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What kind of oil filter should I buy?
you came from: Master List > General Info
There's never been a make of car, a brand of oil, or a kind of wax that
some folks don't swear by, and other folks swear at. The same goes for
oil filters. The consensus of opinion in our newsgroup however, seems
to be that the manufacturer's OEM filter is best.
For extensive web pages on the subject of oil filter construction,
click these two famous links:
http://www.ntpog.org/reviews/filters/filters.shtml
http://www.knizefamily.net/minimopar/oilfilters/index.html
Keep in mind that neither of the above studies have anything to do with
filter function, just with how they look. For all you
and I know, they all work just fine, and nobody's EVER tested them to
see one way or the other.
FRAM filters especially have a bad anecdotal reputation that's almost
universal on the Internet. People usually report collapsed elements and
poor sealing of elements to end caps.
However, Honda's OEM Canadian filters have been made by FRAM for at
least twelve years, albeit made to Honda's exacting requirements, and
are used on every single vehicle that is built in Canada or serviced in
a Canadian dealership. I've been using Honda's FRAM-built filters for
twelve years, going through nearly a hundred of them in that time. The
car currently gets about 2,200 miles per US quart of oil, and that's
with 300,000 miles on the clock as of April 2008.
ONE, and ONLY one, filter has had some sort of problem, and that was
when the drainback flap curled up on one edge. A picture of that one is
here: http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/misc/peelback.jpg
For my own investigation of Honda's recent (2004) OEM filter
"downsizing", click here.
As of this writing (Jan25/05), there exist exactly zero (0) actual
studies on the Internet or anywhere else that I've been able to find
that have subjected FRAM and other makes to proper and correct ASTM filtration tests. Such an
evaluation would give flow tests, filtration measurements by weight,
failure tests and other objective data. A proper test would be rigorous
enough to control sufficiently for variability, and to eliminate
contamination of the results.
If anyone knows of such a credible, comprehensive, rigorous,
well-controlled test, please email me. Do not email me about
the BobIsTheOilGuy flow
tests. The authors themselves have declared that their test is
inconclusive, is far from exact, and really only serves to demonstrate
the extreme difficulty and expense of conducting a properly set-up and
controlled test.
There DOES exist such a study of air filters. It's here:
http://www.duramax-diesel.com/spicer/index.htm
That's what I'd like to see for oil filters.
Are
proprietary oil additives any good?
you came from: Master List > General Info
Anecdotal evidence, especially that put forward by Slick-50 and other miracle additive
makers, says yes. Unfortunately, actual independent testing says most
definitely NO! Engine oils, transmission fluids and power
steering fluids are already chock-a-block with additives, but not the
sort found in products like Slick-50.
Slick-50 owns some 50-60% of the retail-consumer additive market. The
brand is now owned by Shell Oil's Quaker State division. In spite of
that, Slick-50 does not appear to have gained much in the way of
official credibility, and Quaker State has been spanked by the FTC for
making claims that could not be substantiated.
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1997/07/slick.htm
Some more good links:
Chris
Longhurst's Oil Bible Pages
(also has some excellent information on just why engines wear out
(scroll down to the section entitled: My personal views on
additives)
BobIsTheOilGuy
The
VintageTriumph Register's Oil Additives Page
(you may have to register for the VTR pages...)
Read those links first, then read the ones below.
A bike link here, but some good info:
http://faq.f650.com/FAQs/OILFAQ.htm
and finally...
http://www.skepdic.com/slick50.html
http://www.oil-tech.com/aftrmrkt.htm
A search engine will bring up more. Just remember, your engine is worth
about one-third the cost of that new car you bought, and will cost
several thousand dollars to rebuild when worn. Be very careful how far
you deviate from what the manufacturer recommends! Your very best
protection from wear is the simplest one: Change your engine oil
frequently. The more often the better, and never let anyone tell you
otherwise.
Last updated: March 30/08
