Oil filter study

[sbergman27]

Some here are no doubt already familiar with this. But I figured I'd post it. I'm not starting another oil thread, you understand. I'm starting an oil *filter* thread. :-)

Filter Study (Just the facts, Ma'am.): http://tinyurl.com/6gn7x
Discussion (The *real* dirt): http://tinyurl.com/b5qx8
FAQ: http://tinyurl.com/ykvy8cz

An interesting bit of unconfirmed "dirt" that I've heard is that the discussion page was separated from the main study page in response to threats from a certain very well known manufacturer of bright orange oil filters, the name of which I shall refrain from mentioning.

-Steve

[jambo101]

Originally Posted by sbergman27

An interesting bit of unconfirmed "dirt" that I've heard is that the discussion page was separated from the main study page in response to threats from a certain very well known manufacturer of bright orange oil filters, the name of which I shall refrain from mentioning.

-Steve

You must be referring to those crappy Fram filters.

[sbergman27]

Originally Posted by jambo101

You must be referring to those crappy Fram filters.

Say it isn't so! ;-)

An important question, which remains unanswered, is "How much difference do the variations between the different filters tested actually make in real life?".

If someone with the resources took a bunch of the "crappiest" Fram filters and a bunch of top of the line Mobil 1 filters (which is really just a K&N without the nut, BTW) and tested them over the life of a bunch of 1NZ-FE engines... would there actually be a statistical difference in engine life?

Does Fram's anti-drainback valve design actually matter? Does the Mobil 1's ability to filter tiny particles actually matter?

So many situations in life are like this. We have a plethora of less useful data, while the most important questions remain unanswered.

As it happens, however, I can answer the question regarding the anti-drainback valve... at least for our engines: No. It doesn't make any difference; Our filters mount vertically. :-)

-Steve

[bronsin]

No it doesnt matter one tiny little bit. My air cooled VWs didnt even HAVE an oil filter. + they only had 2.5 quarts of oil. One of my friends VWs in college (1976) dropped a valve and I rebuilt the engine using parts from two wrecked engines we got at a junk yard. (with new bearings and gaskets and a valve job) He moved to Africa in the 1990's and gave the car to his son... Not unusual to get 200 k miles from the crankshaft, cam shaft, pistons and cylinders (but not the rings and not the valves) All this stuff about FRAM oil filters makes me LAFF.

[sbergman27]

Originally Posted by bronsin

No it doesnt matter one tiny little bit. My air cooled VWs didnt even HAVE an oil filter.

Wow. You're right. The Beetle had a strainer, but no filter. I had no idea.

Fram and Prestone *both* must have hated that car! ;-)

-Steve

[Happy Little Pony]

Originally Posted by sbergman27

Some here are no doubt already familiar with this. But I figured I'd post it. I'm not starting another oil thread, you understand. I'm starting an oil *filter* thread. :-)

Filter Study (Just the facts, Ma'am.): http://tinyurl.com/6gn7x
Discussion (The *real* dirt): http://tinyurl.com/b5qx8
FAQ: http://tinyurl.com/ykvy8cz

An interesting bit of unconfirmed "dirt" that I've heard is that the discussion page was separated from the main study page in response to threats from a certain very well known manufacturer of bright orange oil filters, the name of which I shall refrain from mentioning.

-Steve

The links you have are really out of date. Try this, the "River_Rat" tests from the "Bob Is The Oil Guy" forum. It's more recent.

http://filtrationcomparisons.weebly.com/index.html

My Take? I think that for most people even the cheap filters are "good enough." The oil will probably break down and go bad before the filter does.

I also used to own a air cooled VW with no filter, and I ran a Subaru for over 200,000 miles using whatever the cheapest filter that K-Mart or Wal-Mart had in stock. These days, I've been using Purolator PureOne and Bosch (same filter), but I have a Denso 150-1000 ready to go on at my next oil change. It looks like a good filter too.

[Hershey]

used FRAM filters years ago . Had a '86 5 door liftback CHEVY Nova ( Corolla ) that reached over 274,000 and used FRAM for many of the oil changes . Been using TOYOTA ( DENSO ) filters for many years now . Have used AC/DELCO oil filters w/o any issues .