2 Bypass filters to the Turbo

[Mundgyver]

Over the years I have played around with by-pass filter setups and such. The benefits are known and understood. One of the big problems is where to mount them and where to route the return line too. My truck is an ongoing project as I would think most of us do. About 6 months ago I started thinking about a better way for by-pass filtering. The Spinner II while working ok was not the ticket for the final ultimate filter. I am working on a better centrifuge filter system that will clarify the oil. The Spinner II does not allow the oil to dwell long enough to be efficient for me. So I took it off and then decided to run both my big 110 filter inline with the turbo. Works great. I get some oil cooling because of the run and they are easy to get at. I have attached some pictures for you look see. The output line from the top of the filter housing was increased to a 9/16ths inch feed from stock. This allows greater volume so we do not get a pressure drop to the length of the run (18 ft) total. Both by-pass filter are in parallel with the re-stricter orifice in the by-bass housing removed to allow both filter to flow equally. The feed fitting into the turbo is the factory original to keep the oil volume/flow the same despite the larger feed line. I have several thousand miles on this setup so far and it works very well.

Food for thought guys.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

SO, if I interpret the photos correctly, ALL oil supply for the turbo now comes from the bypass filters? Is there provision for avoiding lube starvation to the turbo when bypass cartridges are changed - or do you feel that is a non-issue?



Looks interesting - an oil analysis and particle count would be interesting as well...

 

[Mundgyver]

If I only ran a single unit I would be concerned with starvation. But running two of them presents no issues. Each filter will flow about 1/2 gallon a minute for a total of 1 to 1. 2 gpm, according to the boys at Amsoil. Took me several phone calls to find out that info from them, they were a little on the stingy side giving up the info I wanted.



When I change out a filter, I charge the new one with fresh oil before installing it, so that eliminates the problem.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

fresh, unfiltered oil?

 

[Mundgyver]

Are you saying that new oil, out of the bottle is unfiltered??? Do you filter all the oil after pouring from the bottles but before it goes into the engine when you do an oil change?? Do you leave the filter empty when newly installed so that you have a large air bubble now that has to work its way through the bearings potentially allowing surface to surface contact??

Not going off here, but I am curious?

Or, are we talking about extended oil changes? If I am doing an extended oil run, I change out the filters when they are suppose to be changed and charge them with fresh oil. The full flow filter on the engine itself is changed out every 7,500 miles while the oil will be taken out to 25,000. With the by-pass filters, they get changed out at 15,000 with the new ones being charged with fresh oil.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

I do not fill the filter... I let the engine do that... I do not want unfiltered oil going through the piston squirters. the amount of oil left on the bearings is fine for the few seconds it takes the pump to fill the filter.



I'm sure your setup will work fine, with no ill effects to the turbo... I was just curious

 

[Mundgyver]

Question please Are you thinking or under the impression that new oil in the bottle is unfiltered as delivered from the manufacture?? If so, how come??

 

[Nate]

That setup is fine, but I would have taped off the extra plug on the oil filter housing instead of the turbo's oil line. That's how 99. 9% of people do it.

 

[Mundgyver]

True, I had the by-pass originally set up that way before, but the filters were not inline with the Turbo. I had been thinking about putting them inline with the turbo for a few years. This set up resulted from a need rather than a want. Awhile back I was doing some maintenance on the truck and needed to remove the turbo. Upon removing the turbo feed line I discovered that the aluminum threads in the filter housing feed port were pulled and that I was not going to be able to re-attach the feed line. Since I already had the by-pass system in place and was looking for a better way for my centrifuge set up, I decided to do the obvious. I needed to repair the damaged threads anyway. So I just tapped them out to 9/16 and hooked up the lines. I had been thinking about this mod for a few years and this became the opportunity, out of necessity.



I am working on the Centrifuge and will pull it's oil from the aux feed port when I get the mod worked up.



This set up allows me to use the by-pass filters in a direct mode with the turbo. I get the benefit of the filters and their capabilities without having to tap drain holes into the valve cover. The Centrifuge when reinstalled will drain down to the secondary turbo return port that I have installed on the right side back position of the engine.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

Question please Are you thinking or under the impression that new oil in the bottle is unfiltered as delivered from the manufacture?? If so, how come??

I'm not sure how far it is filtered, and correct procedure is to install the OEM filter empty. They had problems w/ celophane from the bottle seal finding its way into the piston cooling nozzles. Obviously a keen eye and careful peeling/pouring can prevent this, but I'd rather play it safe and not run any unfiltered oil through the engine

 

[Mundgyver]

Ohhhh, that spins a new light on the why. I understand. So the oil you are using, when you pull the top of has a cellophane seal on it that has to be removed also then.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

Ohhhh, that spins a new light on the why. I understand. So the oil you are using, when you pull the top of has a cellophane seal on it that has to be removed also then.

that is correct. my paranoia about clogging a piston cooling nozzle is pretty intense

 

[Mundgyver]

Yep a clogged line would be a bad thing and these engines are not cheap. Makes sense. What brand of oil do you use, not trying to start an oil war, just curious. Is the cellophane a clear type of the white foam type seal that you have to peel up??

 

[JFlagg]

Just a side thought after reading this thread. Since the oil is traveling back to the filters and then back to the turbo, you said you are getting slightly cooler oil. That is obvious since it travels so far it has to cool to some degree, but here is the curveball, what if you added an oil cooler between the filters and the turbo? Would the benefits even be noticed? Do you think it would cool enough to help or would this just be an unnessecary mod that just invites more opportunitys to leak? Just an idea, been thinking about adding some filters like Mundgyver, just haven't yet. Thanks for the pics, I prefer pics over words anyday...

 

[Forrest Nearing]

I have always used Rotella 15w40, but I think I'm going to change over to Delo



I use 1gal jugs

 

[Mundgyver]

Hmm, I have always had Amsoil. I get in a case lot with each bottle being 2 1/2 gallons.

As far as an additional oil cooler, I see a benefit for some cooling to help keep the oil from breaking down due to too much heat. I know that under normal driving conditions the oil temp runs about 10 degrees hotter than the water temp. I also know that on a long pull up a steep grade at 23,000 lbs GVW the oil temp will go above 250 degrees as monitored with my temp gauge. That is one reason I run a Synthetic as they are rated to 400 degrees.

Too much cooling of the oil and you wind up not getting rid of the water / moisture that can accumulate given the right conditions. This can lead to other problems.

I figured that the cooling affect for the oil to the turbo is a good thing as the turbo get hotter than anything else in the engine. I had thought about buying a frame rail oil line cooler, but I would need to monitor the temp of the oil coming out of the turbo on the drain side to make a decision on that. Right now it is low on the priority list.

 

[JFlagg]

Well, If I ever get around to doing a filter setup such as yours I may give it a try. I imagine all you would need to do is keep your oil above 212* since that is the boiling point of water. Though, it should get plenty hot as it passes through the motor before it recirculates back to the filters. Not like it should pick up any water in its trip from the motor to the filters and back to the motor. I would think if your oil cooled to 190-200* BEFORE it entered the turbo, your turbo would be happy. I don't have a oil temp gauge, so I would have to get one prior to this so I could compare the before and after results. I also imagine that the oil would be heated back up well above 212* from its trip through the turbo also, so it might even cool a bit going through the motor... . all this is pure speculation though, feel free to call BS if you know otherwise.

 

[Mundgyver]

That why I have not put a cooler on. Everything is working good and as long as I have no problem then I am happy. My big project now is getting rid of the soot. I had used a Spinner II which does work, but I am after something better, so I am building my own.

These engines and truck are way too expensive to replace every couple of years. So all the mods I do are with an eye on making the truck outlive me. I have about 200,000 on it now and have had no problems. Still running the original VP. I figure I should be able to get to 500 or 600,000 with no issues at least that is my hope:-laf

We will see if our benevolent GOD Cummins will bless me that far or not

 

[amsoilman]

That why I have not put a cooler on. Everything is working good and as long as I have no problem then I am happy. My big project now is getting rid of the soot. I had used a Spinner II which does work, but I am after something better, so I am building my own.



These engines and truck are way too expensive to replace every couple of years. So all the mods I do are with an eye on making the truck outlive me. I have about 200,000 on it now and have had no problems. Still running the original VP. I figure I should be able to get to 500 or 600,000 with no issues at least that is my hope:-laf



We will see if our benevolent GOD Cummins will bless me that far or not

If you keep using that Amsoil Synthetic, you should be able to go that many miles easily. I have seen several Dodge/Cummins with many more than 600,000 using this oil, and some have extended oil drains over 100 K.



Wayne

 

[JasonCzerak]

Have you had this setup in Sub-zero temps? with all that distance between the motor and filter and back, a long -20 degree nite would make some really thick oil...

With a blockheater, the oil gets warm enough even at -20 to making a cold start similar to a 40 degree morning as far as ease of turning over and firing up.