SacCityCorvette

I was researching and found quite a few performance and race engine builders plug the oil filter bypass so that only filtered oil goes through the engine. They say you have to make sure you change the filter regularly and warm the engine oil up before going over 2500 rpm. I was thinking about doing this but want to hear from the pro's here on the forum not the ones that say don't mod anything on a Vette.
Anyone have experience with this mod?
I am running a external oil cooler with a thermostat and remote oil large filter on my C5Z 440ci n/a ls2.

Thanks
Christian

jedblanks

Seems like a bad idea. The bypass is there to keep oil flowing should the filter become restricted. At extreme high psi (cold engine with high flow oil pump) it keeps the filter from exploding/blowing off.

GOLD72

SacCityCorvette

Thanks for the reply.
Ya, I read that too. That's why they said you have to service the filter regularly and run a high quality filter like WIX or some other performance filters.
Just doesn't seem like a good idea to run unfiltered oil through the engine.

Tonylmiller

I bet unfiltered oil is way better than no oil. Hopefully metal will sink to the bottom of the oil pan anyhow, mostly.

SUB VETTE

With a clean filter how much oil goes through the bypass? I don't know the answer, but I would bet it isn't enough to be concerned about. Seems like plugging it is a dumb modification to me.

victorf

Sounded like you still have doubts in regards to having dirty oil is better.

From another prospective. Even having regular service, no telling if the filter was not an lemon, proves it is, in an most inopportune time.

Hard to contradict that, right?

One thing can help to capture some of the metallic particle is using purpose designed, high temperature resistance magnetic drain plug and stick a few on the filter housing to aid. My recent drain proves the benefit from an newly built:





After slurry removed:

SacCityCorvette

Victorf,
Did you plug your bypass?

victorf

No. I feel passing dirty oil is better than no oil. As indicated, good magnets help lessen the detrimental abrasive particle passing thru.

glenB

I've done it regularly on gen 3 SB but I consider it ' big wup ' now. The oil filter will withstand the pressure of 90% of the oil pumps out there and clogging is not an issue.

In the end its not big deal either way.

SacCityCorvette

I have decided that I am going to plug the bypass and run a dual filter setup so only clean oil can flow freely. I think the bypass opens more often then we think it does. Especially after seeing how much metal the magnetic drain plug catches, I don't want it going through my engine.
Thanks for all your input!
Christian

cclive

It's a much better idea than running no oil through the engine.

CI GS

I'm not sure about the GM LS filters, but the K&N filters that I use on my car and truck have an internal high pressure bypass. Not sure what the bypass pressure is though. In any event, if you are careful with warming the car up and especially if you are using a remote dual filter setup and you monitor oil pressure to see if there is any inordinately high pressure, your engine will be fine with the bypass blocked.
I've run several big blocks over the years with the bypass blocked - all with remote filters though - and I think the bearings were much better off for it. The thing with the bypass is that you don't know how weak the spring is, because there's no real way to monitor when the oil is bypassing and how much oil is bypassing.
I also like to run magnets in the sump and on the filter too though, because a lot of oil gets splashed around in the bottom end from windage, so the cleaner the oil stays - even before it gets to the filter - the better.

cclive

This idea may just be responding to a problem that doesn't exist. It may be that doing this will extend the engine life from 300,000 miles to 350,000 miles...neither of which will ever be seen. The only way to know if the bearings are better off is to disassemble the engine and measure them, or see them wear out. Again, neither of which is likely to happen.

SacCityCorvette

I don't think I will have a problem with no oil with two big oil filters, I doubt they will be plugging up and cutting off the oil supply.

SacCityCorvette

[QUOTE=CI GS;1588523154]I'm not sure about the GM LS filters, but the K&N filters that I use on my car and truck have an internal high pressure bypass. Not sure what the bypass pressure is though. In any event, if you are careful with warming the car up and especially if you are using a remote dual filter setup and you monitor oil pressure to see if there is any inordinately high pressure, your engine will be fine with the bypass blocked.
I've run several big blocks over the years with the bypass blocked - all with remote filters though - and I think the bearings were much better off for it. The thing with the bypass is that you don't know how weak the spring is, because there's no real way to monitor when the oil is bypassing and how much oil is bypassing.

Apocolipse

I have debated this as well...typically filters now a day have bypass built into them anyways...

SacCityCorvette

Good point, Apocolipse. You can also get filters without the bypass.
I don't think you need the bypass if you plan on changing the filters regularly.

GeneSch

Please don't forget to link the "spun a baring" post to this one.

HOXXOH

Just exactly where would this bypass plug go?

See the last paragraph in the left hand column.