Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve C.
One popular WIX filter states it has the ability of removing particles down to about 21 microns in size. One micron equals a millionth of a meter or 0.000039 inch. By comparison, a human hair is about 60 microns in diameter !
Rhetorical question.... how often do we change our filters. At that point is there is a danger that the oil filter might become plugged with particles under 21 microns.
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If that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside then good for you. The absolute truth is that the 5-10 micron abrasives do the most damage to the internally lubricated parts inside of your engine, 21 microns is twice the size of the 5-10 micron most damaging size particles.
No you can't see them with your eye, but it doesn't change the fact that they wear the parts inside of your engine, "out of sight out of mind" isn't helping your engine live a longer life. If you want to believe that the small stuff isn't doing damage then that's your choice. Industry experts state otherwise and if you have any doubts then do some reading on the subject.
Filtering oil to a very fine degree is not going to harm anything, not filtering it is definitely going to harm parts. Believe what you want, evidence says otherwise.
I've educated myself on the merits of filtering the oil to a like new condition and I wish I had done it long ago. I could have saved myself money and work rebuilding or replacing engines and parts that wore out prematurely.
If you spend thousands of dollars on a street strip engine updating all the weak factory points and parts, why is it you neglect one of the most vital parts of the engine and cheapen out with the much inferior factory designed oil filtering system. It makes very little sense to me to rationalize that this one thing that keeps the engine lifeblood clean and able to do the best job under punishing circumstances is left up to a stock oil filter that in reality is just a sieve, not a filter at all.
BTW, most stock oil filter filter 60-80 microns efficiently, under that size the filtering efficiency goes way down, so yes it may collect some 21 micron particulate, but much of it keeps circulating unhindered by the inefficient factory designed filter. If by pass filtering isn't as efficient and extending engine life, why is it that all high mileage OTR trucks have by pass filtering systems to save down time money and extend engine life?
These engines regularly see a million miles with no engine failures or rebuilding. When was the last time you saw any passenger car engine run a million miles with no internal engine work? Never.
Years ago OTR trucks were lucky to get 500,000 miles without a major OH. With better filtration they now go twice as far all the time.
Your kidding yourself if you don't think the oil filtration as engineered by Detroit in the late 50s is adequate as it is. DON'T take my word for it, educate yourself and you'll find out that your stock style oil filtering system is woefully inadequate, especially in an engine that is run hard or raced. There is plenty of information on by pass filtering available and it's discussed by industry experts, not people hanging out on a forum rationalizing why their 65 year old oil filter technology is alright for their HP Pontiac engine or their daily drivers, and fills the bill just fine.
FYI even though I am a dealer for Frantz oil filters I have never sold a filter to anyone on this board and I don't expect to. Lots of curiosity but no buyers ever. The information I pass along is not to sell anyone anything, purely to get others on here to look into by pass filtering no matter whose product you decide to buy if you decide to buy anyone's product. It will save you money and extend your engines life in the long run. If you choose to retain the old technology on your cars and trucks then fine, please don't trivialize the facts I've presented as minuscule and dismiss them as BS.