Pics of a (deformed?) Hengst energetic filter element - 04 saab 9-3 8500 mi

[JHZR2]

Hi,

This is from my 04 9-3 SS. It is designed to do ~18000 mile OCIs on GM-LL spec oils. Im not sold on the need to drain a factory fill early because of debrs. So long as the filter can hold it and still provide adequate flow through, it seems to me that there isnt much to worry about, since all oil that goes to the engine passes through the filter first.

My car has about 8500 miles on it, and the oil quality is at 53% according to the computer. I pulled a sample for analysis, and also replaced the filter, since it was about time to if there was indeed junk in there. I figure if anything was to be clogging the filter due to the engine being new, it would be close to doing that by the time 8500 hits.

The oil I pulled was dark brown, but clean looking. Clear dark brown is the best explanation, similar to a thermally activated additive package being used well.

WHen I pulled the filter, I was very suprised. The filter in there was a hengst energetic, same as what I replaced it with. I was somewhat unhappy with how the filter looked when I pulled it out.

The filter looked clean overall. The media was rock-hard, but nothing spectacular in it. Using my Bausch and Lomb loupe, the same one I use for grading rare coins, I saw a few shiny specs of metal in each pleat. Very few though.

I am used to seeing cartridge filters on MBs and BMWs. I have mostly used MANN, but have used hengst before as well on my and my father's car. They always have metal or composite endcaps, not the plastic ones like the hengst has.

The issue was that the pleats did not look well aligned and set up, rather, they looked twisted and very poorly spaced. not so great for a German made filter.

The media on the original and replacement Hengst was quite thin. Surely better for preventing high pressure drops, but that may be why it was so bent. Or maybe whoever put the filter in there torqued it too much?

Anyway, Ive attached these pics that hopefully will come through to show the filter.

JMH

P.S. Sorry about posting links, but I am using a free image host, as I dont have my own. The pics dont seem to show up when I use the IMG tags, but this works. No login or popups show up when the link is clicked... you go straight to the pic.


http://www.imageark.net/img.php?id=102606

http://www.imageark.net/img.php?id=102609

 

[Islander]

I was disappointed to find that the AC Delco cartridge filter (Made by Hengst in Germany) on my Chev Cavalier with 2.2 Ecotec Motor was distorted out of shape just like yours. (If not worse and only after 3000 miles.)

Therefore, I plan to use a Carquest (Made by WIX) for my next oil change.

 

[BlazerLT]

Just a question, but does it really matter if the pleasts are slightly deformed if they aren't torn or ripped?

Just doesn't seem to really matter.

 

[JHZR2]

I agree, I dont think it really matters, so long as the media is continuous. Still, Id never seen something like this before.

JMH

 

[labman]

In 13 oil changes, I havent seen anything like that out of my Ecotec. When I started the AC boxes contained a Purflux filter as did Hastings and gasp, arugh Fram. I think I used one each of WIX and STP before discovering I can get Purolators for $4 or less. At the most, my filters have gone about 7K on Pennzoil 5W-30 dino. The Ecotec cap has an O-ring that hits the top of the housing. I think you would break the plastic cap before squashing the element much. How does the Saab work?

 

[jthorner]

quote:

---

Therefore, I plan to use a Carquest (Made by WIX) for my next oil change

---

Wix outsources many of their new/low-volume part numbers. Do not be surprised if you find something other than a Wix-manufactured product in the box.

The "Wix" air filters for my Honda are Made in Korea and look nothing like the typical Wix products.

John

 

[JHZR2]

quote:

---

Originally posted by labman:
In 13 oil changes, I havent seen anything like that out of my Ecotec. When I started the AC boxes contained a Purflux filter as did Hastings and gasp, arugh Fram. I think I used one each of WIX and STP before discovering I can get Purolators for $4 or less. At the most, my filters have gone about 7K on Pennzoil 5W-30 dino. The Ecotec cap has an O-ring that hits the top of the housing. I think you would break the plastic cap before squashing the element much. How does the Saab work?

---

Mine appears more or less the same.

JMH

 

[TooSlick]

It looks like there is circumferential flow field inside the filter housing. This may be a oil filter canister, design issue and not a filter problem.

Tooslick

 

[Islander]

quote:

---

Originally posted by BlazerLT:
Just a question, but does it really matter if the pleasts are slightly deformed if they aren't torn or ripped?

Just doesn't seem to really matter.

---

Maybe there is no reason for concern. Nevertheless, the first two AC Delco filters I used were a different product having pleats with a zig zag type pattern. The first two didn't distort and as a result, looking at the distorted product justs tends to make me uncomfortable. As a result, I am going to try the Carquest to see if it makes any difference.

 

[Finklejag]

The AC Delco's were Purflux filters. GM dumped them and went with the Hengst for awhile. Now the filter is made in Korea. The local Saturn dealer still has the Hengst in a Saturn box.

The Wix filter for the Ecotec is made in Korea also. So the Carquest should be the same.

 

[JHZR2]

haha, see you here, see you there...

I have a good discount source of the hengst-boxed filters, they exist on the internet.

JMH

 

[Tones]

It looks like the element is just slightly compressed when installed, similar to the element inside a spin-on filter, which you would expect. You would not want the element to be rattling around in there. It is possible that the filter was made at the high end of the length tolerance. I certainly would not switch to a different filter make just based on this. Hengst makes a great filter.

 

[Filter guy]

JHZR2

You said you pulled an oil sample, did you send it off for anaylsis and have you got the results back yet?

Sideways looking pleats happen because it takes a human to put the filter together. With one hand on the bottom endcap or on the top endcap ..all it takes is for the person to "twist" the element ever so slightly before the glue in each endcap is cured and the sideways pleats happen.

As has been noted as long as there are no rips or tears, the media is intact and doing it's job.

 

[ZR2RANDO]

Those pleats don't look twisted to me. Those pleats are compressed, plain and simple. Some went one way, some went the other...that is from simple compression, NOT twisting.
Some pleats showed signs of stress due to heavier flow than the adjacent pleats...pretty obvious as well.
Looks like they held up ok for the oil change interval they were exposed to, but probably a good thing they didn't get used for a double interval.
I agree with Tones-
Looks like the tension spring was a little tight, or the cartridge height was a little too tall is all. Apparantly still did its job ok..

 

[JHZR2]

ZR2 - I agree with you fully. Unfortunately the filter was only in there for a half-interval! The car is specced to go up to 30k km (~18k miles) on a GM-LL-A-025 spec synthetic oil.

Filter guy - it just went out today (only pulled it yesterday afternoon).

JMH

 

[Filter guy]

Well as i've seen many a filter assembled..

Look at the orientation of the pleat in the glue in one endcap, then look at the same pleat in the opposite endcap.

One expects them to lineup vertical perfectly.

I can see where this isn't the case. It's more pronounced in the second picture.

You can see all the pleats angling one direction at the base of the endcap. Which, to me, signifies the endcap was slightly twisted before the glue was cured.

To many people focus on the center area of the pleat and can't figure out why pleats distort as they can do.

Sometimes this happens when the paper is to "long" Even a 1/64" of an inch will lead to pleats that twist at manufacturing. To much media means it has to go somewhere when the filter height is constant. The compression of the media within the two endcaps leads to distortion.

 

[ZR2RANDO]

Yes, we have established that this is an example of severe compression, and the patient needs to go see a "shrink". Lets move on. Now we can discuss the effects of said "compression" and the likelyhood, or lack therof, that the patient would see a long and normal OCI, I mean life, whatever...

 

[Filter guy]

So I take it your attempt at sarcasm now means the pleats do look twisted to you. As opposed to your previous adamant post that they weren't.

 

[JHZR2]

Since the media was certainly in tact, it was doing its filtration duties properly.

The question then becomes, do the pleats actually provide much if any reinforcement or mechanical stability, compared simply to rectangles of media of said area and dimension?

I can see that if the media was one large rectangle, the forces in the center would be too high for it to remain together and strong. But with it broken up into small rectangles, so long as the folds arent weakened and the media is in tact, it will do its duty full well, IMO.

JMH

 

[labman]

I am buying the argument the media was compressed rather than twisted. How did that happen? For what these things cost, for what we get, even the $3 Purolators, we are entittled to top quality.

A On assembly at the factory? If so, I credit JHZR2 to have noticed it at installation.

B It was too tall, and compressed when tightened normally.

C Improper installation. Not sure how the Saab works. On the Ecotec, the top clips on to the cap, and the ADBV defeat goes into a tapering hole making it tough to do wrong.

Let's focus on light, not heat.