oil filter stuff
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 878
Likes: 60
From: Minneapolis, MN USA
I have been led to believe that WIX brand filters are superior. I just installed the first one on my car. I'm sorry I don't have specific model numbers for longer ones. the best part was the WIX one was less expensive than the other brands I had been using!
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 30,995
Likes: 99
From: Ontario
NAPA Gold is Wix.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 6,936
Likes: 848
From: melbourne florida
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
i was using the truck filter for years in any big block or small block chevy the extra oil capacity was reassuring. i now have a 7 quart Milodon pan and the little kickout won't allow that long a filter. i now use the Wix racing filter as the case is substantially beefier which works with the higher oil pressure i run. i agree on the truck filter and Wix. i liked the hastings filters years ago but haven't seen or heard of them in over a decade. donaldson also made a good filter but not sure they are around either.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 11,361
Likes: 383
From: Plano TX
But why do you want the larger filter? GM put them on trucks for towing. Look at any new car and the filters are tiny, because that's all the capacity that is needed. Unless you plan on going 10K miles between oil changes or towing a horse trailer, what's the benefit?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 6,284
Likes: 1,171
From: Hermosa
First it will provide a greater surface area for the oil to pass through during normal operation allowing for greater filtering ability before the bypass valve is forced open at which point none of the oil passing through the bypass is getting filtered.
Second due to the greater surface area more contaminate could be stopped over time before it forces bypassing at ever lower and lower flow rates.
However too big could be an issue if the oil filter becomes the low point under your car and subject to damage by debris passing under the car.
I use the the Fram HP4 filter for it's ability to pass oil at a high rate and still provide enough filtering to prevent engine damage. It is larger than the normally speced filter but smaller than a large truck filter which I feel hangs too low.
Normally I don't run Fram at all and use Wix only.
The HP series however are very well built as opposed their normal line of filters.
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Race Director
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 11,361
Likes: 383
From: Plano TX
My guess would be that the larger surface area of a larger filter will do two things for you.
First it will provide a greater surface area for the oil to pass through during normal operation allowing for greater filtering ability before the bypass valve is forced open at which point none of the oil passing through the bypass is getting filtered.
Second due to the greater surface area more contaminate could be stopped over time before it forces bypassing at ever lower and lower flow rates.
First it will provide a greater surface area for the oil to pass through during normal operation allowing for greater filtering ability before the bypass valve is forced open at which point none of the oil passing through the bypass is getting filtered.
Second due to the greater surface area more contaminate could be stopped over time before it forces bypassing at ever lower and lower flow rates.
However too big could be an issue if the oil filter becomes the low point under your car and subject to damage by debris passing under the car.
I'm not trying to start a fight or anything, just questioning the common belief that we need to run huge filters. After seeing the size of filters modern performance cars run my eyes were opened. Quality filters of today do not need large filter media area to flow well. No need to worry that the bypass will open.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 6,936
Likes: 848
From: melbourne florida
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
the big filter is not as deep as the bottom of the pan if you wiped out anything the pan would go first. the heat is no greater with the big filter than the small one. if for some reason you should run low on oil you have an extra quart still there. if you don't see the need for it , don't use it. if they use a weenie little filter on a prius or a shelby mustang it doesn't matter they are designed differently. everybody makes their own choices in what they think is best for their car, i happen to think more oil capacity and more filter is cheap insurance. if you want to use the short filter thats fine, there isn't anything wrong with it. i run my cars hard but i treat them well. when i drive my Corvette ill do a hundred m.p.h on the entrance ramp so i like having a big pan with plenty of oil and a good filter. 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 6,284
Likes: 1,171
From: Hermosa
No need to worry that the bypass will open.
Finer media with less surface area is going to provide a greater restriction to flow through the media. That restriction to flow has to be relieved or the media will rupture providing little to no filtering after that, hence the bypass valve.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,331
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From: Sunnyvale CA
Steve
Last edited by SI67; May 10, 2015 at 09:01 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,105
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From: Sunrise FL
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 6,284
Likes: 1,171
From: Hermosa
Taken from "Bob's the oil guy" forum. An interesting read
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums...&Number=309756
Another interesting bit of reading, not from a forum.
from oil starvation.
http://www.baldwinfilter.com/TechTips201409.html
The Bypass Valve
Under ideal conditions, the bypass valve will never open. When it opens, the oil by passes the filter and goes on through to the motor, obviously unfiltered. It is a safety valve. However, in real operation, it opens often.
One example is when you start the motor when cold. The oil is thick and does not pass easily through the filtration medium, thus building up to a high pressure drop. So, the bypass valve opens to prevent oil-starvation of the motor. How long it stays open is dependent on how cold the oil is and how long it takes to get near operating temperature. When the pressure drop across the filtration medium drops below the bypass valve setting.
Another example can occur when the motor is fully warmed. At idle, the oil pressure is about 15 to 20 psi, and the pressure drop across the filter is about 1 or 2 psi. You take off towards the redline, and quickly build oil pressure. During that full-throttle acceleration the pressure drop across the filter will exceed the bypass setting, and send unfiltered oil to the motor, until the pressure across the filter has time to equalize. During a drag race, shifting through the gears, the bypass will open several times.
A third example, which you should never experience with frequent oil and filter changes, is when a filter becomes clogged. A spin-on filter can commonly hold 10 to 20 grams of trash before it becomes fully clogged. The bypass valve opening is the only way to keep the motor from becoming oil-starved if the filter becomes clogged.
Under ideal conditions, the bypass valve will never open. When it opens, the oil by passes the filter and goes on through to the motor, obviously unfiltered. It is a safety valve. However, in real operation, it opens often.
One example is when you start the motor when cold. The oil is thick and does not pass easily through the filtration medium, thus building up to a high pressure drop. So, the bypass valve opens to prevent oil-starvation of the motor. How long it stays open is dependent on how cold the oil is and how long it takes to get near operating temperature. When the pressure drop across the filtration medium drops below the bypass valve setting.
Another example can occur when the motor is fully warmed. At idle, the oil pressure is about 15 to 20 psi, and the pressure drop across the filter is about 1 or 2 psi. You take off towards the redline, and quickly build oil pressure. During that full-throttle acceleration the pressure drop across the filter will exceed the bypass setting, and send unfiltered oil to the motor, until the pressure across the filter has time to equalize. During a drag race, shifting through the gears, the bypass will open several times.
A third example, which you should never experience with frequent oil and filter changes, is when a filter becomes clogged. A spin-on filter can commonly hold 10 to 20 grams of trash before it becomes fully clogged. The bypass valve opening is the only way to keep the motor from becoming oil-starved if the filter becomes clogged.
Another interesting bit of reading, not from a forum.
There are two conditions that will cause the by-pass valve to open:
Engine Starts - When the engine is started and the oil is cold.
Cold oil does not flow through the filter element as freely as
when it is warm. This causes the pressure differential across
the filter element to increase and the by-pass valve to open.
The by-pass valve will close once the oil is warm and the
pressure differential across the filter element drops below the
by-pass valve pressure setting.
Plugged Filter – A filter will become plugged if the oil is
contaminated, or the filter is not serviced according to the
maintenance schedule. Once the filter becomes plugged, the
by-pass valve will remain open. This allows unfiltered oil to
lubricate the engine components, preventing engine damage
Engine Starts - When the engine is started and the oil is cold.
Cold oil does not flow through the filter element as freely as
when it is warm. This causes the pressure differential across
the filter element to increase and the by-pass valve to open.
The by-pass valve will close once the oil is warm and the
pressure differential across the filter element drops below the
by-pass valve pressure setting.
Plugged Filter – A filter will become plugged if the oil is
contaminated, or the filter is not serviced according to the
maintenance schedule. Once the filter becomes plugged, the
by-pass valve will remain open. This allows unfiltered oil to
lubricate the engine components, preventing engine damage
http://www.baldwinfilter.com/TechTips201409.html
Last edited by REELAV8R; May 11, 2015 at 04:13 PM.