What to look for in a used oil filter

[supton]

Been afraid to show my ignorance, but what the heck. What are we looking for when looking at a used oil filter? I realize metal flecks is a very bad sign; bits of anything is a bad sign. Sludge would be a sign that the oil is being run too long. If I found tear or failure it'd be a sign that I should start a rant on BITOG. Beyond that...

In a prior thread I showed a used filter from my Camry, and someone said it looked like it could go longer. All I could see was that it turned the same color brown as the used engine oil; and that there was nothing in the pleats. I let that filter sit in the trash, on some paper towels, and I noticed it slowly drained off; but I didn't think to keep it, to see if it would come near to its old white-yellow color--to see what might be caught in the pores.

 

[440Magnum]

Thats about it. Metal flakes would be the biggest warning sign- stuff too big to show in an oil analysis, but indicating a major failure in progress. Same stuff they check aircraft engine screens for.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: supton
Been afraid to show my ignorance, but what the heck. What are we looking for when looking at a used oil filter? I realize metal flecks is a very bad sign; bits of anything is a bad sign. Sludge would be a sign that the oil is being run too long. If I found tear or failure it'd be a sign that I should start a rant on BITOG. Beyond that...

In a prior thread I showed a used filter from my Camry, and someone said it looked like it could go longer. All I could see was that it turned the same color brown as the used engine oil; and that there was nothing in the pleats. I let that filter sit in the trash, on some paper towels, and I noticed it slowly drained off; but I didn't think to keep it, to see if it would come near to its old white-yellow color--to see what might be caught in the pores.


Feel fee to rant regardless of whats in the cut apart filter. Polaris will do filter analysis in addition to the normal UOA.

 

[901Memphis]

Collapsed elements, tears in the media or defective parts in the filter too

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

Media tears, deformation, assembly misalignment, heavey solid deposits,condition of ADBV.

 

[4wheeldog]

Just reading the title......I suggest you buy your oil filters new. Used cars, there are some things to know....but used oil filters are pretty much useless. Just sayin'.

 

[jhellwig]

No one can tell how much life a filter has left in it or how "dirty" it is by looking at it. Ignor people who say that.

You are looking for torn or severely deformed media. Any chunks grit of sludge can indicate issues.

 

[dishdude]

Originally Posted By: 4wheeldog
Just reading the title......I suggest you buy your oil filters new. Used cars, there are some things to know....but used oil filters are pretty much useless. Just sayin'.


Ha! I thought the same thing when I read it.

 

[cmhj]

Originally Posted By: dishdude
Originally Posted By: 4wheeldog
Just reading the title......I suggest you buy your oil filters new. Used cars, there are some things to know....but used oil filters are pretty much useless. Just sayin'.


Ha! I thought the same thing when I read it.


Ya I'm still trying to figure this one out!

 

[supton]

Alright, seems pretty straightforward then. That is to say, not much to be discerned, outside of drastic problems.

 

[mjoekingz28]

supton,

Let me suggest you collapse an air filter. Once you get it unraveled and sitting flat (if possible) you can see it is just a certain kind of fiber/paper/cellulose. I did this with a filter in service one year and about 3000 miles and used it for writing with a pen and/or pencil.


I do not know what difference there are between fuel, air, and oil........you'd think a fuel filter would be tough so as not to dissolve in the solvent......and an oil filter probably has specific limitations and responsibilities itself.









As for your question, you could check to make sure everything is in order and looks orderly......then get the media element apart and study its folds and put some light on it and see what it caught!

 

[AuthorEditor]

Look for wavy pleats, tears in the media, any mechanical failures, excessive gunk in the can, a functioning ADBV valve and a functioning bypass valve, of course obvious signs of metal--though it is probably too late if you see that stuff. Some people prefer one type of construction over another, and manufacturers like to change it up when your back is turned. For example, recently we have seen many go from a metal tube with holes to ones with punched louvers--some don't like that style.