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Jglisson -> Gen. TECH: Oil Filters! What to buy? (8/18/2005 9:12:19 PM)
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Always the talk about oil: oil types, brands, weights, viscosities, etc. But often the most important part of the lubrication is overlooked. The heart of this would be the oil filter.
Engine oil filters have one purpose in life: to filter out the particles that enter the oil so that they don't act as abrasives when the oil recirculates. The filter is a cellulose (paper) or synthetic media that is usually contained in a steel can. Many filters have an anti-drainback valve to prevent dirty oil from backwashing back into the oil pan. They also have a pressure relief or bypass valve that will allow oil to bypass the filter element in the event that it becomes too plugged to pass enough oil. This prevents engine oil starvation and the possibility of destroying the element, possibly causing pieces of it and the junk it filtered to enter the engine.
More useless information:
The media the comprises a filter is made out of one of the following:
Synthetics – the best
Fiberglass – decent but not the best, mainly because the media is held together with glues and therefore decreases flows
Cellulose – cheapest, swells and distorts over time and flow.
Filter Parts Breakdown:
1. The Base, which contains the engine filter seal, mounting threads (outlet hole), and the interior oil filter one-way (anti-drain back) valve.
2. The Can, which encloses the rest of the filter assembly and is roll mounted to the base.
3. The Filter, which contains the medium that removes foreign particles from the oil and is mounted on a sturdy frame.
4. The By-Pass Valve, which is rated for a certain amount of pressure so that it lets oil by-pass the filter when pressure exceeds OEM limits.
5. The Spring, which generally functions to ensure that the filter assembly fits snugly into the base and gasket .
The question comes down to which filter to buy:
Who makes the best? Who makes who? Which filter should I use?
A breakdown on the maker of filters is listed below:
Honeywell - makes Fram (In Canada the Quaker State filters are Fram filters / In the USA, QS is Purolator), Pennzoil, Quaker State
Honeywell is not even an automotive based company. Their primary sales consist of air conditioning filters, insulation, etc. Cars are not their business. They always rate the poorest in filter reviews. Even their best filter (Extra-tough guard) is only decent. They have very cheap internal parts, but people buy them. I will give them credit, they have a great marketing strategy. Bright cute colors and a sure-grip™ top will sell anything.
Arvin Meritor - makes Purolator Premium Plus, PureONE, Ford OEM, V-1 & SureFlow (Superflow?)
Better then Honeywell, Arvin Meritor dabbles quite a bit in automotive parts. Filters are not their only gig; they also produce steering/suspension parts, etc. They produce a low – medium line filter. Nothing fancy….
Dana - makes Wix and Napa Gold/Silver, AC Delco DuraGuards for Canada
Even a better manufacturer of filters…some (Wix, Napa Gold line, some Delcos, etc.) come with synthetic valves & media. They are considered a medium line filter. Dana makes some great products, nothing cheap here.
Baldwin (Parent of Hastings) - Baldwin, Hastings, Amsoil, Casite, etc.
Baldwin has pretty big range of quality. Their bottom of the line is the Hastings filter which is a decent filter and extends up to their top of the line Amsoil filter. You get what you pay for here.
Champion Labs - Mobil 1, K&N, Supertech, AC Delco DuraGuards (two different types) for USA, Bosch Premium, STP, Ultraguard Gold, Deutch & Luberfiner
Here we have the biggest range and the largest manufacturer of filters. Champion Labs is responsible for making many OEM filters. Ford has used Champion Labs and so has Chrysler and GM. Champion Labs make some of the best filters like the Mobil 1 & K&N. The cheapest, the Supertech, actually betters out the FRAM in density and length of media believe it or not. But then, Champion is also responsible for some junk like the STP and Bosch. So if you are going cheap, grab the Supertech over the FRAM or basic Purolator.
Cummins - owns Fleetguard filters (primary supplier of trucks)
Mann - a top quality German filter maker. Comes on BMWs, Porsche, Audi, some Volvos.
Summary: There are some filters I may have overlooked, but this largely covers 95% of all the oil filters made. In a nutshell you have:
Best filters: AC Delco, Baldwin, Amsoil, Mobil 1, K&N, .
Medium: AC Delco, Napa, Wix, PureOne(?)
Crap filters: Fram, Bosch, Penzzoil & Quaker (made by Fram)
What good is good oil when you have junk filtration? I don’t want to bore you with flow rates, media densities, etc. But what are a few of bucks difference? You are better off running good oil and a good filter 7500 miles then running junk for 3000. A base line FRAM stops filtration at around 2500-3000 hard miles anyway.
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