Thanks BITOG members, you saved my engine.

[MichiganMadMan]

So I was at Advance Auto yesterday to pick up some Purolator PureONE filters for the Subie, they were on sale if you buy them online and pick them up at the store. Based on some of the guys here with horror stories about returned filters that were used and loose metal tabs on the inside re-enforcement, I looked over each filter carefully.

One of the PureONE filters had the silicone seal that keeps the oil on the outside of the filter so it has to pass through the media was not placed properly when the filter was assembled! This means the filter would have been bypassing a portion of dirty oil all the time. Since it was a web order, the guy at the counter had to "return" the part. He listed the reason for returning it as "defective".

Thanks BITOG members for being a little excentric, you saved me a LOT of trouble. Subaru STI engines are rough on oil and filters, and having the filter bypassing a portion of the oil all the time is terrifying.

If you are in the SE Michigan area and are buying a PureONE, make sure you look at it closely. I get the feeling the parts guy just put it back on the shelf....
In the Auto Industry, we have a NFG tag for defective parts. I didn't see any of those in the store.

MMM

 

[SteveSRT8]

A great story, once again BITOG saves the day!

 

[eljefino]

I took an old OPE belt into AA for them to match to a new one. The guy sold me two and told me to return the one that didn't fit. I tried one and put a black streak/ skid mark on it but it was too loose so I installed the other.

I returned the wrong belt, and saw the guy chuck it in the trash, and ring up the return as "defective".

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

Just doin' my job maam.

 

[MichiganMadMan]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
I took an old OPE belt into AA for them to match to a new one. The guy sold me two and told me to return the one that didn't fit. I tried one and put a black streak/ skid mark on it but it was too loose so I installed the other.

I returned the wrong belt, and saw the guy chuck it in the trash, and ring up the return as "defective".

Working for a parts supplier myself, I would rather have a guy throw out a belt and ring it up as defective 100 times before putting a known defective part back on the shelf.
It seems wasteful to do that, but I could not argue much with him about doing it that way. At least the next guy got an untouched part.

 

[Bruce T]

Could someone please explain this defect to me? Is he talking about the ADBV or bypass valve? What did he see?

 

[Sayjac]

Quote:
Could someone please explain this defect to me? Is he talking about the ADBV or bypass valve? What did he see?
+1 "Silicone seal that keeps the oil on the outside of the filter?" What's that?

The only thing that's silicone on the P1 is the adbv. Not sure how even 'if' that were defective it would allow the P1 filter to be in constant bypass? If not fuctioning properly it might allow oil to drain back out of filter but, that doesn't put the filter in bypass. Big difference in effects. Imo, doesn't make sense.

That said, checking all filters before purchase is always best practice.

 

[Filter guy]

If the ADBV is misaligned so that you can see it when you look down inside the threads, it could allow unfiltered oil to by-pass the element. In fact it could channel oil out before it gets inside the can at that point.

Or you might get lucky and the seal be in tact between the element, ADBV, baseplate assembly, and it is just a cosmetic problem.

Your choice.

I wouldn't..

 

[Sayjac]

Without seeing which Puro bypass type it is, coil spring type or flat spiral spring, I couldn't speculate. That said, neither Puro bypass is made of silicone or has a "silicone seal" as described by the OP, both are made of meta and don't fit the description of the original post.

Certainly if an opening could be seen in the dome bypass, (never seen such) it could bypass oil. Again though, not what the OP described as a silicone seal.

Still not enough information for me to understand what if any issue there was, or what the OP saw.

 

[Filter guy]

Disregard the type of compound used in the ADBV. Buna, silicon, viton..makes no difference as to a complaint of a misaligned ADBV.

Cut open a filter and reassemble it with the ADBV misaligned so that it sticks out inside the threads. What do you then see can happen?

Just because you've never seen it doesn't mean filter manufacturers haven't. No threads, misaligned threads, missing tension springs, poor sealing on the can, missing sealing gasket, and misaligned ADBV are quality issues. Some filter manufacturers have a higher % of these problems than others which are returned ( or written off for credit) by the distributors/stores.

Go get a job as a rep for a filter manufacturing company making calls on these locations. It might open your eyes.

 

[Sayjac]

I'm going by what the OP wrote, not putting words in his mouth. Said the silicone seal was allowing the filter to be in constant bypass, misaligned adbv doesn't automatically mean constant bypass.

As for higher percentage, can point to a recent Champ Super Tech with the centertube stamping defect posted right here with not all the slits open. Happens to all manufactures and one doesn't need to be a filter rep to understand that. But thanks's for the tip.

Still doesn't change that there's not enough information, to understand what is meant by silicone seal.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: MichiganMadMan

One of the PureONE filters had the silicone seal that keeps the oil on the outside of the filter so it has to pass through the media was not placed properly when the filter was assembled! This means the filter would have been bypassing a portion of dirty oil all the time.


The only "seal" that is silicone in a PureOne filter is the ADBV. A bad ADBV will not cause the filter to go into dirty oil "by-pass" mode, but will simply mean the filter will not hold oil after the engine is turned off.

Not using it was the right thing to do.

 

[Sayjac]

Quote:
The only "seal" that is silicone in a PureOne filter is the ADBV. A bad ADBV will not cause the filter to go into dirty oil "by-pass" mode, but will simply mean the filter will not hold oil after the engine is turned off.

Not using it was the right thing to do.
+1

 

[Filter guy]

Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Originally Posted By: MichiganMadMan

One of the PureONE filters had the silicone seal that keeps the oil on the outside of the filter so it has to pass through the media was not placed properly when the filter was assembled! This means the filter would have been bypassing a portion of dirty oil all the time.


The only "seal" that is silicone in a PureOne filter is the ADBV. A bad ADBV will not cause the filter to go into dirty oil "by-pass" mode, but will simply mean the filter will not hold oil after the engine is turned off.

Not using it was the right thing to do.


I suggest you reread what I posted earlier.

A misaligned ADBV can certainly allow unfiltered oil downstream if it protrudes into the "clean side" of the filter element. The clean side being the area down the center of the filter.

And hard as it is to realize, the ADBV does help seal. Why else would there be a neck on the inside area? That is there to seal off the ADBV from the area where the element meets the threaded backplate assembly. Otherwise a straight, flat piece of rubber material would do. As the oil would push it away from the inlet filter holes and then when the engine is shut off the residual oil inside the can would push it back to cover the inlet holes.

 

[Bruce T]

Thanks, guys. Perhaps he was talking about the ADBV, not the bypass valve. It's nice not to be the only one who was a little confused.

Yes, it's frightening to think how many internal defects could be concealed in an assembled filter: portions of the ADBV not seen through holes, tears in the media, bad gluing, filter not being attached to the end caps, defective end caps, parts missing or damaged in the bypass valve, etc.

 

[DavidZ28]

Originally Posted By: MichiganMadMan
In the Auto Industry, we have a NFG tag for defective parts.

MMM


When I worked at a paint store years ago we wrote RFC on the tops of the cans we incorrectly mixed.

 

[MichiganMadMan]

Hi Guys,
Sorry I missed all the discussions, I had a busy weekend. I wish I had my camera phone with me in the store to get a picture of the inside instead of trying to describe it.

It looked like the anti-drainback feature was mis-aligned BADLY and the part that seals to the internal perforated steel (that keeps the filter media from being sucked through the filter) was not sealed at the top. So it would not have the anti-drainback feature and would allow unfiltered oil to pass (as far as I could tell without cutting it open).

Bottom line, it was a bad filter. If it were up to me, I would hit it with a hammer so it's obvious there is something wrong with it. The next guy might not be as excentric as all of us BITOG members.
Anyone can make a bad filter sometimes so check all of yours; even if you look like you are a can short of six pack when you do.
MMM