Serious, or not so much?

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Literally for decades now, there have been stories surrounding oil filters being junk. It seems to me it all started with the (in)famous "orange can of death". Now, those filters are considered by many to be some of the better ones available.

I've been cutting open both new and used oil filters myself for years, along with seeing videos on YouTube and reading here about other issues people have discovered. Last year I cut open a brand new MC oil filter and found the silicone ADBV had a razor fine slice going into it. There have been stories of the plastic E-core supports collapsing. Filtering media has been found torn, both before and after use. People complain about the "cheap", "junk" leaf spring some manufacturers use to support the media. Some filter brands that are typically held in high regard are then reported to do poor jobs of filtering. I could go on and on about the negative problems people (myself included) have identified, but I think we all get the point. Just recently I purchased a SuperTech and Ac Delco filter for the same application. Despite both having the same construction and manufacturer, I found the SuperTech doesn't have a bypass valve in the spring, yet the AC Delco does. Two filters for the same platform, but one doesn't even have a bypass valve? How is that possible?!

On the flip side, it would seem that oil filters SHOULD BE more critical now to an engines livelihood than ever before due to the technology of today's powerplants. Ford/Motorcraft just recently came out touting USCAR-36, and how excellent their oil filters are made and tested. Filter manufacturers promote even their most basic filters as being good for 5,000 or 10,000 miles, despite some of these filters using the deadly cardboard "paper" endcaps that are supposed to destroy your engine.

Despite all this, I've never heard of widespread engine deaths due to oil filters. Being a shade-tree mechanic myself, as well as knowing a lot of people in the industry, it seems most oil related issues are found to be the result of improper oil/OCI's. So exactly how critical IS the oil filter? Is the majority of this gloom & doom internet hype? I really don't know anymore.


II
 
Fram has been the brand I've used the most over the years. Never a single problem whatsoever. I have a TG on my Accord as I type.
 
Originally Posted by ZiTS
Filter manufacturers promote even their most basic filters as being good for 5,000 or 10,000 miles, despite some of these filters using the deadly cardboard "paper" endcaps that are supposed to destroy your engine.

Despite all this, I've never heard of widespread engine deaths due to oil filters. Being a shade-tree mechanic myself, as well as knowing a lot of people in the industry, it seems most oil related issues are found to be the result of improper oil/OCI's. So exactly how critical IS the oil filter? Is the majority of this gloom & doom internet hype? I really don't know anymore.

Much of internet message board posting is anectotal and/or rewashed or repeated lore.
Yes, failures occur.
No, it doesn't happen frequently.
Do you preventative maintenance consistently and use proven products.
Turn off the squawk box of the internet panic room.
You'll do just fine.
 
I cannot cover every angle of oil filtration, filter construction etc......so I can't give an omni-encyclopedic response which many here demand.
I look at the concerns you mention this way.

Oil filters are spat out of their assembly lines to begin with.
Line time is rented out to whatever company needs filters.
I bet the changeovers are, "Hurry up, hurry up. We got 15,000 of these to make before morning's changeover".
It's to be expected.
Assembly line slaves aren't going to stand up and point out flaws. They'd have their heads shot off by the line boss.
Always remember to get real.

In short, design in "sooner than necessary" oil + filter changes to bridge failed filters.

1) This is why I'm not a huge fan of extended OCI's.
2) Maybe element filters are superior because you can inspect them?
3) Maybe elements are superior because the rinky-dink springs and flapping ADBV's can be eliminated?
4) Don't cars employing element style filters have bypass circuits built into the engines?
Hmm...wouldn't those parts be inaccessible if someone severely gunked up their engine.
 
In the late 50's or early 60's Rambler used to advertise how inexpensive their cars were to own. They had washable oil bath air cleaners and no expensive unnecessary oil filters. They were a good simple car. six cylinder, some were flat heads, 3 speed manual. big clutch, drum brakes, small inexpensive tires. They were good basic cars, my aunt ran way past 100K with hers, pretty much unheard on in the 60's. Hers was the "fancy" onw with full hubcaps and a RADIO!!!

Rod
 
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The majority of drivers could care less about oil and filters. As long as the vehicle will start and get them from point A to B and back, no worries. And I would venture to guess there are not many cars disabled on the side of the road due to the type of oil used or type of filter used.
 
I don't think oil filters are very important once an engine is broken in and maintained with some care. Volkswagon prooved this with the air cooled engines in the 50's,60's and 70's. Those only had a screen in the bottom and no other filter. They ran as long as any other engine did in those days.
 
Originally Posted by Bud
The majority of drivers could care less about oil and filters. As long as the vehicle will start and get them from point A to B and back, no worries. And I would venture to guess there are not many cars disabled on the side of the road due to the type of oil used or type of filter used.


Exactly. And it's up to the Bitoggers to deal with these important first world issues.
laugh.gif
 
These days I look for a filter with a silicone ADBV. I feel it identifies a filter of good quality.

The post I read about tears in Motorcraft filters letting small chunks of filter media loose into the oil stream does not have me feeling good about Motorcraft filters however.
 
Just seems a little depressing that, with all the various oil filters available for every automobile, there doesn't appear to be any that are consistently leaps & bounds better than another. Perhaps the oil filter industry has shot itself in the foot by putting out entirely too many different filters to cover so many different engines/applications.


II
 
Originally Posted by ZiTS
Just seems a little depressing that, with all the various oil filters available for every automobile, there doesn't appear to be any that are consistently leaps & bounds better than another. Perhaps the oil filter industry has shot itself in the foot by putting out entirely too many different filters to cover so many different engines/applications.


But average Joe doesn't realise this, and will continue his quest for what he feels is the best filter. And with multiple selections coming from just a few manufacturers, everyone makes money.
 
Originally Posted by Chris142
I don't think oil filters are very important once an engine is broken in and maintained with some care. Volkswagon prooved this with the air cooled engines in the 50's,60's and 70's. Those only had a screen in the bottom and no other filter. They ran as long as any other engine did in those days.


I can go days without seeing a Volkswagen on the road. Maybe the screen idea of the 60s, 70s.....etc. wasn't such a good one.
 
Originally Posted by ragtoplvr
In the late 50's or early 60's Rambler used to advertise how inexpensive their cars were to own. They had washable oil bath air cleaners and no expensive unnecessary oil filters. They were a good simple car. six cylinder, some were flat heads, 3 speed manual. big clutch, drum brakes, small inexpensive tires. ...
Really? My parents briefly owned a 1959 Rambler, which had the first new-fangled spin-on oil filter I ever saw. Automatic transmission was available then, although ours didn't have one. Most cars had drum brakes then.
 
On an engine that is broken in already what is the oil filter filtering that would be detrimental to the engine if it wasn't filtered? I'm not talking about optimal for engine...what if anything would cause severe long term issues on an average well broken-in engine?
 
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Originally Posted by Triple_Se7en
Originally Posted by Chris142
I don't think oil filters are very important once an engine is broken in and maintained with some care. Volkswagon prooved this with the air cooled engines in the 50's,60's and 70's. Those only had a screen in the bottom and no other filter. They ran as long as any other engine did in those days.


I can go days without seeing a Volkswagen on the road. Maybe the screen idea of the 60s, 70s.....etc. wasn't such a good one.

They seemed to only go 50-60K without needing a jug (cylinder, piston, & ring) replacement job/engine rebuild. How much of that was due to the junky oil of the time working too hard & breaking down, or just not tough enough? I know none made to 300K, that's for sure!
 
Originally Posted by bullwinkle
Originally Posted by Triple_Se7en
Originally Posted by Chris142
I don't think oil filters are very important once an engine is broken in and maintained with some care. Volkswagon prooved this with the air cooled engines in the 50's,60's and 70's. Those only had a screen in the bottom and no other filter. They ran as long as any other engine did in those days.


I can go days without seeing a Volkswagen on the road. Maybe the screen idea of the 60s, 70s.....etc. wasn't such a good one.

They seemed to only go 50-60K without needing a jug (cylinder, piston, & ring) replacement job/engine rebuild. How much of that was due to the junky oil of the time working too hard & breaking down, or just not tough enough? I know none made to 300K, that's for sure!

Most of that was due to low quality oils (it only ran with about 3 quarts) and issues with exhaust valves. Another main issue was people removing the thermostat in them, along with the directors, because their B&S lawn mower didn't have one. Air would then flow more on the cylinders, but not as much the heads. Cool heads and hot cylinders make an engine last. Swapping heads at about 75k and the bottom end would go well into the 100k's.
 
Originally Posted by Chris142
I don't think oil filters are very important once an engine is broken in and maintained with some care. Volkswagon prooved this with the air cooled engines in the 50's,60's and 70's. Those only had a screen in the bottom and no other filter. They ran as long as any other engine did in those days.


VWs if the 60s and 70s were typically ready for a rebuild around 80K-100K miles if maintained. Far less than today when engines go 250K-300K if well maintained. Part of the lower life on the VWs was probably the air cooling which may not have kept oil temperatures down enough.
 
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