Oil Filters---Really?

[Yup]

Originally Posted By: lubricatosaurus
If you're extending oil change intervals to save time, money, and resources, it pays to get better oil filtration.
Believe the people who have tried it:
http://avt.inl.gov/pdf/oilbypass/oilbypassfinalreport.pdf
http://www.microgreenfilter.com/
Other than that, Fram needs to present some better evidence that smaller particles inside your engine has some benefit, since their Ultra filter works better at sub 20 microns than most oil filters.

Also, I haven't found many studies to show how an oil filter actually improves filtration performance as it collects soot and sludge, and other particles. Like air filters are known to do on the way to clogging.


Wow, those were good links. At least the top one being .gov I trust some. That's what I'm asking. I mean, has anyone (this article above kind of did) run their oil with a name brand yet cheap filter for 10k and then a great filter for 10k and done a few of these to statistically show that there's more bad stuff in the oil if you don't use a great filter? Also, like someone said, Toyota (and others) want high flow and don't care much about filtration. And my dads old cars growing up went 250+k and rusted out or got electrical issues before anything near wrong with the engine occurred. He'd leave Fram OCODS on for a double run once in a while because our local store was out of the specific model (small town, no Internet in the 80s and 90s)

 

[CarbonSteel]

Originally Posted By: Yup
That's what I'm asking. I mean, has anyone (this article above kind of did) run their oil with a name brand yet cheap filter for 10k and then a great filter for 10k and done a few of these to statistically show that there's more bad stuff in the oil if you don't use a great filter?
I ran MC FL-820s filters (not cheaply made, but only about 93.7% efficient @ 20 microns) and then switched to a FRAM Ultra (99.9% efficient @ 20 microns) and there was only a very slight difference in the insolubles in UOAs. The differences could have been statistical noise, though the MCs were typically ran 5-7K and the FRAM were 15K+.

 

[goodtimes]

Originally Posted By: JC1
Originally Posted By: Yup
.....
So, does it REALLY matter? I mean, OK, there's probably stats and flow rates and filter rates and microns...but in all honesty...does my engine care??? I honestly believe the answer is, "NO!" But I know that goes against many on the BITOG forums.


BINGO, youre engine doesn't care!

No one cares less about your engine than other people, don't use a filter, use, no oil, oil, makes no difference to anyone. I use a high quality filter every change, and no one cares about that either.

 

[lubricatosaurus]

Originally Posted By: goodtimes
No one cares less about your engine than other people, don't use a filter, use, no oil, oil, makes no difference to anyone.

right! I for one love it when somebody puts up a youtube video of a no-oil engine running. Entertainment.

 

[SirTanon]

Frankly, if you have that many of those filters, and they only cost you $1.50 each, your best bet is to run the filters the same interval as the oil. Personally, I don't think I'd consider those filters to be viable for any more than a standard 7500 - 10,000 mile run.

If you want a filter that can run twice that, I'd look at a full synthetic, like an Ultra or RP.

 

[bunnspecial]

I use Motorcrafts on everything. Most of the vehicles I tend to are FoMoCo products in some form or fashion(primarily Lincolns), but stick with Motorcraft on the others also.

To me, a $5-7 filter(BTW, I buy at the dealer since many of the parts houses don't stock the FL2021 I need for my LS and I find their prices comparable to other retailers) is just factored into the cost of the oil change. On my DD LS, I run Mobil 1 for 10,000 miles of mostly 70mph+, long distance interstate driving(which I know is pretty much "ideal" conditions for an engine) and changing the filter is just peace of mind.

On other vehicles(not all mine)-where I tend to change the oil annually rather than with mileage, I could probably get away with not changing the filter every time but for the amount of time and cost it adds to the change I'd rather just go ahead and change it.