Sorting out information

[greenaccord02]

I was wondering what is the general consensus on proving that one filter is superior to another. I would assume that the only way to 'know for sure' would be to do particle counts on the same vehicle, same driving conditions, same OCI with the same oil. While we can say that 'better' construction and materials would give better results, this is really nothing more than an assumption. To my knowledge, the only time this has been done is the M1 vs. Ea filter test. Even then, the results are only valid for the OCI used in the testing procedure. Has anyone, at any time done another similar test involving other filters?

There's alot of talking about how bad ST and FRAM filters suck, but as nearly as I can tell this is based on the feel of the filter media and construction of the filter whether it be cardboard endcaps or the E-Core structure and not because of documented results. (Note that I'm not saying this is wrong - only unverified) Also, there are claims that WIX is better than PureONE or vice-versa.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to start a nuclear war over oil filters. My reason for this post is my recent purchase of a pickup. While I look for a filter brand, I'd like to be able to sort my data into three groups: data from testing, logical assumptions, and opinion.
From what I can tell here are examples of each:

Data from Testing:
M1 filters appear to be more efficient than Ea on short OCI based on particle count.
Silicone ADBV have a longer lifespan than nitrile rubber.
Logical Assumption:
Orange can Fram elements frequently are not glued to the cardboard endcap properly, so they may be inferior because of unfiltered oil bypassing the element.
The 90915-20004 filter for some toyota engines is superior to other filters in the same application due to it's unique construction.
Opinion:
E-Core is a bad design that is prone to failure, even though this has not been observed.
K&N and M1 are actually the same filter, just with a different enclosure and a nut welded on the K&N version.

What are your thoughts? Maybe I have something wrong? Again, I'm not saying that assumptions and opinions are wrong, I'm just trying to sort out my thoughts.

 

[StevieC]

For me it's the filter that filters the finest Micron rating without affecting flow and proper lubrication in my engine. So far EAO is the best fit, but RP filters might be better and I'm currently checking into these.

 

[greenaccord02]

Yeah, I'm curious about those RPs myself, but I'm more than 45 minutes away from my nearest PB, unfortunately. Funny thing is, I live maybe 15 minutes from the Royal Purple factory.

 

[StevieC]

Next time I'm in the US for groceries and Cheese Cake Factory I will stop in at PB and get a few to try. Before the C-Factory because after that I'm too tired to do anything from all the eating!

 

[Gary Allan]

Quote:
Logical Assumption:
Orange can Fram elements frequently are not glued to the cardboard endcap properly, so they may be inferior because of unfiltered oil bypassing the element.


I've not seen this one. I can't recall the last time I've seen a Fram have the media separate from the end cap. I've seen a few instances where the flexible nature of the cardboard end cap has allowed the ADBV to somewhat collapse it in it's normal doing of its appointed task ..but even that's very rare.

It's more along the lines that most people realize that the cost of sending one filter down the line costs about the same as another ..and that material costs are measured in terms of pennies in difference. The rest is marketing and ROI. Fram's orange can is clearly seeking that shaved nickle in avoided costs. If the practice had any real merit, all others would be copying it ..which Fram themselves do not do on their other filter lines. They don't go to upscale composite or polymer end caps like Hengst (or whomever) ..they "upgrade" to the commonality of metal that's shared by the majority of the industry over a wide span of manufactures.

That is, I imagine (an opinion) that EaO nano-fiber ..Champ Labs synthetic media ...Donaldson's SYNTEQ ...FleetGuard's Stratapore ..etc...etc. don't have a rolling cost difference between them and the lowest Swiss Cheese media that Fram may use .... that amounts to more than a quarter (or dime) more per filter. It's the patent licenses and royalties involved and/or the marketing costs associated with the brand name. Then you add ROI on just the hands of distribution.

That is, even if finer media costs twice as much in the purchasing end of things, I doubt that it would add up to much in itself. It's the "handling charges" that really define end user costs.


I wish Pete C. would give us some scale in terms of differences in (stuff like) media costs. I can't see the stuff being overly expensive to begin with ..and 2X pennies is still pennies ..it's just when you add it up in some bean counter convention that it looks big.

 

[greenaccord02]

Great response - I think I saw that about Frams not being glued correctly on another site a year or more ago. Initially, it was a obsession with oil filters that brought me to Bitog. As I remember the writeup had pictures of a number of cardboard end caps that had either separated from the media or were never glued right in the first place. I also read somewhere that somebody had cut open a fram and found that the filter media was nothing but newspaper, but I'm pretty sure that was an old wives' tale being spread on some ricer forum.

 

[Steve S]

In real life even the cheapest filters allow the engine to outlast the rest of the car.

 

[greenaccord02]

Originally Posted By: Steve S
In real life even the cheapest filters allow the engine to outlast the rest of the car.


QFT, however as my FIL said the other day about buying some oil filters for his new Toyota Tacoma, "I buy the stuff I think is the best. I don't know whether it's really the best or not and I don't know if in some cases it matters. But I still buy it so I don't have to worry about whether it's the best or not. So from a mental health standpoint it is in my best interest to buy the stuff that I think is the best."

So I'm just asking for my mental health more than for the sake of the vehicle.

 

[labman]

It is amazing how the whole internet is filled with strong opinions hardly contaminated with facts.

 

[Gary Allan]

Originally Posted By: greenaccord02
I also read somewhere that somebody had cut open a fram and found that the filter media was nothing but newspaper, but I'm pretty sure that was an old wives' tale being spread on some ricer forum.


The old canister bypass filters were shredded newspaper at one time. The MEGA BIG LuberFiner CT 500 and CT 750 use what they call "blended cellulose", not unlike in appearance to rock wool insulation, ..and could probably qualify as shredded news paper.


Fram, I'm sure, has had its fair share of defects just like any other filter manufacturer. That would include someone finding the end cap separated from the media at some point or another. We've seen Baldwins with short center tubes .. I'm sure a bad ADBV ...even made of silicon, has passed through WIX ..someone didn't change the cutter on the thread machine in time ..or something got out of adjustment before the in process inspector or QC found it. These things happen.

I think that we're just talking standards here. The orange can just seem to be at the lower end of what constitutes a viable filter.

 

[ryland]

The more I change my oil the more I think that OEM filters are the best choice.

In my jeep jk they are the only brand that has never caused start up clatter from a dry engine because of the adbv failing.

In my honda element they have a beefy adbv and a unique seling ring that makes it go on perfectly and come off easily.

My advice from my own experiance is to use OEM and buy online in bulk. Or if in a pinch the only filters that I've used that were good that were not OEM are Napa gold (wix), and Purolator pureone but I have not had good luck with the normal purolator.