Today's oil filters

JDgreen227 · Oct 31, 2013

Changed the oil and filter in a 2011 Malibu (2.4 liter) and 2004 Saturn (3.0 liter) yesterday, and both engines use a paper element in a metal case. I was recalling the large Fram PH8A my older Ford vehicles used, that filter was huge compared to the ones I used yesterday and the Ford engines used 5 quarts as do the GM four and six I just serviced. Cannot really compare the filter media without going to a lot of work, but is today's oil so much better engines don't really need a large filter, despite the fact that oil capacity has basically not decreased? Or could it be the fact that engines burn cleaner and have fewer contaminants like unburnt fuel to foul the oil?

So many variables and the subject really interests me. What is your opinion?

V1Rotate · Oct 31, 2013

I think it is a combination of many things. Better oil. better fuel, better filter media and cleaner burning engines.

Diamondpilot · Oct 31, 2013

Biggest issue is the air filters. Look at the air filter systems on say a 1980 chevy 350 or Ford 351. They sucked! They let so much dirt by and at best filtered 1/2 the air coming into the motor. All a internal combustion engine is really is a air pump. These motors got 100,000 miles and were worn out.

Todays new air filtration systems are tight. They filter virtually all the air which keeps contamination out, oil clean, wear down, and allows engines to last 300,000 miles plus.

Chris

3930dave · Oct 31, 2013

Once we got to MPFI, I'd say fuel control accuracy was definitely a big factor.

Some of the new DI gas motors are diluting fuel again, so I'd call those cases a 1/2 step backwards in terms of that aspect of fuel control.

I noticed that certain new push lawn mowers (Briggs for one) have spin-on oil filters now. They don't look that much smaller than what is on some cars today !

Rgds, D.

DEWFPO · Nov 1, 2013

Better engine machining tolerances, better metal coatings, better metallurgy, better fuel injection controls, better oils, better filter media (air and oil), and better air emissions controls all add up.

DEWFPO

duroc · Nov 6, 2013

DEWFPO said:
Better engine machining tolerances, better metal coatings, better metallurgy, better fuel injection controls, better oils, better filter media (air and oil), and better air emissions controls all add up.

DEWFPO

I agree! It's not 1 particular thing that changed, it's a combination.

When I raced 4x4's off-road, I had a toilet paper (yes, toilet paper, Lol) oil filter on my Jeep that seemed to work as well as any over-the-counter filter did.

MHarryE · Nov 6, 2013

Glad someone brought up the engine materials because they are extremely important. Emissions regs won't allow worn engines like in the past and with the length of time required for the emissions warranty, the auto makers have had to improve. Carburetors were a huge fuel waster because they had to be tuned so the leanest cylinder was rich enough so on a V-8 most of the cylinders were running super rich which resulted in poor burn and oil contamination. And the filter media keeps improving. I had a test machine, 156 HP diesel, that ran fine for 1,500 hours and was sold upon test completion. Thirty hours later the report came back the injectors had worn out. Impossible. I had the dealer test them before we sold the machine. I asked them to send me the details of how they serviced the engine prior to delivery. They didn't have the right fuel filter so they got a Fleetguard filter that fit. I knew immediately - Fleetguard filter and Georgia diesel fuel - lucky to make 30 hours rather than our minimum 5,000 hour target.

Midniteoyl · Nov 7, 2013

Just make sure you change those small filters more often

If mine uses a spin on, I always try to find a bigger one that will fit. I can usually find one double the OEM size. Even if you do change religiously, the bigger filter allows better flow. The replaceable filter media people will obviously have a very hard time trying to go bigger..

Diamondpilot · Nov 7, 2013

Midniteoyl said:
Just make sure you change those small filters more often

If mine uses a spin on, I always try to find a bigger one that will fit. I can usually find one double the OEM size. Even if you do change religiously, the bigger filter allows better flow. The replaceable filter media people will obviously have a very hard time trying to go bigger..

This is not necessarily a best practice. You need to check both filters specs and compare the micron rating, bypass rating, and Sq inches of filter media. Physical size means nothing, it's what is inside.

I have cut dozens if not 100 filters open. There is very little correlation to size and ability to filter.

Chris