Bypass filters for daily driver?

[Jeremiah]

I was reading Blackstone Lab's page yesterday and was a bit shocked to discover...

1) For all the Hype / Talk about synthetics, Blackstone doesn't seem to be impressed. They use conventional oil in their vehicles - which speaks VOLUMES to me.

2) The only product they recommend on their site ANYWHERE is a oil bypass filter.

Does anyone have any good independent data about bypass filters? Of the filter kits out there, what's a good value? Anyone figure out a DIY solution yet? It seems many of these kits approach $600 quickly with filters ranging from $20 - $80!!!

These guys are using standard toilet paper as their filter. Looks like they need to be changed with greater frequency, but the price point is attractive.
http://www.bypassfilter.com/index.htm

More systems that looked interesting & expensive:
http://bestsyntheticoil.com/amsoil/by-pass.shtml
http://www.oilguard.com/Merchant4/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=mtm&Category_Code=eps
http://www.amsoil.com/StoreFront/bf.aspx
http://www.gulfcoastfilters.com/Products-2.htm
http://www.smartmaintenance.com/products-puradyn-oil-bypass-filters.html#show3

I'd like to extend my middle finger to the dozens of bypass filter distributors who don't bother putting prices on their web site.

 

[surfstar]

I take Bill's (from Utah) approach:

Did you run synthetic and a bypass on your Celica? Its got 240k + miles on it - how much farther do you want the engine to go?

IMO its overkill for most any daily driver and using any modern oil and filter will make engines last plenty long. Save the cost of a bypass filter setup for more gas with today's prices and you WILL go farther for the same amount of money.

 

[Jeremiah]

Mostly I'm interested in bypass for the Tracker, as I'll be off-roading it a lot, and probably producing a lot of dirty oil. I'm mostly concerned with the cost of element replacement. I can run a 2 or 3 TP's in parallel to extend the OCI out to 4k-6k miles, but that might take up a lot of room.

If I can find a solution for the Celica that's under $100, I'll go for it (kind of a "why not" thing at that point). Other than that, I'll just keep my OCI at 5k miles with the Celica and wait 'till she dies... at which point she'll be getting a V6 and bypass for sure

 

[Jeremiah]

Whoops... I JUST noticed the forum for bypass filters *blush* Not sure how to delete / move this post to the proper place.

 

[TimVipond]

I'd just go with:
1995 TOYOTA CELICA 1.8L or 2.2L 4-cyl Engine Code 7A-FE

FILTERS
Oil Filter........ EAO09 AMSOIL Ea Oil Filter
Air Filter........ EAA205 Absolute Efficiency Air Filter

1996 GEO TRACKER 1.6L 4-cyl Engine Code 6 16-valve

FILTERS
Oil Filter........ EAO57 AMSOIL Ea Oil Filter

The air filter is 99% efficient at 2 microns. MSRP = $34.15
The oil filters are 99% efficient at 15 microns MSRP = $15.30.

 

[Steve S]

I wouldn't put a bypass on any of your vehicles ,Why cause how many miles on them? How long do you plan to push the oil change intervals? The Amsoils work and are pretty well priced for a complete setup adn there is not a whole lot of fiddeling with changing the elements. A real bonus if syn oil is used. I was thinking of putting one when my wife bought her Ford diesel truck to tow around her horses but with the mmiles she puts on it less than 15,000 miles a year and the engine should last atit is not worth it.

 

[unDummy]

You should visit ebay regularly. Frantz TP filters usually cost less then $100. Luberfiner, racors.... pop up every now an then. A 200-s luber-finer sold recently for $10.

If you are looking simply to keep the oil clean and extend the OCI, the TP filters are your best bet. Stilko, Motorguard, and Frantz use TP as the media.

Also, bypass filters add a little to oil capacity. For some smaller sumps, this can only help.

I think that the bypass filter is a 'feel good' mod. If you want it, get it. Don't let anyone convince you that you don't need it, or that it'll not pay off. Owning a car doesn't pay off but we buy them in droves.

Another option is a remote or dual remote oil filter. This way, you can improve filtration, oil capacity, oil cooling, increase OCI,.... without the bypass filter.

Prices of many bypass filter kits are outrageous. But, those prices seem to cater to big marine, construction, and OTR diesel engines, where cost is little when spread over 1000's of hours or million miles.

 

[Gary Allan]

undummy just about said it all. Steve S brings up a good point. If you're into the deeper end of the engine's life cycle, you've missed out on much of the benefit of bypass filtration due to abrasive wear reduction. As undummy points out, sorta, is that a tp filter can, especially with dino use, reduce drains enough by keeping the oil viable much longer.

 

[Jeremiah]

Okay...

The Celica is eventually getting a V6 swap (when engine dies). I realize, for now, it will be a "feel good" swap. It's more of a prep for the V6 than anything... but I think if I get a bypass that filters out fuel (the #1 killer of high-mileage engine oil) it'll help the 1.8L last that much longer.

The Tracker is made by Suzuki, and they're known for going 200K + miles. It's also an off-road rig, so it's going to spend a lot of time taking abuse (rock crawling, playing in dusty / muddy roads etc) and I think it will benefit from the larger oil capacity, better cooling, and better particle / watter / fuel protection.

That said... I'm looking more and more at the TP and OB1305 filter systems(that take the B50). Does the B50 filter out fuel / watter?

 

[Pete C.]

I don't know of any filter that will remove fuel from oil. The problem being the two are related in chemical make up.

There are (fuel) filters that remove water from both gasoline and diesel fuels. But none, that I'm aware of, that remove water from oil that are economical enough to use in your application. If you run it long enough and warm enough, the water will evaporate out of the oil, unless you have a coolant leak in your engine.

 

[Jeremiah]

Pete C,
Thanks for the heads up. I re-read this FAQ for Ralph Wood's bypass filters:
http://www.bypassfilter.com/faqs.htm

Looks like I mixed some things up in the FAQ... that's what I get for reading past midnight

It will filter out water though

"How effective are Motor Guard filters for filtration?
... the cellulose will absorb and hold up to 6 ounces of water - thereby eliminating water as a sludge factor... "

Not sure how important the water filtration will be, as I don't think condensation is going to be that much of an issue, and I hope my head gasket's good.

And, in my 4 banger, the filter change is 4,000 miles:
"How often will I need to change my Motor Guard filter?
...Normally an 8 cylinder will need a filter change every 2,000 miles; a 6 every 3,000 miles and a 4 every 4,000 miles..."


From what I'm reading, it appears no other sub $200 filter extracts water... someone please correct me if I'm wrong.


Not sure that I'm going with the Ralph Wood version. I have a hard time spending $140 for what amounts to be a TP canister with in/out holes. Other than ebay, where's a good place to source these?