New oil filter failures (pics coming soon)

[lubeowner]

Holy cow! Hit the jackpot today on failed filters. Did about 50 oil changes and cut open 20 of the filters. Found the usual Fram and its knock off brands all with at least one tear or hole through the media. The media was also heavily distorted and twisted with the endcaps becoming distorted also. I cant believe how many weird brands you have never heard of are just a Fram. They must sell under lots of different names.

Interesting though was a Hastings filter(our Champ # is PH253 chrysler) that was really crappy. The paper was extremely brittle, had a hole torn through about 1/2" and was very twisted and distorted. ADBV was rock hard.

Also I have not been impressed with NAPA silver either. Found another today with very brittle media, with distortion and a few holes torn in the paper.

Now for my rant. We cut open two of our own Champ PH253's today and both extremely damaged where the paper meets the end cap. Media was torn loose from the glue at at least 10 fold points on each filter. Mind you these were the clicker type bypasses. The media was distored where it always is with Champions (where the media is very unevenly spaced)and surprise this is where the filter was torn to **** . It seems that the bypasses must not work and the filter distorts and tears to let the oil through rather than going to bypass. I have no other explanation for the type of damage I am seeing in all the Champion line using clicker type bypass. NONE OF THESE FILTERS WERE INVOLVED IN EXTENDED DRAINS EITHER. THEY WERE 4-5000 MILES. This really ticks me off. I don't want my good reputation tarnished because a filter ends up blowing someones motor.

End rant.

I will get the digi in to work on Tuesday and get the new pics up ASAP.

 

[JMK3rd]

quote:

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Originally posted by lubeowner:
I will get the digi in to work on Tuesday and get the new pics up ASAP.

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I'm getting the popcorn ready!

 

[Triple_Se7en]

I will get the digi in to work on Tuesday and get the new pics up ASAP.
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I will put up more of those yellow Post-Em stickies in my garage - reminding myself to change my yucky Fram oil filters every 3K.

 

[427Z06]

Thanks for the continuing to report on what you observe. You're one of the best assets that came along to this Forum in a long while. Much more informative than the Pollyanna approach of some so called filter experts.

Your observation of the performance of the clicker type bypass is consistent with the evidence presented by some members who either dissect their own filters or carefully observe the performance through other means.

Looks like Champion Lab's cost cutting measure didn't pan out for the consumer on this design. No wonder they are apparently in a rush to replace it with the Ecores. With the Ecores there's only a rubber flap to push open to go into bypass mode. To bad they just didn't stick with a simple and proven design.

 

[ZR2RANDO]

"THEY WERE 4-5000 MILES"
Hope the extended OCI proponants are reading this. Not that every filter is intended to go that distance, but I bet lots of folks assume that they do...and have no idea.
May be a good idea to start checking on which brands really can handle extended OCIs and which brands should not.

 

[labman]

The people paying a premium for Hastings and NAPA Silver aren't going to like your reports. You have even upset me so much that I chopped up the last 2 ST 3950's from my truck. Not many miles, but 3 months of short trips, hick town with plenty of stop lights and stop signs, and Pennzoil dino. No sign of holes in the media. The bypass is at the threaded end, a coil spring pushing a metal plate against a rubber gasket.

 

[427Z06]

quote:

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Originally posted by labman:
I chopped up the last 2 ST 3950's from my truck...

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I've also used the "old-style" ST 3950's that you described and they've held up without a problem for 5K miles. Same with the Purolators, Amsoils, K&Ns, Mobil 1's for up to 7K miles and up to 6 months. All of them were the old style coil spring bypass valves on either end.

 

[jthorner]

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premium for Hastings and NAPA Silver

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Those are the low priced lines from both suppliers. I hope nobody is paying a premium for them!

quote:

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We cut open two of our own Champ PH253's today and both extremely damaged where the paper meets the end cap. Media was torn loose from the glue at at least 10 fold points on each filter. Mind you these were the clicker type bypasses

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Hmmm, maybe the Free After Rebate Bosch Premiums I recently got for my Honda are worth just what I paid for them.

Thanks for posting your information. I have often wondered what fraction of used oil filters have actually had some hidden failure which nobody every knows about. A filter with internal tears isn't going to filter like it should, but normally noone would ever know that the failure had happened.

John

 

[labman]

quote:

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Originally posted by jthorner:

quote:

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premium for Hastings and NAPA Silver

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Those are the low priced lines from both suppliers. I hope nobody is paying a premium for them!
snip....

John

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Around here, Hastings or NAPA silver run more than Purolator, Fram, and the various Champion brands. Used one Hastings and saw nothing inside to justify its higher price.

 

[John W. Colby]

Do you get any of the high end filters through your shop, the ones that supposedly filter down to 10 mocrons and cost $10 or so? I had one installed on my van and would love to know how they hold up.

 

[TooSlick]

I've cut open and examined both Mobil 1 and Amsoil filters that were in service for 12,000 miles/1 year and used with several different Amsoil formulations. Both makes of filters maintained excellent structural and there was no sludge present.

TS

 

[Pablo]

I have torn open Motorcraft FL-1A's after 10,000 miles and have never seen one dead inside (ie ripped, torn or failed)

I'm sure crappy filter design and manufacture play a huge role, but the amount of solids being "caught" most have some effect. I certainly would not advise extended drain intervals with cleaning cycles, high milers switching to syn, etc...

Really looking forward to the photos!!!

 

[ToyotaNSaturn]

I'm looking forward to those photos! After cutting open a 12 year old Fram Extra Guard yesterday, it's obvious there's tons of low-end crap on the market.

 

[lubeowner]

For those asking abot the high end filters:

Motorcraft(factory installed): Extremely good filter, silicone ADBV, even media spacing, no failures even after extended drains. IMO: This is probably the best filter for the money if you can find the good one made by Purolator, orange ADBV.

We have a K & N in testing right now on a vehicle will post report soon.

Mobil 1: We used to carry them and sell to customers who wanted a high end filter, very few and far between were willing to pay extra so we could no longer justify carrying them. I may order up another case for testing on selected vehicles.

BTW: I traced the failed PH253's to new Chrysler SUV's. One was a 03 Durango other was a Jeep. both with 4.7L engines. After my post yesterday we chopped 2 more 253's before I went home, that came off unknown vehicles and both were damged in the exact same way.

My wife has a brand new HEMI Ram truck with this clicker bypass filter on it. About 4 months ago she started it and it made a horrible rattling for about 30 seconds, I am beginning to think it had something to do with the filter. Oil change is not due but am replacing filter today with something else until we get this thing figured out with these failed Champions.

 

[wavinwayne]

Lubeowner,

Did you ever disect a Mobil 1? I've got one on my VW 1.8T right now & I wonder how well it's holding up. I had planned to change my oil & chop the M1 filter open yesterday, but it was waaaaay too nice a day to be stuck under the car getting oily.

I will disect the M1 one day this coming week or next weekend & post pics for everyone's enjoyment!

It will only have 5k miles on it, so I don't expect anything unusual.

Lubeowner, thank you for what you're doing in this forum. You are very informative & helpful!

Keep up the good work!

 

[ZR2RANDO]

I wonder if these failures are a little more prevalent due to this being the end of winter..you know, cold starts, people taking off quick without waiting for warmup that kind of thing. Would be interesting to see if later on during the summer LUBEOWNER doesn't see as many failed filters...then next winter they come back..
Would really let us know that the bypass valves are just not up to the intended job..

 

[Ray H]

I wonder if this could be a well orchestrated smear campaign . . .

 

[wavinwayne]

quote:

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Originally posted by Ray H:
I wonder if this could be a well orchestrated smear campaign . . .

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Anything is possible in an oil forum; however at this point, I give Lubeowner the benefit of the doubt.

 

[ZR2RANDO]

I forgot to ask, How many of these damaged filters did NOT have internal bypasses? Just wondering if filter mount bypasses are doing the job as they should...maintaining oil flow and actually keeping the filter from dealing with extreme psid....

 

[Greaser]

Changing oil and filters on various vehicles (10 anually) over a number of years has yielded a little oil filter knowledge.On average I disassemble around 30 filters a year.Using only Mobil 1,Baldwin,Napa Gold,Purolater Premium Plus filters for my customers they have shown NO defects when I cut them open.The only issue was with a customer refusing to install a short-tubed Baldwin on his new Colorado...understandable.Filters that I have removed and cut open from other lube places yeilded more info.Honda (Fram) are too expensive to justify it's price.Motorcraft are good and inline with A.C.Delco or a Purolator Premium Plus.Napa Gold and the "normal" tubed Baldwin filters are pretty much alike...well made for the money.Mobil 1 are built the best...but big bucks.Any filter with a "clicker" type by-pass is asking for trouble...had a Bosch Premium on my vehicle for 2 days with the clicker and that was that...my advice is to stick with a metal ended,glass/paper media blended,REAL "spring loaded" bypass valved upper priced filter ($5-$7) and keep cutting them open to keep the manufacturers on their toes