for automotive use? Sure.
The next step is to think it through..
Not speaking of the product's effectiveness ['cause I don't know], the economics of it don't make much sense in normal use:
Assuming you change your oil every 5,000 miles--
If you drove your car for 75,000 miles before selling it, you save money by buying traditional filters costing less than $6.67
If you drove your car for 60,000 miles before selling it, you save money by buying traditional filters costing less than $8.33
If you drove 50k, then the number reaches $10.
Seeing as there is nothing wrong with the current crop of $2-6 filters [fram TG excluded], I'd opt to use the savings to buy fuel, especially now.
Assuming you change your oil every 5,000 miles--
If you drove your car for 75,000 miles before selling it, you save money by buying traditional filters costing less than $6.67
If you drove your car for 60,000 miles before selling it, you save money by buying traditional filters costing less than $8.33
If you drove 50k, then the number reaches $10.
Seeing as there is nothing wrong with the current crop of $2-6 filters [fram TG excluded], I'd opt to use the savings to buy fuel, especially now.
There is no reason to believe you will get the same result.quote:
Originally posted by Beaker74:
Now that's my kind of analysis.If you're getting the same end result, namely equal engine protection, then the analysis should move to the economics of the product.
If you want a good laugh, read their claims.
Ultra Filter
I checked the filter out on the above link. The 1-2 mpg claim falls under the saying if it sounds to good to be true, it probabally is.
from 1982 til 02 used a "Oberg" stainless filter on every car I owed. It worked great and had great oil sample results when I had them done over the years. It used a 28micron(28 was the rated -largest- sized item that could pass though it, not the "filters down too" quote used by spin on filter companys)screen and would go at least 10,000miles between cleanings-used a idiot lite on its bypass that would lite up when it opened. After at least 10,000miles you would get a lite at cold startups showing the bypass was opening. The only bad thing was it's remote mounting and having to run oil lines that you have to keep a watch on along with it being very messy when cleaning. Still have it(used over 700,000miles-would only bought spin on filter to put on before selling car-did save more than it's cost in filter's over it's lifetime) Am getting old now and just never got around to re-mounting it on todays car-lazy.
I am glad someone else remembers Oberg filters. We used those on our race cars exclusively. I liked them because it was so easy to open up and pull the screen to see just what was on the filter. Sometimes good news, sometimes bad news.
Question then for you Filter Guy, would you use any of the so called "Lifetime Oil Filters" that are out there today. I've come across Pure Power's Lifetime Oil filter @ www.gopurepower.com and also one from CM company (I forget their website address). I too was wondering if these things were any good to use, or stick with my top three: Mobil 1, Pure One, and K & N Oil filter (just oil, NOT the air filters)?
Me personally,..no.
Oberg....I believe was bought by Racor.
I'm not saying pro or con about the filters but cleaning the filter adds another step in the oil change process .Also what do we do with the crud from the filter and the cleaner used?
The Oberg was easy to wash being it was a flat disc. I would reverse air blow the dirt residue into a shop rage after using a can of spray carb cleaner on it to remove the oil residue. What was really scary was opening it up after installing it on a new car the first time, you would see peices of metal from breakin which were no big deal after you realize that with a regular paper filter you never get to see anything unless you had cut it open for a look see. Like I said the wording used with regular paper filters is "filters down to" say 20 micron or 10 micron which means some areas of the paper maybe tight enough to filter down to that level, they never say that is the MAX size that can pass though it! It -the paper- could have 40-50-60micron etc sized holes in it but it can "filter down to" whatever size stated. These stainless filters used in the Oberg are rated by the 'max' size that can pass though-28 micon for the oil filter and on their fuel filter model it was rated at 10 micron. Yes Racor is the maker of them now being Gordon Oberg sold out the filter design to them a few years back and went into making oil filter crusher machines instead to help the recycling process of regular oil filters. Gordon Oberg is from here in the Northwest and is who I bought mine from back in the late 70's/early 80's when he started selling them. They are used by alot of Nascar teams with some of them using a plexaglass cover so as to be able to see whats being caught by the filter to save from having to open it up as often. Don't know if they still do, but every one of the IROC cars had one on them a few years back. They last forever-just about forever.
I use a Canton filter on my Rabbit Convertible. I recall Canton says it's an 8 micron filter element.
Not lifetime, the end cap comes off the cast filter body and the replaceable element gets changed. Periodically, you have to replac the several o-rings and adbv.
fat biker
Not lifetime, the end cap comes off the cast filter body and the replaceable element gets changed. Periodically, you have to replac the several o-rings and adbv.
fat biker
gudmund
I don't know of any filter company anymore which says "down to" anymore.
They will offer the micron rating or beta rating or Weighted average efficiency.
The problem with absolutes is that if one particle gets through, you can't claim that the fitler is absolute at ( in this case) 28 microns.
The problem with filter contaminant is that the particle itself isn't a round marble where it is 28 microns no matter which angle one looks at it.
Depending on how the actual particle arrives at the media it may be 2 microns or 20 or 40.
If you've ever skipped a rock on water, what do you look for? One with a flat surface. That flat---may be like 40 microns. But turn it to the thin side and it may be more like 2 microns.
I personally know the National Sales Manager at Racor as we worked together. Maybe i'll call him on his cell and ask him if they have Beta testing on that filter.
But regardless, the Oberg design has been around awhile.
I don't know of any filter company anymore which says "down to" anymore.
They will offer the micron rating or beta rating or Weighted average efficiency.
The problem with absolutes is that if one particle gets through, you can't claim that the fitler is absolute at ( in this case) 28 microns.
The problem with filter contaminant is that the particle itself isn't a round marble where it is 28 microns no matter which angle one looks at it.
Depending on how the actual particle arrives at the media it may be 2 microns or 20 or 40.
If you've ever skipped a rock on water, what do you look for? One with a flat surface. That flat---may be like 40 microns. But turn it to the thin side and it may be more like 2 microns.
I personally know the National Sales Manager at Racor as we worked together. Maybe i'll call him on his cell and ask him if they have Beta testing on that filter.
But regardless, the Oberg design has been around awhile.
The Pure Power! filter has been in military applications and government use for over 10 years,and came to the consumer market 4 years ago.The micron rating is a avg. 22 micron capture, and as for down to, Pure Power! in testing has captured particles as fine as 5 micron,but the certification is for 5-25 micron capture ratio, again and again.The weave used is 2 layers of 35 micron,filtering down to 5-25 as the cetificate reads. Oil itself is 12-14 microns
How many Bazillion ( not sure on how many zeros for this numeral) miles were put on original Beetles with just a rudimentary screen filter with fairly large holes in it? This screen sat at the very bottom of a 2.3 QT sump and performed very well. Kind of makes you wonder if a better constructed filter could get by with an annual cleaning?
Really !
As to the economics of cleanable stainless filters, Doug Hilary has posted on BITOG several times the costings in relation to his Detroit Diesel 60 Series engines using nominal 35 Micron stainless baskets in concert with Mann Hummel Centrifuges. IIRC, it was something like a 700,000km break even point. (including the cventrifuge) They went to the stainless baskets after using Donaldsons excellent Endurance series full flow filters and after cutting them open at 100,000km, finding nothing in them. The centrifuge was picking up everything.
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