I specialize in Filtration and would like to share so info:

[qikbbstang]

I own an industrial filter company and routinely work on the obvious state of the art Air Fluid Gas filtration but especially enjoy Turbine Lube, Hydraulic and Paper Machine Lube Systems where filtration to a rated 10 micron levil and below is common. I have routinely SOLD over a million dollars of filtration in a year.

I get to play with some very serious big power HotRods that are pushed hard, where predictive maintenance oil analysis and work with the oil companies is routine.

I noted the subject of oil filtration in a previous posting and figured I'd address it with my two bits as a separate subject.
Re: "I'm using an oil filter bypass eliminator adapter, a Moroso 2qt high flow (moderate restriction) Racing oil filter which has no bypass in it (many oil filters do, even though they aren't advertised as having one, you have to carefully check to be sure), so as to avoid any significant pressue drop through the filter, and one or two Filtermags. This set-up will flow plenty of always filtered oil, while filtering out even the smallest particles. "

I hate to burst anyones bubble but the typical Automotive Oil Filter is relatively primative in performance. It is difficult if not impossible to find any realistic test results showing the filtration abilities according to Industrial Filters Standards such as National Fluid Power Assoc. or reputable reports from independent test labs using accepted filter test parameters. You will typically find "Nominal" ratings. Even the SAE filter testing parameters are based on what is known as a MultiPass Test the "results" being obtained by as it says the end result of Multiple Passes through the filter. This does not in any way show what can get through on a single pass. I'm sorry but I see this MultiPass practice as Russian Roulette style of filtration. The potentially dangerous particle circulates again and again through the engine with the result being it damages something or gets captured and it's a chance thing what occurs first.

Generally the common cellulose (paper) based Oil Filter is rated at a nominal 20 Micron I personally feel you would be very fortunate to find it a 50-75 micron absolute single pass. Your better lube/Hyd filters in industry are always a synthetic based media using a fiberglass and/or other synthetic media. By design these medias do not have much strength and as a result they must use a wire backed support structure or a heavy synthetic backing. This is something to remember you want to see a wire backed media or at least multiple layers of different weight filter media pleated in the filter you use.

Recently I noticed Mobil1 has a line of filters that impressed me. I strongly urge using the largest spin on Filter you can use and/or using two filters in parallel. The laugh is Mobil1 has one price for all high-end Mobil 1 filters regardles of size application on the large ones, to my knowledge at least they have to be severely cutting their margins. By increasing the size of the filter/surface area the quality of filtration in all respects is exponentially improved and most importantly the resistance/restriction to flow is equally decreased.

You may find it interesting that I believe a typical automotive oil filter can hold a half ounce or so of solid particles. Can you imagine what must happen inside an engine to produce that much debris? .......If it makes that much trash it is toasted anyway or on its way.

Todays engines are by definition clean inside, the modern oil does not make sludge and the filter just polishes the oil. If you removed the oil residue from the used filter with high end cleaning solvent chances are you would find the filter weight would have captured a gram in it's lifetime in the modern engine, we're not talking about a sludge bucket. Carbon soot particles "Carbon Black" is an accepted standard for very fine filter testing it is miles below the ability of an oil filter to capture at all.

Unfortunately as in industrial applications any time the equipment is open/apart, the oil/filter is changed the potential for debris is raised big time. Think about it in industrial filtration it is routine to recirculate the oil through the filter prior to going back on line. To give you nightmares you would be a fool to bet your life that the new oil filter would be clean out of the box. Very high end filters are made in Clean Rooms, pre-flushed and even tested before being sealed and packed. Oil filters are made in dusty dirty factories by cheap labor it would not be really unusual to have debris etc come out of a new filter or even that new bottle of oil.

Another thing that should be no mystery when a Filter says Racing it is compromised to provide minimum restriction at the expense of better filtration. It all seems moot til you start thinking about roller bearings and the tight clearences run in many engines today.

The above is all food just for thought I will say I use the best/largest filters I can find and synthetic oil. I also use synthetic non-washable air filters but will not got there now.. .

[racer189]

Good information, thank you for sharing. Have you had any experience with oil filters made by K&N?

[iadr]

K & N filters are made by the same company (It's the same name as another unrelated automotive company, I'm not sure but from memory maybe Champion??) as Mobil 1, *but* they have a media that is just over twice as "open" as what the Mobil ones use, and "coarser" then almost all other filters.

IMO they are... unrecommended.

Wix made a line called Sport Truck in the late 90's. They were superb, but are discontinued. Same applies to AC Delco Golds.

Ford Premium/long life and Purolator PureOne are the same inside and are the best of a bad lot, IMO.

I can't get Mobil 1's locally in Canada, but this is the 2nd or 3rd place I have heard they are the best.

[TT572ZZILLA]

QIKBBSTANG!
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THESE BILLIT REUSABLE/CLEANABLE AFTERMARKET FILTERS LIKE PURE POWER,SYSTEM ONE, ETC...ETC..

[Ed-vancedEngines]

Let me also add True Filter to that list of questions. A customer of mine recently swited to that one. I am impressed with what it showed me in between dyno pulls, when I was filter checking. It seemed to be catching the gold dust from the new bronze gears. Was very easy to clean and allowed quick filter inspections.

Ed

[MDT]

So... what would be the best filter to use for a BBC ? What is everyone using ? and what do you recomend ?? The Mobile 1 ??

[Airhog]

So... what would be the best filter to use for a BBC ? What is everyone using ? and what do you recomend ?? The Mobile 1 ??

We use the wixx racing filter in our circle engines and have had no problems.

[steveD]

Let me also add True Filter to that list of questions. A customer of mine recently swited to that one. I am impressed with what it showed me in between dyno pulls, when I was filter checking. It seemed to be catching the gold dust from the new bronze gears. Was very easy to clean and allowed quick filter inspections.

Ed

Where would I get one of these True Oil Filters?

[qikbbstang]

To many to answer so I will just fire fast. ANY filter that is re-usable is a joke. In industrial filtration they are frequently used due to necessity: Imagine you are filtering the hot 400F+ liquid polyester at 5000PSI just prior to it being shot through the ultrafine nozzles that make the polyester fluff used in clothing, pillows and filter media. They use a mega dollar Stainless Steel filter the dirt capacity sucks, they flow like crap, they cost a fortune and they are cleanable if you don't mind shelling out a small fortune for the cleaning. Ditto auto filters and filters in general Washables are a compromise PERIOD. I assure you that if that washable filter filtered worth a crap it would take equally exotic cleaning with solvents, ultra sonics etc and flushing to assure the stuff is not hanging around. The time labor and cleanup ????? Hold that washable filter up to a strong light you will see holes with the naked eye try that with a paper filter...The claim paper does not flow is a snake oil sell job there is a hell of a lot more media/surface area with much more closely pleated. Next time paper compare a high quality paper to that washable. Why pay $50 for a washable when a disposable costs less then $10. Oh Yeah I'm sav-n money it only takes me a half hour to clean it. Also those Washable Cotton fiber filters with the oil can get a bunch of gooped up oilly small particles together then you shower down on the gas air flow shutters vibrates and Bingo a huge stick gummy chunk of trash is on its way into your motor. Remember folks that stuff was sailing through the air prior to getting into the filter.
What is the best for a BBC? I already told you the biggest dam good filter you can use.

About Mobil 1 being made by Champion means nothing I've heard rumors of $1.00 each for any Auto. lube oil filter. Remember the phone book has a lot of paper in it so they might just use that paper for media.. It is the Spec handed to the manufacturer and the insistance of the buyer to have the spec met.
It is no surprise you will not find a washable air or oil filter on a combustion turbine, large diesel, large compressor etc.. Washable by definition is pretty much a strainer

[Masher Manufacturing]

[quote="qikbbstang"]Washable by definition is pretty much a strainer[/quote]

From what I've pieced together this is all a race motor needs.

A race motor isn't too concerned about the super fine particles that cause wear in the long term. Filtering out the big chunks without bypassing is key here.

A people motor that sees 100K miles plus is more concerned with fine particles as these cause wear in the long term. The filter must be of small size / low cost and handle a wide range of temps and viscositys.

I am in no way doubting qikbbstang's knowledge of filters. I just think the parameters of a race engine need to be defined and a filter that meets the physical size/ flow/ cost selected.

[brett w]

SO are you saying that automobile manufactures do not design or spec a capability level on their filters? Manufactures have a design parameters that must be met. They also have durability levels that must be met in order to maintain limited warranty claims.

I am not saying your info is incorrect, but I will say that Bosch, Honda, Mann, Toyota, etc all have very high quality filters that meet the factory requirements of those engineers. Automotive engines operate in such a transient environment that you have to compromise on filter capabilities. Grandma doesn't/can't afford to go through the procedures required to warm up and operate some industrial equipment. She wants to be able to get in a drive her car to the beauty salon. Therefore manufactures have to compromise between flow and filtration.


This site has some useful info.
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/

[qikbbstang]

about fine particles that is unless you are in an endurance event or running multiple races w/o a taredown. I also admit overlooking the "new" factory oil filters I cut open the Ms's Lexus's used oil filter and was impressed big time--Very Impressive media and filter pack

[longrodsbc]

Wix is generaly used for Heavy equipment and industrial applications, and is what I use, If its good enough for a 550,000$ peice of equipment its good enough for my street car, also they do preform oil anailsis in pre determined intervals (hours)

Now , are these company's simply accepting the level of filtration and durability of these engines or are they doing the job? This isnt only for the heavy equipment applications they also use wix in thier company trucks, whitch most exceed 250,000 miles or more before being replaced, whitch are subject to off road condition's on a regular basis as well as long road trips.

I would like to see some solid data on these filters, Id bet ALOT of the so called performance filters would be at the bottom of the list for effectively filtering contaminated oil.


So please, If you have more to add you can bet Im all ears.

[MDT]

Has anyone had any expierience with purepower cannister filters http://www.gopurepower.com/store/. I would like anyones input either positive or negative. I have been using the black wix filters in the past, with no problems.

[moper]

Being that I hate changing oil, I dont do it "within recommended intervals". But I loved to Wix Sport Truck filters too. I have noticed the HD truck hydraulic systems require 10 micron filters. Too bad nobody takes that media and puts it in cans that fit passsenger cars.