best filters?

[MxerChris]

what are the best fuel and oil filters, and what about Baldwin filters, have a friend who is a Baldwin dist. got my big honking air filter from him for $38. 00 plus tax, just wondering if I should get the rest of filters from him, are they good filters?

 

[Cooker]

IMO I think the Hastings, Baldwin, and Wix are all decent filters. I think the best filter is the Fleetguard Stratapore followed by the Amsoil filter.



I feel that the money you will save on filters why skimp. I don't know what the Baldwins sell for, but the Fleetguard Stratapore is $9.



My $. 02,

Ryan

 

[rashwor]

I have a 1992 Cummins RAM 350 with 242,000+ miles and have run nothing but wix fuel, oil, and air filters on it in spite of what Dodge told me. Wix oil filter is # 51607, same as 24 valve Diesels. Dodge says "Run our filters; we know best" Not for my Cummins you don't!

 

[SDBenton]

Fleetgard MicroGlass LF3552 is good ($6-$8).

AutoZone carries Deutch/STP filters ($4-$6) which are good, though I wouldn't use them with synthetic oils. As other posts advise, stay away from Fram for the time being... . Review the recent TDR article on filter composition for more info.

 

[Dennis Garrett]

I've used the LF3552 in my 97 for quite a while. I stumbled into a Ford large truck dealership in Topeka a couple of years ago, and they were in the process of switching from Fleetguard to Baldwin. They had 9 3552's on the shelf, & made me a deal on the whole pile. ($5. 50 ea I think) I've used them all up already, but now I use the Fleetguard Microglass. I get them at the Case IH tractor dealer in Lawrence, they're called "MicroLoc Ultra" # J934430. They're made by Fleetguard, but painted black. About $9. 00 ea.

 

[mikepvg]

Mobil1 & Amsoil have the highest 1st pass efficiency ratings.



Mobil1 (I use M1-403) is rated for 5x's systems normal operating pressure & is available at AutoZone for $9. 97 These filters can filter all the way down to 10microns.



Wix & others are good filters but only filter down to around 25microns. Why do Wix & others do so well as compared to the higher rated one's? Thats because;



(From NORIA)

> * Smaller particles (less than 10 microns) cause the greatest

> engine wear.



> * OEM filters are designed to trap particles down to only the

> 30 to 40 micron level.

>

> Let us first step back ask the question of how does wear particle

> contamination finds its way into the crankcase? We have found

> that we can categorize these sources into five major entry

> points:

>

> 1. Manufacturing Contamination: wear metal debris remaining

> after OEM or rebuilding machining and assembly.

>

> 2. Operation Contamination: wear metal contamination particles

> generated under normal running conditions.

>

> 3. Lubrication Contamination: particles exists in both new, as

> well as, make-up lubrication fluids.

>

> 4. Ingestion Contamination: particles ingested through oil

> breather caps, seals and blow by past piston rings.

>

> 5. Combustion Generated Contamination: soot contamination is

> formed as a byproduct of the combustion process. It starts as a

> sub-micron sized particle which then conglomerate together with

> others to form a major wear component.

>

> "As it turns out, it is this last item, combustion generated

> soot, that is the primary source of the problem. Traditionally,

> soot in diesel engine oil has presented our industry with the

> difficult challenge of successfully and economically measuring

> particle contamination. We will discuss overcoming this barrier

> later in this article.

>

> WHAT LIFE EXTENSION OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE FROM

> CONTROLLING DIESEL OIL CONTAMINATION?

>

> "Over the years, it has been our experience that with an

> aggressive four point contamination control program your

> ability to double or triple diesel engine life is an attainable

> goal.

>

> "How is this possible? First some background on the subject.

> Oil contamination particles are present in diesel engines from

> the sub-micron size to particles exceeding 40 microns. Today,

> most engine manufactures continue to install and specify filters

> that are designed to be effective in controlling wear particles

> at only to the higher 30 to 40 micron levels.

>

> "It is critical to know that extensive laboratory analysis and

> field studies confirm the fact that 0 to 10 micron sized

> particles cause 3. 5 times more wear than particles larger than

> 10 microns! This fact may sound backwards until you consider

> oil film thickness. Major wear is caused by these smaller

> micron particles because they can enter and compromise the

> critical oil film thickness layer that separate the moving

> parts in your engine such as rings, rods and bearing clearances

> typically designed and engineered to these very same 0 to 10

> micron ranges.



So how do you get out those 0-10microns particles?

1) Change your oil regularly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2) If you can justify the costs go w/ a bypass system



Considering this empiracle data, going w/ a high eff synthetic fiber filter might not give you such a good advantage over just a "good" quality filter like a Wix, since neither gets out the particles in the 0-10m range anyways.

But IMO it can't hurt to go w/ the better filter if its cost effective, so thats why I went w/ the M1.



BTW, IMO that filter cutting open test published in the TDR was ridiculous.

I've seen it in a motorcycle mag & thought it was ridiculous then.

Can you cut open a tire & ascertain how it will perform?

No one can tell how a filter will perform by cutting it open.

WOT!

One could only ascertain the very poorly manufactured filters like Fram, but nothing else.

Pleaseee...



Mike

 

[cumminsgetme]

I run all Fleetguard.