Oil Filter Efficiency for Cleaner Oil

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

MWD_CTSV

Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2023
Posts
73
Reaction score
140
I think I'll have to reread that again to fully understand what you're saying. but my question is how are particle bigger than the filter rating getting thru the media? is it some kinda break thru or just the bypass valve? if so it seems a higher bypass valve pressure would be helpful?

on a side note, here's a wix filter without a bypass valve with ratings I don't fully understand listed on the side of it. might be interesting.

Filter media is a science unto itself. Only 100% efficiency first pass means no large particles go through and no ordinary filter can achieve that. The balance is a combination of filter capacity, flow and efficiency. If you are shooting for high capacity and low restriction you may likely choose a looser filter media. If you care about efficiency for an extreme load test (even racing doesn't produce that many particles in 30 minutes), then you use a tighter media. You are compromising a bit either direction.

Yes, some particles may go through the bypass valve. A higher bypass is only helpful if you are oversupplying the oil to compensate, but more often oil pressures are coming down to increase fuel efficiency. But realistically better media and higher capacity are a better choice than backpressure and a high bypass relief pressure.

For the filter specs, it is just showing you the performance characteristics. The top one is simply saying for a 10 gram filter load and 1/10 Liter per sec flow there is a specific back pressure.
 

j91z28d1

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2022
Posts
1,785
Reaction score
2,022
I believe that is a fuel filter. Maybe it could be adapted to be a little bypass filter? I run the large Amsoil EaBP90 bypass filter.

It is my understanding in the real world there has to be something terribly wrong with an engine or its oil for athe full flow oil filter to go into bypass. Normally there is very little differential pressure across the media in a oil filter.


it very well could be fuel, I was just on the wix site one day and sorted by thread and base size looking for a longer filter that fit the ls with the higher bypass of the LT engines, just thinking it couldn't hurt when stepping up to a thicker oil for the higher track day Temps I was seeing. when I saw the one without a bypass I thought it would make for a cheap break in filter that was only going to be on a few 100 miles and I'm sure the oil has extra stuff in it, since it's not like I can build in a clean room.

any thoughts on why gm put out the tsb on making sure to use the higher bypass filter on the newer engines, since they look the same I got the feeling techs were just using whatever and not putting the proper one on. my thoughts was in a racing application at high rpm and going to 0w40 oil it was getting into the bypass all the time. I have absolutely nothing to base that on lol, but it seems like a lot of oil to force thru a tiny filter at 20 or less micron.

I do notice no pressure drop with the non bypass filter, but also I don't run a fresh engine at high rpm. just 3k at most and short time between shifts. so maybe a fresh filter isn't in bypass as often as I think it is?
 
Last edited:

j91z28d1

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2022
Posts
1,785
Reaction score
2,022
Let's say I use a PF 66 GM filter, I would like to use a larger longer filter in its place, but I don't understand how to figure out what is a bigger filter that would fit that same filter base, is this easy to figure out?


wix has a nice site with the specs and search if you want to look.

go there put in your filter number as a cross-reference. it will bring up the wix for your application. then look at the specs, it will give you the size in length, gasket diameter and thread pitch. you can then search by the thread pitch in their site and it will give you a list of everything they make. find the one that's the size matching yours with the length you want.

you can either buy that one, or cross reference back to your brand of choice. that or someone on the board has already figured that out and posted it for us.
 
OP
OP
donjetman

donjetman

Full Access Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2018
Posts
1,343
Reaction score
2,298
any thoughts on why gm put out the tsb on making sure to use the higher bypass filter on the newer engines, since they look the same I got the feeling techs were just using whatever and not putting the proper one on.
Around 2012 GM changed the engine oil pump to a 2 stage unit resulting in more flow when cold.

90*f/40*c is cold to GM. Normal is 212*f/100*c.

5w oil @ 90*f/40*c is thicker than 30w oil @ 212*f/100*c.

5w @ 90*f/40*c = 18 cSt kinematic viscosity
30w @ 212*f/100*c = 11 cSt kinematic viscosity

thus (Read this link and connect the dots): https://ricksfreeautorepairadvice.com/best-oil-filter-for-gm-vehicles/
 
OP
OP
donjetman

donjetman

Full Access Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2018
Posts
1,343
Reaction score
2,298
wix has a nice site with the specs and search if you want to look.

go there put in your filter number as a cross-reference. it will bring up the wix for your application. then look at the specs, it will give you the size in length, gasket diameter and thread pitch. you can then search by the thread pitch in their site and it will give you a list of everything they make. find the one that's the size matching yours with the length you want.
yes it gives a lot of good info until you want to know about efficiency?

Wix doesn't give any efficiency specs. Why? My guess is = 62% efficiency @ 20 microns (rock catcher) is a hard sell.

I use Wix racing filters (51061R) for my bbc drag race engines and add a Moroso stainless pre-filter screen on top to catch the really big rocks (> 280 microns) to give me a visual clue something is not right just by unscrewing it and looking at the top of it.
 

Marky Dissod

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 3, 2023
Posts
1,029
Reaction score
1,331
Location
(718)-
yes it gives a lot of good info until you want to know about efficiency?

Wix doesn't give any efficiency specs. Why?
My guess is = 62% efficiency @ 20 microns (rock catcher) is a hard sell.
Kinda like how almost no mufflers or exhaust components cite cfm ratings so they can be comparison shopped by objective criteria instead of subjective sound.

Oil filters are not like mufflers, though.
More importantly, oil filter quality control has steadily declined since the 2010s, so those operating with old info may wind up not getting their money's worth, if not screwing themselves.

lists alternates for the Wix 51522.
Stopped buying WIX 'base' oil filters a few years ago.
Still learning which oil filters give best bang for the buck today.
 

j91z28d1

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2022
Posts
1,785
Reaction score
2,022
yes it gives a lot of good info until you want to know about efficiency?

Wix doesn't give any efficiency specs. Why? My guess is = 62% efficiency @ 20 microns (rock catcher) is a hard sell.

I use Wix racing filters (51061R) for my bbc drag race engines and add a Moroso stainless pre-filter screen on top to catch the really big rocks (> 280 microns) to give me a visual clue something is not right just by unscrewing it and looking at the top of it.


I was meaning good info as far as fitment and cross references. I wasn't pushing the brand. it's obvious you've done more research than I have on filters.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
128,785
Posts
1,805,362
Members
91,764
Latest member
tomcoop
Top