Oil filters

[berryber]

Bouncing around YouTube and doing a few google searches I've found people have cut different oil filters apart. It's interesting just how bad some filters are. If you have the time it's easy to research. I'll probably stick with the Yamaha filter, maybe cut one open myself.

[keithu]

I'd be interested to learn more about the construction of the Yamaha filters. I use Purolator PureOne filters on all my cars and my previous motorcycle based on some websites that have done disassembly comparisons. I'd like to use a PureOne on the FJ, but it sounds like the new thread design might be a problem.

[empire00]

Wix is always my goto when it comes to filters they have a very good reputation.
 

[timg]

I'd be interested to learn more about the construction of the Yamaha filters. I use Purolator PureOne filters on all my cars and my previous motorcycle based on some websites that have done disassembly comparisons. I'd like to use a PureOne on the FJ, but it sounds like the new thread design might be a problem.

Here's one source http://www.tobycreek.org/oil_filters/yamaha.shtml 

[DavidS]

I have always used K&M, I hadn't heard of any issues - guess I'll have to go look and see if I need to switch

[keithu]

Here's one source http://www.tobycreek.org/oil_filters/yamaha.shtml

Wow. The quality of Fram at the price of OEM. This seems like a compelling reason to switch to something else, but that review is 13 years old. I think I have two Yamaha filters in stock right now, maybe I'll cut one open to see if they've updated the design.

[woop]

Here ya go, more than you ever wanted to know about filters on bikes:
http://www.calsci.com/motorcycleinfo/Filters.html#OilFilters
 
For me I have been using the Mobil one filter m1-110.  Fits great, larger than OEM and black.

[berryber]

Few years ago I had a couple of frams fail on an chevy s-10. The first time I sent pictures to fram and they sent me a couple of new filters. A couple of years later another failed. (Started leaking badly at the crimp). After about 30 years of Frams that was my last one. I've been using Napa Gold in my cars. Wix makes them for Napa.

[prior]

I just did my 600 mile oil change and wanted to see if any abnormally large chunks were caught from break in.
 
I cut the filter open using one of these https://www.amazon.com/GearWrench-2031DD-Exhaust-Tailpipe-Cutter/dp/B000M93OUM
 

 

[adjuster]

For spin on filters: (anyone feel free to chime in here, I know filter makers change like whores panties.)
 
Wix (NAPA Gold and Silver, and some others source from Wix.)
 
Champion (WalMart ST, Mobil and some others are just re-branded Champion filters.)
 
Purolator The Pure One's about the best spin on filter short of a few really much more expensive spin on designs that claim better results, but all are single pass with a bypass valve.
 
And that's the problem with most spin on filters, they are single pass/bypass designs. Sure, some use better media and even depth type media, and capture smaller debris, even down to about 10 microns in some cases, but most, especially the filter paper type, don't stop particles smaller than 20 microns or larger, and often when those holes are plugged up, the bypass opens, and your oil is just going around and round and round.
 
Wear is typically caused by particles larger than 10 microns. The particles in your oil can be metals, dirt, carbon crystals etc.
 
Depth filters don't have a bypass, but will often due to the way they are designed, flow as much dirty as a brand new paper type filter that's full of holes, but slows down flow as those holes fill up and are plugged.
 
The depth filter does not plug up. The larger stuff is trapped on the outer layers, and ever smaller debris is trapped into the filter media down to 8 microns or better depending on the filter media, and how many layers the filter has.
 
The next filter is what's known as a "Bypass" filter that takes a small amount of oil, and constantly filters it down to a very fine degree. Claims of 1 micron or better are common. And these filters last for many miles, since they do not bypass, the large stuff sits on the outside, and as you go deeper into the filter media, it traps the smaller and smaller stuff. I have run an Oil Guard bypass filter that claims 1 micron or better. The filter looks like a round wrap of filter cord material about 4" in diameter, and about 4" long for the filter size I was using. There are no pleats. There is no bypass spring. The oil always just flows through the entire filter, all the time.
 
The Canton/Mecca full flow, Depth filter for the same vehicle was larger, and uses a steel perforated tube with many wraps of the filter media around that. All the oil flows through it all the time, no bypass valve either, and it's claimed to flow more dirty than any brand new paper spin on filter. Period.
 
I can offer that on that car, oil pressure was always higher than it was on the same engine with paper spin on filters on a remote mount. And the oil pressure on my spin on filters would drop as they got dirty, when it stopped dropping, is when the bypass would open, and that's when I would change the filters, if I had not already changed them out anyway. The Canton filter never had a drop in oil pressure.
 
And when I pulled it to change the oil, all 12 quarts on that vehicle, all the debris was easy to see, yet the oil was very clean, especially with the 1 micron bypass filter doing it's job too.
 
So, I'm sort of a filter geek. LOL
 
But that said, I've used spin on Purolators with great results.
 
And if I get around to it soon, I'm going to buy the Canton spin on adapter, and full flow bypass filter that is half the size of the one I used on the Supra build, but plenty for a motorcycle.
 
Heck, you could in theory, just run the same filter for like 10 years, change out the oil and be fine. Might be pushing for folks who ride 100k per year, but I ride my motorcycles less than 10k per year.
 

[adjuster]

One more funny or interesting fact about filters.
 
When the engine oil is cold, most spin on filters due to the higher pressure from the cold, and less likely to flow easy through the filter media oil.. just bypass until the oil is warmed up, and thus, when you start up cold, your engine is pumping dirty oil around the engine till the oil warms up.
 
If your filter is full of dirt, that can be "washed" out in some cases, pushing a "bolus" of dirty oil and debris around the engine, which is why the soft metals in your bearings is there. To capture and trap, and push down into the soft metal bearing anything that might cause wear.
 
Of course, as the lead/zinc/copper in those bearings wears, it exposes the trapped metals, and they wear into your bearing journals.
 
But a full flow, non-bypassing depth filter never, ever allows dirty oil to be pumped around your engine, and even stone cold, will filter all the oil, all the time.
 
Might be worth the 150.00 or so to set up that system on your vehicle eh?
 
Then again, that's quite a few brand new spin on filters, and most vehicles, especially motorcycles last for 100's of thousands of miles now, do you really intend to ride your motorcycle for 500,000 or a million miles?
 
 

[timg]

One more funny or interesting fact about filters. 
When the engine oil is cold, most spin on filters due to the higher pressure from the cold, and less likely to flow easy through the filter media oil.. just bypass until the oil is warmed up, and thus, when you start up cold, your engine is pumping dirty oil around the engine till the oil warms up.
 

A result of multi weight oils is that this does not happen - 
"When you see a W on a viscosity rating it means that this oil viscosity has been tested at a Colder temperature. The numbers without the W are all tested at 210° F or 100° C which is considered an approximation of engine operating temperature. In other words, a SAE 30 motor oil is the same viscosity as a 10w-30 or 5W-30 at 210° (100° C). The difference is when the viscosity is tested at a much colder temperature. For example, a 5W-30 motor oil performs like a SAE 5 motor oil would perform at the cold temperature specified, but still has the SAE 30 viscosity at 210° F (100° C) which is engine operating temperature. This allows the engine to get quick oil flow when it is started cold verses dry running until lubricant either warms up sufficiently or is finally forced through the engine oil system. The advantages of a low W viscosity number is obvious. The quicker the oil flows cold, the less dry running. Less dry running means much less engine wear."
http://www.upmpg.com/tech_articles/motoroil_viscosity/
 

[adjuster]

I agree, viscosity has everything to do with how hard or easy it is to pump the oil.
 
Ever notice your oil pressure is higher even with multi-grade oils, when you first start up your vehicle?
And then, as the oil warms up, the oil pressure drops to a "normal" level.
 
If you monitor it, as the oil ages, and the filter becomes dirty, the oil pressure will again rise up eventually even when hot.
 
Why?
 
The filter is bypassing. Most folks never push a filter that far, it takes either a very dirty engine being cleaned out, or a filter being in service too long.
 
The reason the bypass is in the filter is to allow the cold, much harder to pump around oil, at first start, to get oil to the bearings fast.
 
I agree, a good multi-weight, especially synthetic oil will cause less bypassing, but I don't think it will erase all of it.
 
And whenever a filter bypasses, it can spread material around the oil system/bearings/piston bores etc.
 
The best solution is to have a "accusump" installed where you have a tube holding oil under pressure, a valve and inside the tube is a piston and air on one side. The air pressure keeps the oil under pressure while the engine is shut off, the valve keeps the oil in the tube. A one way ball/check valve keeps oil only going to the engine when you first open the valve to the accusump.
 
So, on my Supra, it has a 3 quart accusump, and a solenoid valve that also has a pressure switch.
 
At shut down, before the engine was turned off, the solenoid would trap 3 quarts of oil in the accusump.
ON start up, before the engine was cranked over, the solenoid would open, allowing 3 quarts of oil under pressure to flow into the engine, fully lubing the bearings/turbo/etc. Then when the oil pressure gage showed 30psi or so, I'd crank over the engine, and start it up.
 
The oil pump in the engine would swiftly overcome the oil pressure from the accusump, and fill the sump back up, keeping oil pressure in the sump, and supplying pressure/flow to the engine.
 
If I ever managed to uncover the pump pickup in the pan, the accusump would see the loss of pressure, and open the accusump valve, supplying oil pressure to the engine.
 
I thought it would never happen, but under braking, and sometimes under acceleration and in really long fast turns, the sump would kick open, and supply pressure. (Made a slight noise in my stereo, since I sourced the power from the amplifier, so the "thump" noise would let me know anytime it would kick open while driving the car.)
 
Crazy thing is, I had about 1500.00 in the oil system alone on that car, and over 15k in the motor/turbo/ECU, and 4k in the brake upgrades. 14" rotors, 6 piston front, 4 piston rears, all from willwood. Nice stuff to be able to stop a 650rwhp car.
 
On that car, I ran multi weight RedLine oil. Ester based, pure synthetic. (After the break in oil that is.)
 
The full flow filter would still be the best system for the FJ09, but it's overkill, as most folks change the oil every 3k or so, and spin on filters, even from Fram will work on that regimine. But spending a little more for a Purolator Pure One lets me sleep better at night? Same with running Shell Rotella T Synthetic 10/40 oil.
 

[timg]

Whenever I've torn down any oiled part of an engine or tranny, it has a good film of oil left from previous running. I honestly believe that this and a short period of idling at start up, thus no heavy loading on that film until the oiling system is functioning well, will protect an engine and tranny for a very reasonable lifetime when combined with proper changes and oil/filter choice. Cars and bikes are running for surprisingly long distances -
 
"“Today’s cars are built to last as long as 250,000 miles or more with simple routine care,” says ASE-certified Master Automobile Technician and Chicago Tribune auto-service columnist Bob Weber." http://www.forbes.com/sites/jimgorzelany/2013/03/14/cars-that-can-last-for-250000-miles/#70ba9ab62ae7
 

 
And I doubt if all of the owners are real fastidious about regular maintenance.

[xlxr]

Cutting up a filter will indicate some differences in construction quality, but it doesn't indicate anything about filtration efficiency. I have cut open and looked under a microscope at standard 30 micron filter media and 5 micron high efficiency media, and the difference is very noticeable. Sort of like comparing window screen size holes to chain link fence holes. I haven't got around to looking at Yamaha's filter under a microscope yet, but I have saved one.
 
Most of the gunk in engines is due to dino oil breaking down into sludge. The better full synthetic oils do not leave gunk and sludge behind.
 
Magnetic drain plugs and good air filters (not K&N) also help a lot.  K&N is now marketing another line of air filters under a different name with better filtration efficiency, probably less air flow, I can't remember the details.