Bypass Oil Filters - Keep or Remove?

[catalinajack]

Science denier? Hardly. I've been involved with dozens of very large engines where bypass filtration is supported and recommended by the the OEM. This better filtration is part of an in depth program to extend base engine life. As mentioned by many here oil analysis with factory support as data is accumulated go hand in hand.

But and a very big but, the purpose of optimum oil filtration and analysis is to extend engine life not increase service intervals. For the 100 hour per year lazy boat owners, rarely changing your oil because you have a Gulf Coast filter is indeed bad science.

For those who enjoy using a search engine look up SOS for some interesting data on oil filtration. Further, Fleetguard has a good article on bypass filtration fact and fiction.

A few interesting side notes, cold starts are the hardest thing on engine moving parts. That is why gensets, commercial diesels in tugs, mining fleets etc get such long engine life. Second, oil filters break down over time and not only lose their filtering ability but release trapped particles into the oil flow. Thirdly, if you are seriously using an oil analysis program, an oil analysis on the clean oil is essential.

Don't take it from me though, or other anecdotal mutterings you read on the Internet. For oil and filter change intervals read what Cat, Cummins, Deere, northern Lights, MAN etc state in the books they give you. Many of these books are written for engines where bypass filtration is OEM with good filters.

Like the dentist, once per year or more often as hours increase prevents decay. Last but it least, you may be in for an eye opener when looking up costs for accurate techniques for measuring 5 micron particles and assaying same. It is a science well beyond a 50 buck quickie.

My apologies. I must have misinterpreted. I agree with 100% of what you state.

 

[catalinajack]

Good questions Ted. I have been told by experts that oil filters are short lived due to hot pressurized organics eating up the cellulose. Thus adding another conundrum to lazy boaters who like to ask, "I only ran my engine 20 hours last year, do I need to change oil?"

Sunchaser, some high quality filters use synthetic media rather than cellulose. Do you think the synthetics are as prone to breakdown?

 

[FF]

"Thus adding another conundrum to lazy boaters who like to ask, "I only ran my engine 20 hours last year, do I need to change oil?"

Da Book answers this question, time in the engine OR operating hours to a change is usually specified by the engine maker.

With minor operating time , folks have been known to just change the oil and not the filter.

 

[sunchaser]

Sunchaser, some high quality filters use synthetic media rather than cellulose. Do you think the synthetics are as prone to breakdown?

Some random and likely well known musings ---

Not sure what synthetics you are referring to for diesel lube oil filters. The media feedstocks for the filter manufacturing facilities come from reliable sources like Miller Waste Mills. For filters (most big ones are canisters) how they are made with end caps, internal tubes, media weaving and packing ratio seems the focus.

Look up Cat Advanced High Efficiency Oil Filters. Whether the engines are equipped with bypass filtration or not, the best filters should be used. Cat seems at the head of the class, especially on the hydraulic oil side. Bought some new oil filters today, NAPA made in the USA. Another thing to watch out for.

In the rigors of dirt moving filtration efficiency is the name of the game. If the engine is continually working in dirt, the better air filters manage the particulate load going to the induction side and then onto lubrication oil. This is a key reason marine commercial engines running long hours at high loads can outlive their land based counterparts by 20 or 30% - no dirt!

For us recreational boaters, a few hundred engine hours per year is very light duty. These low use engines normally wear out due to inactivity and cooling system failures.. For commercial engines running many thousands of hours per year lubrication efficiency via internal design, lube oil used and oil filtration is a key element. And proper maintenance protocols.

 

[Nomad Willy]

FF wrote;
"With minor operating time , folks have been known to just change the oil and not the filter."

I did that when I had a larger filter. What is the reason to change the filter? As I see it it's because it may be nearly full of solid material and could reduce the oil flow to a dangerous level. Low hours plus the fact that our engine compartments have very very little dust or dirt availible to fill up and plug a filter.