Oil Filters

[Forrest]

Have any of you guys checked out this study on oil filters? It's definitely eye opening.

http://members.nbci.com/_XMCM/minimopar/oilfilterstudy.html

I didn't realize how much of a piece of crap some oil filters with big names are. The most shocking of all is Fram! Even Fram's so called high-performance filter, the HP-1 (http://members.nbci.com/_XMCM/minimopar/oilfilter-fram1.txt) is a threat to your engine! I now have to wonder how much engine wear can be attributed to a piece of crap oil filter.

This guy hasn't analyzed Hastings or K&N oil filters yet. Hopefully, those will fair a little better than the filters already tested.

------------------
Forrest

[This message has been edited by Forrest (edited 05-21-2001).]

[BERTRAM BOY]

Hey Forrest,
Woww.... that's a very informative site....There is an oil filter comparison on the Amsoil web site too. although not nearly as indepth.
BERTRAM BOY

[This message has been edited by BERTRAM BOY (edited 05-21-2001).]

[RickR]

Funny thing is a couple of years ago Consumer Reports rated Fram as #1.

Do filters for American pushrod engines even have a anti backup or bypass valve? Isn't the bypass valve for BBC and SBC on the oil filter mount. My F250, Corvette and Donzi filters mount hole side up and are always full when I change oil.

I use Fram and Purolator and change my oil often.

As long as we're on the subject. I am having a difficult time finding Straight 40.

Last couple of years I have been using Kendall GT-1 40W @ $1.89 per QT from Pep Boys.

What are you guys using.

------------------
RICKR
mailto:riggerb@aol.comriggerb@aol.com</A>

[This message has been edited by RickR (edited 05-21-2001).]

[BigGrizzly]

The test is incomplete ther is no data on porosity of the filter paper. The did a similar test at Homda and found the porosity of the paper counts also weather it has a bypass valve or not. No bypass valve and engine dies if filter gets clogged. My only suggestion is use name brands. The fram isn't as bad as the test shows. This test shows ever 5-&gt; ten years. Which is why we tested 50 different oils and 30 dofferent oil filters. I have used all thw major brands and never had a failure due to oil filter fault. bet no one here on the net can find one and prove it either. We tested oils and filters for 3 months 24/7 never had a filter problen that was fault of the filter. Some oils failed but no filters.

Randy

[Forrest]

So Randy, are you saying that it doesn't matter what filter you use as long as it's a name brand, since they all pretty much the same? I clearly see some major differences between filters in that report, including name brands - especially in the area of bypass valves, filter media, and overall construction. Also, I think the letter from the Fram quality control engineer (http://members.nbci.com/_XMCM/minimopar/oilfilter-fram1.txt) basically says it all on Fram filters. What do you use on your engines?

------------------
Forrest

[This message has been edited by Forrest (edited 05-22-2001).]

[PaulO]

2 Years ago I thought that my engine in my Bronco was going because it started to knock during startup. This is usually a sign of bad things to come. To be certain I had no oil contamination, I decided to change it. Oil was fine, took off the Fram filter and replaced it with another brand because it was available (can't remember the brand but it turned out to be one of the OK ones in the write up which I had shortly after this incident). The old motor has never knoocked on startup again. Coincidence? possible, but after reading the write-up, I never bought another Fram. Better safe than sorry.
PaulO

[Looped]

Paul,
I have heard for a good 10 years or so that the Fram filters filter a bit too good and it actually (clogs, chokes, restricts….) the oil from running threw the filter. Your problem that you had could have been related to this. Maybe? Ever since I heard this I always use the factory filter: AC Delco, Motorcraft…

Craig

[PaulO]

Craig,
I thought that the problem was the anti-backflow valve or whatever they call it. I think the filter would drain when it sat since it is one of those filters in an almost verticle position. The article criticized that valve too.
PaulO

[Looped]

Paul,
You’re probably right. I’m thinking back years ago and I just remember some kind of flow issue. I just picked up a Mark VIII last week that I am dreading to do an oil/filter change on when it come time because of this motor being shoehorned in. I will still end up using a Motorcrap whoops I mean Motorcraft on it though.

Craig

[Tim Howland]

Craig,

I have been using Mobil M1-204 on the mouse, but after reading an article by CP Performance I have swapped over to a Moroso 22460. Supposed to have higher flow through the entire rpm range which equates to better oil pressure. Time will tell.

Good luck with
your rat motor,
Tim.

[green16]

I've always used Valvoline Straight 40. It says 'Racing' on the package but that is probably just a marketing tool. Is Valvoline a good oil? I've been able to find it at Advance Auto Parts.
green16

[Looped]

Tim,
You kind of lost me there or maybe I went off the subject once again. That Mark VIII is a Lincoln with 4 over head cams. It’s a nice motor but it is off of the Donzi subject just a bit. Sorry, I do that a lot here (brain farts I guess). No big blocks here, unfortunately.

Craig

[BigGrizzly]

What I was refering too was how many microns rge filter lets pass through. the biger thr holes in the filter rge more particales go through. In our test we liked our own then puralator delco and motor craft. Funny two of them habe the paper made by the same company. Most important it must have a bypass valve. If the filter gets clogged it has to have a bypass or motor will seize. The other point if you change oil and filter as offen as most of us do, it really doesn't matter which filter is used -within reason. Remember every one is bias. Our oil test were very conclusive. Forrest remember the dinner talk at Eufala. I don't use 10w40 nor Mobile One (less then 15-50)I gave the reasions there- too lengthy here to write. Now I have never been a fram fan, but not for the reasons the engineer stated. If the filter reaches manufacture specs then it will work fine providing you don't extend oil change period. One more thing to take into consideration. Todays unleaded fuels leave less contamiments in the oil then the old leadded fuels. Higher engine temps help. 1984 Gm had a study that proved wear was less with a 180 t-stat than a 140 t-stat by almost 40%. This is one of the main reasions I use a closed cooling system. I can run the engine hot and keep the exhaust water below 160deg(prevents salt christalization).

Randy

[jkeefe]

FORREST,
THANKS FOR THE INFO. I WAS GETTING THE VALVE NOISE AS DESCRIBED, THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS GOING IN MY CAR. AT THIS OIL CHANGE I USED A NAPA GOLD FILTER TO REPLACE THE FRAM. THE
NOISE IS NOT PRESENT AT STARTUP NOW. JACK