A larger, smaller, or otherwise differant oil filter will offer no real benefits or gains. It will not prolong oil changes, it will not make the car go faster or use less fuel. But it will open the prospect of a failure into your cars lubrication system, how ever unlikely.
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- Oil filter size has nothing to do with capacity A larger oil filter size does not mean it has greater filtration capacity In the early days of oil filtration technology there were only a few different types of cellulose filtration papers. So a larger filter generally meant is could trap more particles. That’s no longer true
Is a smaller or bigger oil filter better?
Because the larger filter will have a greater filtering surface than the smaller one. The larger filter may also have a lower pressure drop as oil is passed through it. However, the most important spec is the pressure at which the bypass valve will open.
How do you know what size oil filter you need?
How to Find an Oil Filter by Sizing
- Remove the oil filter and drain the oil into a catch pan. Use a ruler to measure the diameter of the screw hole on the old filter.
- Measure the diameter of the filter. This will include the sealing area of the filter.
- Measure the height of the filter.
How much oil does an oil filter hold?
Most late model V6 engines have a five quart oil capacity, but some may hold six quarts. V8 engines may have a five quart, six quart or even higher oil capacity.
What does filter capacity mean?
A filter’s capacity is often expressed as a chemical-specific theoretical volume that it has the capacity to retain before saturation for that chemical. For example, a filter is rated to hold 250mLs of xylene, then the theoretical volume capacity of that filter for xylene is 250mLs.
What happens if I use the wrong size oil filter?
Using the wrong oil filter can negatively impact oil pressure. If the relief valve is damaged, or the wrong filter is used, too much or too little oil can pass into the engine. Using the wrong oil filter may prevent the filter from sealing properly, leading to problems with oil pressure or leaks.
Does oil filter size affect oil pressure?
oil filter size, has nothing to do with oil pressure. oil pressure is determined by the engines size and the size of the gears in the oil pump.
Is a 20 micron oil filter good?
The key is to look for a filter that tests at the industry standard using particles at 20 microns using the ISO 4548-12 test. Particles in the 10-20 micron range cause the most damage and wear to an engine. FRAM Extra Guard® is 95.7% efficient @ 20 microns using the ISO test.
Can you use any oil filter that fits?
Can I Use Any Car Oil Filter With Synthetic Oil? You will want to check with your vehicle’s manufacturer to make sure, but typically any automotive filters that are made for modern vehicles can be used with any type of oil. The better quality an oil filter is, the better job it will do in filtering contaminants.
What is Micron rating for oil filters?
Nominal Micron Rating expresses the ability of the filter to capture particles of a specified size in microns at an efficiency of 50%. A nominal rating of 50% at 10 microns simply means that a filter captures 50% of contaminants 10 microns in size.
Should you pre fill an oil filter?
An age-old question is whether or not you should pre-fill your new oil filter before installing it in your vehicle. The answer? Pre-filling the filter makes the process easier if you have a large, heavy-duty truck, but if you’re just changing the oil in a smaller car, it’s not necessary.
Does the oil filter hold oil?
It keeps oil where it should be. Motor oil goes through the smaller holes, through the filter material, and then flows to your engine through the center hole.
What does oil capacity filter mean?
It would be easy to think of oil filter ‘capacity’ as the amount of extra oil you need to add when changing both your oil and your oil filter. The longer an engine oil filter is in service, the more debris it will hold.
What does oil capacity mean?
It would be easy to think of oil filter ‘capacity’ as the amount of extra oil you need to add when changing both your oil and your oil filter. The longer an engine oil filter is in service, the more debris it will hold.
How much oil do I put in my filter?
Add Clean Oil and Recycle Oil & Filter: Consult your owner’s manual to find out the correct viscosity and volume you should pour in, but most cars take 4–6 liters.
What is a sus filter?
Using Line Filters to trap dust and dirt to prevent vale or column clogging. The Internal filter is replaceable. Description.
Oil Filter ‘Capacity’: It’s Not Just About How Much Oil it Will Hold
It would be simple to conceive of the ‘capacity’ of an oil filter as the quantity of additional oil that must be added when both the oil and the oil filter are replaced. However, in terms of industry jargon, this is not the correct interpretation. It would be simple to conceive of the ‘capacity’ of an oil filter as the quantity of additional oil that must be added when both the oil and the oil filter are replaced. However, in terms of industry jargon, this is not the correct interpretation. More information is available by clicking here.
When this occurs, the filter permits unfiltered oil to reach important internal engine components, which is preferable than no oil at all but not much better than no oil.” In order to ensure that a replacement oil filter has the capacity to catch and contain all of the debris that is expected to be encountered during its service life, Kerrigan recommends that consumers test the filter before purchasing it.
In general, the longer an engine oil filter is in service, the more junk it will accumulate.
It is possible that the outcome may be disastrous.
“To start with the second question,” Kerrigan explained, “there are a variety of possible sources of particles within an engine.” When casting flash is present, it can break away from the inside of the engine block, or it can break away from the engine’s crankshaft, connecting rods, and even the pistons and valve train components.” The sources of non-metallic debris are as follows: dust and dirt, pieces of gasket material that may become dislodged over time, pieces of disintegrating valve stem seals, and even hardened carbon that can build up on, and then break off of, valve train parts and other oil-wetted internal parts that are subjected to high temperatures that can bake oil into hard carbon deposits, according to Kerrigan.
- Combined, these factors can result in significant quantities of debris accumulating in oil filters over the thousands of miles that pass between oil changes, making it critical to select and install an oil filter with a large amount of capacity.
- To illustrate, consider the following: a Purolator PureOne premium oil filter will catch and securely store up to 13 grams of junk before prompting the bypass valve to open.
- To put it another way, that’s the equivalent of 31 normal-size paper clips, which is a significant amount of waste by any measure.
- ‘Efficiency’ is one of these terms.
- Using the example of a Purolator Classic oil filter, 97.5 percent of particles bigger than a thousandth of an inch in diameter may be captured on average.
- As a result, both types of Purolator oil filters are capable of efficiently removing the majority of particles.
Should I Use A Longer Oil Filter?
Why certain modern automobiles and trucks are equipped with such little oil filters is a question that many people ask on a regular basis. A reader expresses his dissatisfaction and inquires as to whether he may make use of a larger oil filter. “My automobile has a very little oil filter,” a reader writes in to enquire. Is there any reason why I shouldn’t be able to utilize a more extensive filter? “Are there any drawbacks?” says the author. Answer:This is a pretty frequent question, and it is one that we all ask ourselves at some point in our lives.
- According to the responses we received from a number of well-known oil filter manufacturers, today’s engines operate much more cleanly than engines of the past, and capacity is not a major consideration.
- Because many people are concerned about the little oil filters installed in their vehicles, why doesn’t the aftermarket provide larger oil filters (even if they are only for aesthetic purposes)?
- Many oil filters are crammed into small spaces that are already tough to get to in the first place.
- The second point to mention is clearance.
- 3.
- If the aftermarket oil filter is approximately the same size as the factory unit, the filter manufacturer is not opening themselves up to damage claims as they might if they offered longer oil filters that are susceptible to this type of mishap.
Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Use a Longer Oil Filter
Many individuals have had no problems using bigger oil filters, however there are certain drawbacks to be aware of, including the following: 1. Pressure settings for relief and by-pass When looking for a bigger oil filter, many people may examine filter parameters such as thread size, filter diameter, and gasket diameter when making their selection. If all of them match up on a longer filter, they believe they can just utilize the longer filter and have gotten the better of the other guy for the day.
- The setting of the by-pass pressure valve is a critical aspect in determining whether or not an oil filter is compatible.
- This pressure-relief valve opens either during cold starts when the oil is thick or when the filter is clogged with debris, depending on the circumstances.
- This protects the oil filter from failing as a result of excessive oil pressure, and it also keeps the flow of oil to the engine constant throughout operation.
- They were frequently providing exact part numbers, which enabled us to conduct a search to determine whether or not their measurements and bypass valve settings were right.
- Using a filter that was 1.2″ longer than the filter advised for his engine, a Subaru owner was wasting his money.
- Therefore, while this poster was seeking a larger oil filter capacity, the fact that he had a longer oil filter (with a low by-pass setting) meant that his vehicle may potentially be in by-pass mode on a frequent basis.
- 2.
- If you suffer an engine failure that is caused by a faulty oil filter, the firm that makes the filter will reimburse the cost of your repairs.
A bigger oil filter may provide you with the “warm and fuzzies,” but more often than not, the extra capacity is absolutely unnecessary in the first place. Consider if the additional oil filter capacity is worth the danger of running without warranty protection (should the unthinkable happen).
When You Should Consider a Larger Capacity Oil Filter
Engines that have been significantly modified for racing or extremely high performance are examples of situations in which a bigger oil filter might be considered. When high-capacity oil pumps are fitted, a specific racing oil filter should be utilized in conjunction with them. These types of oil filters allow for substantially greater quantities of engine oil circulation than other types of oil filters. It is not necessary to use this sort of racing oil filter in typical passenger vehicle and light truck applications.
How to Gain Capacity with Your Regular-Sized Oil Filter
The use of a synthetic media oil filter in conjunction with an OEM-sized oil filter is one method of increasing oil filter capacity. More pollutants can be captured by synthetic oil filter media materials while maintaining superior flow characteristics at the end of the oil change period. Conventional cellulose (paper) oil filters are only effective in trapping pollutants on the surface of the media. Consider the way coffee grinds are kept in place on the inside of a coffee maker filter’s inside.
Despite the fact that these high-tech synthetic filter materials have extremely small gaps, they are capable of trapping impurities both within and around their surfaces, according to the manufacturer.
How to Gain A Lot More Oil Filter Capacity
Consider installing an oil by-pass filter system if you want to increase your oil capacity, filtering capacity, and particle removal efficiency while lowering your operating costs. Full-flow oil filters eliminate particles in the 15 to 25 micron range when used on a regular basis. By-pass oil filters are capable of eliminating impurities with a micron size ranging from 1 to 2 microns. A by-pass filter system employs a significantly denser filter material and pulls oil through at a very slow rate, resulting in highly complete filtering.
This sort of device has the ability to significantly increase the life of the oil.
In order to accommodate this, they tend to be more common on vehicles.
Does Oil Filter Size Matter? (Explained)
The dimensions of oil filters have changed dramatically. Did you know that, around four decades ago, the oil filter for a 5.7-liter engine was the same size as a quart of liquid? Today, the oil filter for a comparable engine has been reduced in size by roughly 75%, making it the size of a coffee cup. All of this is possible because of breakthroughs in automobile technology. Both automobile engines and oils have also seen significant advances, to the point where they no longer require the use of a huge filter.
If you look at this scenario from a broad perspective, a big filter creates the impression that the oil entering the engine has been thoroughly filtered. Despite the fact that this is true, this subject is extremely intricate, and many specialists have differing viewpoints on the subject.
5 Key Factors Besides Size To Consider
To begin, while deciding which oil filter size to use in your automobile, you should make a note of the filters that are mentioned as appropriate for that particular vehicle. The Abigger filter may appear to be a wonderful option. However, even if it is possible to fit it into that area, you must take other factors into consideration.
Pressure
One of the critical aspects that must be examined is the pressure at which the bypass valve will open. This is one of the most important factors to consider. Whenever the oil pressure surpasses a certain threshold, this valve opens, allowing oil to bypass the filter and flow into the engine. This is often used as a safety measure in the event that the filter becomes clogged and oil cannot move through it anymore. When determining filter size, it is important to consider the amount of pressure the filter can withstand.
Surface Area
Returning to the issue of length, it has always been expected that shorter filters would not survive as long as their longer counterparts. Due to its smaller surface filter area and inability to filter as much oil as longer ones, they are used in this situation. When you have a large surface area, you also have a large contaminant holding capability. One thing that will save you a lot of trouble in the future, regardless of whether you use longer or shorter oil filters, is to follow the manufacturer’s recommended practice of changing your oil every 3,000 miles.
Quality
We can all agree that oil filter technology is not as simple as it appears to be on the surface. Many lengthy oil filters have been discovered throughout the years, some of which dissolve quickly and prevent oil flow. The reason for this is because the material utilized is of lower grade than expected. The necessity of selecting an oil filter made of high-quality materials will be discussed more in this article, along with how to determine which size is most appropriate for your vehicle, later in this post.
Technology
It is also critical that we recognize the technical improvements that have occurred in the automobile sector. Nowadays, automobile engines operate much more efficiently, and instead of cramming a huge oil filter into a limited area, it is preferable to use a smaller oil filter that can be adjusted quickly and conveniently.
Debris
Please remember that lengthy oil filters are at danger of being damaged by foreign objects. In most cases, unless you are tuning a performance vehicle, the standard-sized filter that came with your vehicle should be used when changing the oil in your vehicle. As you can see in the image above, when it comes to purchasing a new oil filter for your vehicle, size does important. Because of the huge surface area of a larger filter, adequate filtering can be ensured by the larger filter. In addition, a tiny filter is quite effective for newer engines that run cleaner.
It is important for you to take a step back and assess which filter size is best for your engine as a car owner. And, before you choose an oil filter, keep in mind that size is not the only element to take into consideration.
Is a Longer Oil Filter Better?
From a theoretical standpoint, lengthier oil filters appear to be the most appropriate option to use. Are they, however, practical? There is no question that a longer oil filter will provide a greater surface area, ensuring that fewer pollutants enter your engine. However, as previously said, most engines nowadays, including large engines such as V-8s and V-12s, can still be maintained with a tiny oil filter, even if they are complex. Because the oil filter given is composed of high-quality materials, you won’t have to be concerned about the size of the filter.
- And are left to question whether such a little oil filter can assure that nothing other than oil enters the engine during operation.
- You’ll be astonished at how little they are.
- Longer oil filters are difficult to accommodate in the tight areas of modern automobile engine compartments.
- And, thirdly, because most engines have been upgraded to function more effectively, modern automobiles do not require a lengthy filtration.
- If your automobile is still under warranty and the engine breaks as a result of an oil filter problem, the car company will cover the cost of the repair or replacement.
- It is advised that you use the oil filter specified by the manufacturer.
- Please use a long oil filter in high-performance vehicles or vehicles with engines that have undergone major modifications.
- Your technician should be able to point you in the right direction or give you advice on which filter is ideal for your vehicle.
Does Oil Filter Quality Matter?
The quality of your oil filter is quite important, just as it is with the size of your engine! When it comes to oil filters and their functions, most car owners with minimal understanding of the subject opt for the cheapest oil filter available on the market whenever they are repairing their vehicles. After all, don’t these items all appear to be the same shape and size? Yes, they do, in fact. However, the quality of the material utilized has a significant impact on the level of service you will receive.
- Oil filters made of resin-impregnated paper are one of the most frequent and recommended types of oil filters to use in your vehicle.
- With such a filter installed in your vehicle, efficiency is assured.
- When these materials are combined to form an oil filter, they have the capability of trapping pollutants as tiny as 3 to 5 microns in size.
- With one of these two methods, you can rest confident that your engine will receive sufficient oil filtration.
- The fact that most automobiles do not have a fixed service period, however, makes this difficult.
- Relying on the car’s automatic service reminder light might have negative consequences because certain vehicles will send this message after 12,000 miles, which is excessive.
- As we conclude our discussion on quality, we highly encourage you to avoid purchasing low-cost oil filters.
- By using a contaminated oil filter, you run the danger of putting thousands of impurities into your engine.
Make certain to investigate the materials utilised in the manufacture of an oil filter before purchasing one just on the basis of its greater price tag and designation as high grade.
How Can I Gain More Capacity with My Standard Sized Oil Filter?
Now that you have a clear understanding of why size matters when it comes to oil filters, let’s have a look at several methods for increasing the capacity of your standard-sized oil filters. The first thing you should do is obtain the correct size oil filter from the manufacturer of your vehicle. If your automobile arrived with a little oil filter, don’t go much larger than that unless your engine has been specifically upgraded. Second, when purchasing an oil filter, make sure you know what kind of material it is made of.
Synthetic fibers and resin impregnated paper are examples of such materials.
You will significantly increase the capacity of your oil filter if you take these aspects into consideration.
Oil filter dirt holding capacity
A company’s oil filter dirt holding capacity is a worthless statistic unless you first know the filter’s micron rating, which can be determined by looking at the company’s oil filter dirt holding capacity. In other words, a filter with a 32-gram dirt holding capacity may be able to catch and store dirt as small as 20 microns or as large as 40 microns and higher. Just so you know, dirt with a particle size of less than 20 microns will not do major harm to most engines, but bigger particles can cause considerable damage.
What determines oil filter dirt holding capacity?
Simple: the micron rating of the filter media, the efficiency rating of the filter media, and the overall surface area of the filter media.
What is the Oil filter micron rating?
Dirt particles smaller than 20 microns in size will not cause substantial harm to most engines, but bigger particles can cause considerable damage. The micron rating of a filter refers to the smallest particle that the filter media is capable of capturing and holding. The “efficiency rating” refers to the filter’s capacity to collect and store a maximum proportion of a specific particle size in its holding chamber. Consequently, a filter with an efficiency rating of 98% and a micron size of 20 microns will filter out 98% of all particles 20 microns and greater in size.
Oil filter dirt holding capacity
The dirt holding capacity of a filter is a measure of how much dirt it can collect and hold (measured in grams and commonly expressed as a weight). Just so you’re aware, cellulose medium is typically capable of holding. 5-.7 grams per square foot at a resolution of 20 microns. More information can be stored in synthetic media.
Types of oil filter material
In the past, conventional oil filters were constructed of cellulose fibers. It’s inexpensive, and it provides enough performance for 3,000-mile oil change intervals. Newer filter media combinations, on the other hand, have been produced to cope with the extended oil change intervals associated with synthetic oil. Cellulose and glass fibers are used in the modern filter media, which is more environmentally friendly. In order to catch dirt particles, glass fibers allow for improved flow and more consistent pore size distribution.
It’s also thicker, which means the oil has to travel through the medium for a longer period of time.
Glass fibers, on the other hand, have a limited dirt-holding ability. For want of a better term, the dirt does not adhere properly to the glass fibers. It is at this point when cellulose comes into play. The dirt is stopped by the glass, and the dirt is held by the cellulose.
Where does the dirt come from?
Burning fumes escape from all engines, even new ones, and enter the crankcase, where they mix with oil. On worn engines, these combustion gasses travel through the piston ring gaps or around the piston ring and make their way into the crankcase, where they mix with the oil. Soot, raw fuel, and water are all included in these combustion fumes.
Outside air
For the purpose of removing blow-by, all engines are equipped with a positive crankcase ventilation system, which suctions blow-by out of the crankcase and replaces it with filtered air from the air filter box. If the air filter box is not correctly sealed, dust and debris from the surrounding environment might find their way into the crankcase.
Gasket and seal breakdown
All internal engine gaskets and rubber seals degrade with time, and this is true for all engines. When engine oil comes into touch with gaskets and seals, the breakdown particles from the gaskets and seals are released into the oil.
Carbonized oil and varnish deposits
Long-term use of oil will result in the formation of varnish and carbon deposits on internal engine components. When you replace your oil and add new detergents, the deposits in your old oil will dissolve into the new oil, and the toxins in the new oil will need to be filtered out by the oil filter.
Lubricated metal wear particles
During a cold start-up, the majority of engine wear occurs. The metal wear particles mix with the oil and must be removed by the oil filter before the oil can be used again.
What happens when an oil filter reaches its maximum dirt holding capacity?
If the oil filter is designed with a bypass valve, the valve will open, allowing all of the oil to bypass around the filter media and return directly to the engine without being cleaned or filtered. If the bypass valve is positioned in the oil pump, the oil filter will be totally bypassed as a result.
Summary
The efficiency rating of an oil filter is worthless unless you know the micron size of the filter media. The dirt retention capacity of an oil filter is pointless unless you know the micron size of the dirt. Unless you know the micron size of the oil filter and the filtering effectiveness rating, the total size of the oil filter is irrelevant. In other words, a bigger size filter with a lower efficiency rating may actually be less efficient than a smaller size filter with a higher rating. The year 2020 is a leap year.
Rick Muscoplat posted a blog entry on
Understanding Oil Filter Capacity
The capacity of an oil filter does not refer to the amount of oil that must be added when both the oil and the filter are changed. According to Chuck Kerrigan, director of marketing for Purolator Filters, oil filter capacity refers to the quantity of debris that an oil filter can store before being clogged and requiring the filter’s bypass valve to be opened to clear the obstruction. It is important to ensure that the new oil filter you choose for your customer’s car is capable of collecting and holding all of the material it is anticipated to meet over its service life, he recommends.
- The filter can eventually become totally clogged, forcing the bypass valve to open and feed unfiltered oil to the crankshaft, engine bearings, and other components.
- Casting flash can cause the inside of the engine block, as well as the connecting rods, pistons, and valve train components, to break away from the engine block.
- Another possibility is that additional oil-wetted internal elements are subjected to high temperatures, which might bake the oil into hard carbon deposits,” he explains.
- Another factor to consider is the filter’s overall efficiency.
It is important to choose an oil filter that will safely remove all of the debris that it may encounter inside the engine while also maintaining its ability to continue to provide properly filtered oil where it is most needed — between highly stressed moving parts in the engine’s heart, according to Kerrigan.
Part 4: Understanding oil filter specifications and ratings.
Posted on the 29th of November, 2016 Unscrupulous filter dealers have been known to take advantage of the perceived intricacy in the specifications of filters in order to misrepresent their products to unsuspecting customers. Although a fundamental grasp of the words and various grading systems is required, it is possible for the operator of hydraulic equipment to make informed purchases.
Media
When it comes to filter elements, the actual substance that is employed to trap the pollutant is referred to as filter media. Whatever media is used, it is typically formed into sheets that are then folded or pleated to increase the amount of surface area exposed to oil flow. Increasing the carrying capacity of the filter and decreasing the pressure difference across it are the goals of this procedure. Fiberglass composites, wire mesh, cellulose, and other synthetic materials are among the most often encountered media.
- Because of restrictions in wire size and construction procedures, they are not accessible in very fine micron ratings because to the constraints in wire size and construction techniques.
- Cellulose filters are manufactured from wood pulp and are used in a variety of applications.
- They are, on the other hand, inexpensive.
- Cellulose also has the ability to absorb water, which may or may not be beneficial.
- The pressure differential will rise, and the filter will appear to be clogged as a result of this.
- In general, synthetic media outperforms cellulose media because the fibres can be created with a more uniform size distribution and are thinner than cellulose media.
- To develop a medium that is both incredibly efficient and has a high dirt holding capacity, many layers of varying quality can be layered together and interwoven.
Filter efficiency
Filter ratings are the most frequently misunderstood aspect of contamination management because they are so complex. An arbitrary size value is assigned to a filter by the manufacturer and is referred to as an anominal rating. Tests have revealed that particles as big as 200 microns will flow through a 10-micron filter with a nominal rating of 10 microns. Because the nominal rating is completely arbitrary, it has no meaning whatsoever. The absolute rating is another type of rating that is commonly used for filters.
Although there is no standardized test technique to establish its value, this is essentially the size of the greatest aperture in the filter.
When it comes to efficiency ratings in the hydraulics business, the Beta Rating is the most often utilized.
This grade is based on the Multipass Method for Evaluating Filtration Performance of a Fine Filter Element, which was developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (ISO 16889:1999).
(Ref: Machinery Lubrication)
In a known amount of fluid, particle counters can accurately estimate the size and number of upstream particles present in the fluid. The size and amount of particles downstream of the filter are also monitored in a similar manner. The beta ratio is defined as the difference between the particle counts upstream and downstream at the rated particle size divided by the particle counts downstream. If we use the beta ratio as an example, a five-micron filter with a beta 10 rating will have an average of ten particles bigger than five microns upstream of the filter for every one particle five microns or larger downstream.
- This is because the percent capture efficiency equals ((beta-1)/beta) x 100.
- It should be noted that the beta rating is useless unless the size at which it is assessed is specified.
- Although operating circumstances like as flow surges and temperature fluctuations are not taken into consideration, beta ratios are an excellent technique of estimating the predicted performance of a filter.
- Anything with an x value less than 75 is considered a nominally rated filter.
- As they become increasingly clogged, nominal filters eventually begin to behave more and more like absolute filters.
Best Practice
Because hydraulic oil cannot be “overclean,” filter quality should be as high as space, cost, and pressure drop will allow for it to be. If you have a dependable and trustworthy hydraulic professional, you should consult with them about your filtering requirements as well. (Our contact information may be found on our website, www.hydraulicsolution.com.)
Reference on our Website
There is no such thing as “too clean” hydraulic oil, and filter quality should be as excellent as space, cost, and pressure drop permit. You should consult with your hydraulic specialist if you have a dependable and trustworthy hydraulic specialist. The contact information for us may be found on our website at www.hydraulicsolution.com.
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In recent years, videos on the internet have attempted to compare oil filters by ripping them open, exposing the materials and designs, and making claims about how this may affect the performance of the filters. However, although this makes for a compelling video, it leads to conclusions that are neither correct nor grounded in reality. As a leading producer of oil filters for more than 85 years, FRAM has accumulated a wealth of research and testing, as well as road tests and other professional proof points, that demonstrate the most effective subtleties of oil filter engineering, manufacturing, and materials available.
- When it comes to filtration effectiveness, what are the independent standards to look for?
- There are approximately 15 distinct processes specified in these test standards for determining the performance and durability of an oil filter.
- Consider the following scenario: if you had 10 grams of dirt in your oil when you passed it through the filter and had one gram of dirt left after that, you would claim the filter is 90 percent efficient.
- You should be aware that virtually any filter may claim greater than 90 percent effectiveness by changing the size of the dirt particles utilized in the tests.
- Particles in the 10-20 micron range are the most damaging and wear-inducing to an engine’s internal components.
- Media Filtering Area Simple assumptions such as “more is better” are made.
- Other filters may make use of simple cellulose media with more pleats and length, however more is not necessarily better in this case.
Although this is stated in kilos, filter manufacturers propose oil change intervals based on the filter model in order to assist consumers the most.
FRAM Extra Guard ® is rated for the Original Equipment (OE) recommended change interval, which means that it has the capability of being used for as long as the factory oil change interval specified by the car manufacturer.
End CapsThe aim of the end cap is to keep the ends of the filter material from separating from one another.
It is possible for the filter to work properly if the material effectively closes the end of the media cartridge (see Figure 1).
The designed fiber end caps used in the FRAM Extra Guard® and FRAM Tough Guard® filters are a unique feature of these filters.
Honda, Subaru, Bentley, Rolls Royce, and Nissan are all companies that employ fiber end caps in their original equipment filters.
Back Valves with Anti-Drain Technology The anti-drain back valve (ADBV) is a circular rubber valve located at the entry to the oil filter.
It helps to ensure that the engine galleys and filter are fully lubricated during start-up by keeping the oil levels high.
A Silicone Rubber anti-drainback valve has a life expectancy that is more than three times that of a Nitrile anti-drainback valve.
Can Thickness Be Reduced?
The FRAM Extra Guard, Tough Guard, and Ultra Synthetic filters can withstand burst pressures of more than 300 psi, which is more than three times the maximum oil pressure that a vehicle’s engine can generate.
Metal type and weight are only significant for racing oil filters since they must be able to withstand burst pressures of up to 500 psi, which is much greater than what would be encountered in regular driving conditions.
Leaf Springs: Which is better?
Visit Oil filter testing and engineering for further information about oil filter quality from credible sources. Anatomy of an oil filter Bulletins on cartridge filters and service bulletins t=31s
What You Need To Know About Engine Oil Filters
If the oil pump represents the engine’s heart and the oil represents the engine’s blood, the oil filter represents the engine’s liver. It functions similarly to the liver in that it filters toxins from the engine’s circulation. In addition to decreasing wear and extending engine life, filtration also helps to increase the service life of engine oil. Filter for Engine Oil
Construction
A emphasis on construction methods will emerge from oil filter research, making it all too simple to “armchair quarterback” what can be seen within a cut-open filter. However, it is difficult to judge performance or dependability in this manner, and it is not advisable to concentrate on a single feature of a filter without taking a number of other aspects into consideration, the most important of which is cost. When comparing major manufacturers, variations in features may be as simple as the pricing point and the frequency with which filters are changed.
However, we will not allow filters that are not manufactured by a recognized brand to enter our debate since they are just too inexpensive to justify their inclusion.
Efficiency
In this illustration, when the bypass valve is closed and differential pressure is low, oil enters the filter through the outer ring of holes in the filter base and leaves through the middle tube. (Right) Whenever the differential pressure is high, the bypass valve opens (on the right) (shown here in the fully open position). The media used in a filter determines the effectiveness of the filter. Surface filtration and depth filtration are the two fundamental ideas in filtering. The majority of pollutants on or near the surface are carried away by a surface laden medium.
- Cellulose is a medium with a high surface loading.
- Plant-based cellulose fibers are coated with a resin to provide them with chemical resistance and structural stability, allowing them to be molded into pleats as necessary.
- The disadvantages of natural media compared to synthetic media include their lower capacity, reduced flow, and sensitivity to collapse due to excess water, chemicals, and age-related degradation.
- Synthetic media is also known as depth media.
- It can be manufactured thick or thin, or even in layers with variable densities of filling material.
- Nanofibers are extremely small synthetic fibers that, when put into a medium, provide extremely fine filtering while also allowing for high flow rates and capacity.
- Because it cannot be treated or molded, it necessitates the use of a backing material, which is often wire screens, which increases the manufacturing cost.
- Blends of synthetic and cellulose fibers are proven to be extremely cost-effective filter media since they boost capacity and efficiency while keeping the cost down.
These blends represent the future at a reduced cost, and they are already available in the baseline Fram Extra Guard filters, which are among the most efficient baseline filters available on the market.
Filter Care and Feeding
Cellulose media has an absolute micron size of less than 30 microns, blended media is approximately 25 microns, and synthetic media is around 20 microns. Take a close look at the progressive decline in efficiency of synthetic media compared to cellulose media. Even at a size of less than 10 microns, the synthetic medium maintains an efficiency in the mid-90 percent range. In some cases, media efficiency might be lower or higher than these averages, depending on the particular application. According to Jay Buckley, technical training manager at Fram, there is no specific shelf life for a filter as long as the humidity is managed at a low level.
- Humidity can cause cellulose media to degrade more quickly than other media, although any filter might experience problems.
- Although service life is often defined in miles, oil filters may survive for more than a year in use provided they are utilized within their prescribed mileage limits.
- For example, cellulose medium is susceptible to the long-term impacts of oxidation and being immersed in high-additive oils.
- The closest we’ve come to a maximum servicing interval is three years, which is a good compromise.
- Is this a death sentence for the filter as a result?
- If you see a ding on a recently acquired filter, return it for a replacement.
- There is a lot of gray space after that simple decision.
- Nonetheless, you must weigh the expense of a filter against the danger of losing a costly engine.
Filtration and Degradation
ADBVs are an essential component of the filter because they contribute to the reduction of start-up wear by preventing the oil from draining or being sucked out when the engine is turned off. On the left is a silicone combination valve that may be used as both an ADBV and a bypass valve in the same application. Next comes a Nitrile valve, and finally the silicone valve, which is located on the far right. One of the factors contributing to deterioration is the presence of contaminants in the oil.
- Eventually, the additives are depleted as a result of this practice.
- Cline just published an article on the advantages of improved filtration on oil life.
- Total Base Number (TBN), a measure of the active additive amount remaining in the oil, was much better with conventional filtering after 15,000 miles than with no filtration at 5,000 miles, and not by a small margin.
- In 2008, the State of California published a paper titled “Evaluation of High Efficiency Oil Filters in the State Fleet,” which detailed the results of a more extensive test.
As a consequence of the investigation, it was recommended that the oil change interval be increased from 6,000 to 10,000 miles, with the adoption of higher efficiency long-life filters.
Improving Filtration
As you can see in these two microscopic images of filter media, which were taken at the same 250x magnification, the passageways in the synthetic media are typically smaller, whilst the holes in the cellulose media are often wider. “There is no such thing as oil that is too pure,” said Abe Khalil, president of the Filtran Corporation. This is true, but you must also consider the trade-offs involved in the situation. Recently, technological advancements have provided us with some excellent filtering tools.
- It is possible that filtering will be greatly enhanced.
- What you don’t want is to find yourself with a clogged filter just before the conclusion of a maintenance interval.
- If you are able to increase the quantity of media or capacity available at the same time as you enhance efficiency, the increased capacity will be equal to the higher efficiency in the long run.
- Increasingly long oil change intervals are becoming the standard, and enhanced filtering is a key component of this new capacity.
- This is made possible by advancements in oil and filter technology, as well as advances in engine longevity.
Final Words
A $10 to $15 oil filter will extend the life of your engine compared to a $3 filter, but you may have to drive thousands of miles before you notice the difference. With a high-efficiency oil filter, you can run a longer oil change interval, but the operational cycle will still be the limiting factor with any sort of oil and filter combination. Because there are so many factors, we were unable to obtain averages from our specialists; nevertheless, with the technology available today, the present 7,500 miles is quickly approaching 10,000 miles and beyond.
FILTER GLOSSARY
Micron Count in Absolute Microns In one pass through the filter, a microscopic particle as small as 0.001 microns may be caught 98.7 percent of the time. ADBV is an abbreviation for Anti-Drainback Valve. Valve The filter prevents oil from draining out of the engine after the engine has been shut down, which reduces the amount of time it takes for the engine to establish full oil pressure when it has been restarted. Nitrile and silicone are the two most common materials used in this application.
- It will harden if exposed to high temperatures for an extended period of time, which is why it is utilized in lower-cost filters with a life of around 5,000 miles and no more than 7,500 miles is recommended.
- Silicone also has improved low-temperature performance compared to other materials.
- Beta ratios are used to indicate the relationship between particle size (in microns) and efficiency (in percent) at a certain size.
- You may sometimes encounter double numbers, such as Beta 2/20=10/75, which stands for Beta 2/20=10/75.
- The 10/75 shows Beta values of 90 and 98.6667 percent, depending on the situation.
2=50 percent 10=90 percent 20=95 percent 75=98.7 percent 2=50 percent 10=90 percent 20=95 percent 100 percent equals 99 percent; 200 percent equals 99.5 percent 1000 is 99.9% of the total Burst StrengthIt is closely related to oil pressure, which can be unexpectedly high during brief bursts in production.
The hazard arises if the engine oil pressure release valve becomes stuck closed, even for a little period of time.
Valve for bypassing In most oil filters (and occasionally in the engine), there is a bypass valve that permits oil to travel through the element in the event that the filter becomes obstructed.
When correctly constructed, they all perform admirably.
ADBV/Bypass Valves in a Combination This is a relatively new invention that claims to simplify the operation and production of oil filters.
Core Besides being responsible for avoiding media collapse, the central tube of the filter also has a role in ensuring that oil flows through the filter.
Again, all of the designs are functional, and it’s impossible to determine which is superior than the others.
Differential Pressure is a term that refers to the pressure that exists between two points.
There is some flow resistance in the filter element, and this resistance increases as pollutants accumulate in the filter element.
Oil viscosity reduces with increasing temperature and vice versa, causing differential pressure to rise and fall in response to the temperature of the engine oil.
It is most commonly and correctly given as a percentage at a certain size, for example, 50 percent at 30 microns, as shown below.
Endcaps The primary function of the endcaps is to keep the ends of the media together.
Endcaps made of engineered fiber, metal, or plastic are available, as are filters without endcaps.
ISO-4548-12 When it comes to internal combustion engines, the current industry standard test for oil filter efficiency is the EPA test.
Automatic particle counters constantly count the number of particles entering and leaving the filter until the maximum rated differential pressure of the filter is reached.
An inch is equal to 0.00003937 millimeters.
A 40 micron particle may be seen by someone with excellent vision.
Rating in Microns (Nominal Microns) On the first pass through the filter, a particle size that may be captured by a filter is 50% of the particle size. RELEVANT SOURCESFram, (800) 890-2075; Racor, (800) 344-3286; Royal Purple, royalpurpleconsumer.com