Media embrittlement?

[Johan1]

Hi all, have another question regarding filter media. I did an oil change a few days ago on my 13 Golf tdi, and the filter I pulled out crumbled with the slightest touch on the pleats... Didn't take pictures but looked like the filter here

What causes black, brittle and broken filter media?

Occasionally an oil filter element, removed from its housing during servicing, may show visible damage to the pleated filter media. At first glance, the affected filter may be considered to be defecti

pmmonline.co.uk

I've read the reasons in that article for why a filter could end up like that, but I had a Hengst filter in the car (supposed to be good quality), had the oil in for 6000 miles and 4 months, so standard interval, and used what is believed to be a very good oil in Canada (motomaster oe plus 0w30, made in Germany, has the same specs as shell helix ultra). Any other reasons for brittle filter media other then the reasons listed in that article I posted?

 

[PimTac]

Where did you get this filter from?

 

[Johan1]

Where did you get this filter from?

Rock auto, got 5 in total, not wholesaler closeout items. There is no date stamp on them

 

[Cujet]

Interesting.

We always cut apart Champion aircraft oil filters. Not once have I seen damaged filter media. Sometimes, the oil filters remain in place for years! I'd suspect the filter media quality.

 

[Johan1]

Interesting.

We always cut apart Champion aircraft oil filters. Not once have I seen damaged filter media. Sometimes, the oil filters remain in place for years! I'd suspect the filter media quality.

I've used these hengst filters in CR tdi engines before (and in my older ALH tdi) and I don't recall ever having this issue in either engine. When I removed the filter it looked fine and wasn't visibly torn, it was only when I went to spread the pleats that it started to crumble. I wonder if it was just that one or if the others I got in the batch would be the same if I ran them for the same interval. One of the filters in this batch went on my friends car with the same engine, so whenever I get around to an oil change on his car I guess I'll know

 

[Cujet]

I do appreciate you bringing this up. It may be that these filter elements are sourced from China, regardless of where the filter assy is assembled. Maybe we should not extend filter use beyond the severe use schedule unless we know for a fact the filter we are using is high quality.

 

[Johan1]

I do appreciate you bringing this up. It may be that these filter elements are sourced from China, regardless of where the filter assy is assembled. Maybe we should not extend filter use beyond the severe use schedule unless we know for a fact the filter we are using is high quality.

It's funny you should mention that. These Hengst filters I have are all made in China. Now with that said, I am running a mahle filter in my Mazda 3, which is also made in China, and I cut open the previous mahle filter after 6000 miles of use in the Mazda and posted it here, looked like a great filter and the media was not brittle at all.

So I'm not sure what to make of it, whether Hengst made in China is inferior to the mahle made in China, or simply a bad batch.

 

[Greasymechtech]

Swap the filter half-way thru the interval and see if the filter degradation continues. If so, then you know what NOT to buy in the future.

 

[Johan1]

Swap the filter half-way thru the interval and see if the filter degradation continues. If so, then you know what NOT to buy in the future.

Good point, will definitely do that in the future