NEW CHAMP BYPASS DESIGN

[MADMIKE]

Just bought a couple of ST 7317's at WalMart and noticed a new bypass design similar to Fram's--in the dome end there's a (blue) flat, round plastic valve, with the coil spring now presumably on the other side of the medium. Previously, the bypass coil spring was clearly visible on the inside of the center tube as was the case with all Champ non-clicker bypass valves. Is this a better design? Filter Guy--what's going on? Will this new design replace the clicker-style bypasses as well in time? (The production coding on the the top of the can indicated that these filters were manufactured 12/05 in Mexico)

 

[Mr Magoo]

Personally, I like the coil spring better than a clicker valve.

I also noticed the new design of the ST7317 because I was going to buy a few.

If it was made by ChampLabs, then you will get a decent oil filter for 2 bucks.

 

[Filter guy]

Don't know..guess one of these days I might look at Wal Mart and see what your talking about.

Champ, for years, have had dome end by-pass valves.

Not sure what makes this design different or special. Especialy component wise. The plant in Mexico is run by an QC manager from Illinois who moved there to take over. So that production would be consistent with US produced filters.

As with any filter built in Mexico it needs to be made of Mexican content. That may explain a different color in the valve. But quality wise, every thing is run through the same USA standards.

 

[MADMIKE]

Filter Guy--the design of the valve is completely different, not just the materials. When you look down the center tube all you see is a round, flat pastic valve that's almost flush with the top of the end cap--previous Champ dome-end bypasses always had a coil spring assembly that protruded into the center tube an inch or so. This new design looks just like the one Fram has been using for years. I'm just wondering why the change and if this is a better design. It appears to be a simpler (and probably cheaper) design.