Uneven pleat spacing

[CELICA_XX]

I saw this filter on the shelf without a box and it caught my eye.

Some of these pleats were forced so close together its ridiculous. Not just around the crimp either, it was uneven all the way around.

On the last picture, these 7 pleats might as well have been glued together.

I love the Ultra, but this was disappointing to me.

 

[Nate1979]

Why does it matter?

 

[Brybo86]

U should have checked a few others for consistency

 

[bvance554]

I don't know if it matters, but it looks like terrible quality control. Its almost shameful to have Made in the USA printed on the side of it. My made in China $2.86 Pronto cartridge filters 'look' to be of much greater quality than that.

 

[jhellwig]

Why would pleat spacing affect filtering ability or quality?

 

[Merkava_4]

Where's the wire mesh? Isn't there supposed to be wire mesh on there?

 

[ZeeOSix]

Wire mesh is underneath the media layers.

 

[Merkava_4]

Jee, looking at the picture on the box, the first layer is the wire mesh with two layers of media on top of the wire mesh. That's bassackwards.

 

[sir1900]

Uneven pleat spacing is typical. I have three XG9972 in my stash and they are all like that.

 

[Merkava_4]

I'm thinking of air filters with the wire mesh on the outside.

 

[jhellwig]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
I'm thinking of air filters with the wire mesh on the outside.

There isn't wire mesh on the outside of an air filter either. You are smoking more crack than usual.

 

[spasm3]

As long as we are not seeing tears, I would not worry about it. I'm using the spin on fram ultras( and i hate the orange can) until I feel purolator has improved.

 

[Lubener]

That media is very robust, I would not expect a failure from that filter. I hope they aren't taking lessons from Purolator.

 

[goodtimes]

It was said the reason the Ultra has metal end caps and the other models use fiber caps was the mesh screen needed metal to attach to. Looks like they figured out a way. The unevenness isn't hurting anything because of the strength of the mesh. so far the canned type Ultras with metal end caps have looked pretty even.

 

[dlundblad]

Pleat spacing shouldnt be an issue. The media will remain straight and no tear.

Havent there been reports of this style falling apart though?

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: jhellwig
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
I'm thinking of air filters with the wire mesh on the outside.

There isn't wire mesh on the outside of an air filter either. You are smoking more crack than usual.

Wire mesh on the clean side of Fram air filter for 2006 Volvo V70

 

[CarbonSteel]

Originally Posted By: CELICA_XX
On the last picture, these 7 pleats might as well have been glued together. I love the Ultra, but this was disappointing to me.
So somehow oil under pressure would not be able to pass through the pleats when they are this close together? IMHO, I see this is a total non-issue, but if the pleats were arranged the opposite way (all spread out), then there might be something to discuss.

 

[CELICA_XX]

Originally Posted By: jhellwig
Why would pleat spacing affect filtering ability or quality?


Because the job of "filtering" is now spread across about 75% of the media... vs 100% if the pleats were spaced equally.

The contaminants are going to load up in the big wide-open pleats, whereas the other pleats are going to remain underutilized.

This will affect lifespan and holding capacity of the filter.

 

[SirTanon]

Originally Posted By: CELICA_XX
Originally Posted By: jhellwig
Why would pleat spacing affect filtering ability or quality?


Because the job of "filtering" is now spread across about 75% of the media... vs 100% if the pleats were spaced equally.

The contaminants are going to load up in the big wide-open pleats, whereas the other pleats are going to remain underutilized.

This will affect lifespan and holding capacity of the filter.


I disagree. That thing can easily make the 15k mile rating without a problem.

1 - The material of the filtering media is full synthetic, which allows for full depth-filtering
2 - Even if the wider-spaced pleats "load up" with gunk enough to effect flow (which I don't for one second think they will within the rated OCI), the other pleats are spaced far enough apart that they will still get plenty of oil flow and continue to filter admirably.
3 - Look at some other pictures of many different filters that have even spacing throughout, and you'll see quite a few with relatively close, but even, pleat spacing. What you see here, even in the tightest-spaced pleats, is still plenty big for oil, and the included particulates, to pass through
4 - With the multiple layers, and wire backing, that thing is not going to tear or collapse under normal use, even in a relatively dirty engine, unless you go well past the 15k OCI.. even with that spacing.

... Is it ideal? No... but it is still up to the task, due to its robust construction.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: CELICA_XX
Originally Posted By: jhellwig
Why would pleat spacing affect filtering ability or quality?


Because the job of "filtering" is now spread across about 75% of the media... vs 100% if the pleats were spaced equally.

The contaminants are going to load up in the big wide-open pleats, whereas the other pleats are going to remain underutilized.

This will affect lifespan and holding capacity of the filter.


Might not seem like it by looking, but the uneven pleat spacing isn't going to affect the oil flow through the media. The close together pleats aren't going to restrict the oil flow enough to make any real difference. Yeah, having nice even pleat spacing looks good, but it doesn't really make any filtering or flow performance difference.

Having uneven pleat spacing can however cause undue stress on some pleats, and if the media can't take it then you get torn media like you see in the Purolators.