Bypass Filtration. Good or Bad?

[rbattelle]

There are no downfalls whatsover to bypass filtration, period.

I believe there is one: more connections and more hoses to break or leak. Oil leaks are deadly FAST, whereas contaminants in your oil are deadly slow (sort of like the difference between being shot and dying of old-age).



In my opinion, most of the benefit of bypass filtration can be achieved by very frequent oil and filter changes. But that's just my opinion - don't assume it's based on any fact or scientific evidence.



I ran a TP bypass filter for 1 week. I removed it because I discovered I routed a hose poorly and a shock tower nearly rubbed right through it. I had intended to reinstall it, but later decided I don't need the additional complexity.



Ryan

 

[Arkapigdiesel]

I believe there is one: more connections and more hoses to break or leak.

If the correct hoses are used, the hoses won't break or leak. Either get stainless braided line, or the epdm rubber hoses with nylon braided reinforcement (either one can be had at a parts store). The hoses can be connected via barbed fittings or be connected by hydraulic fittings. Trying to pull a hose off by either method ain't gonna happen and the low PSI rating of a vehicles oil system sure won't blow the hoses off. The only other thing that would cause a hose to leak would be chafing from improper routing of the lines (that's a matter of watching what you're doing).

In my opinion, most of the benefit of bypass filtration can be achieved by very frequent oil and filter changes.

Bypass filters do remove abrasive particles out of the oil that the full flow filter can't get to. No matter how often you change your oil, you are going to have particles that the regular full flow filter can't get.



Another secondary thing regarding longer OCI's (oil change intervals) is less oil being unnecessarily dumped out of the crankcase. Keep the money here in the US and distance ourselves from relying on foreign oil #ad

 

[05mxdiesel]

There is no question bypass filters are worth it for our application. Yes, our motors are easy on oil therefore creating long oil change intervals with just dino oil. But with any motor, particles are flowing through our oil creating more wear than if they weren't there. Through oil analysis using a Frantz bypass I am seeing half the wear (iron, fe) at double the sample mileage. Also I did in the beginning have a problem with a hose leaking and the housing of the filter leaking, but after fixing it I am not as paranoid every time I am driving. Now my question is how long can I actually go without changing my oil. My next sample is at 20k on Rotella dino. I actually like changing my oil at 5k but with the oil being clean and still having a high TBN there is no reason to change it.

 

[steved]

I believe there is one: more connections and more hoses to break or leak. Oil leaks are deadly FAST, whereas contaminants in your oil are deadly slow (sort of like the difference between being shot and dying of old-age).



In my opinion, most of the benefit of bypass filtration can be achieved by very frequent oil and filter changes. But that's just my opinion - don't assume it's based on any fact or scientific evidence.



I ran a TP bypass filter for 1 week. I removed it because I discovered I routed a hose poorly and a shock tower nearly rubbed right through it. I had intended to reinstall it, but later decided I don't need the additional complexity.



Ryan

That is the reason I used 1/4-inch ID, steel-braided 5k-psi hydraulic hose... very abrasion resistant and, like everything else I like to do, a little overkill.



steved

 

[steved]

Unnecessary. Bypass filters have a restrictor orifice built in (usually 1/16" of an inch) and when the oil is cold the restrictor orifice acts like a brick wall to cold oil. Oil must be warm to flow good through a bypass filter.

While you are correct for cold oil, what about once oil becomes hot and very fluid? It's not like we are always driving 1500RPM down the road... my oil pressure (in the line to the bypass filter) drops to 20psi at idle some times...



steved

 

[Arkapigdiesel]

While you are correct for cold oil, what about once oil becomes hot and very fluid? It's not like we are always driving 1500RPM down the road... my oil pressure (in the line to the bypass filter) drops to 20psi at idle some times...



steved

If the oil is at operating temp and the oil is at 20 PSI, then yes it still flows good from the bypass filter. If you have your return going to the filler cap, screw it off and give it a look... . you'll see plenty of flow regardless of whether it's at 20 PSI or 40 PSI as long as the oil is hot.

 

[Duluth Diesel]

Cold oil flow with a bypass filter also depends on what oil you are running. A conventional 15W40 will have a much higher (warmer) cold pour point temperature, meaning when it gets down to 30 degrees, lots of 15W40 conventional oils don't pour. The paraffin in the conventional oil causes it to thicken much sooner than synthetic oils. AMSOIL AME 15W40 HD Diesel and Marine synthetic has a cold point of -44 degrees F. That's 44 below zero, it still pours. You are much more likely to see good bypass filtration at low oil temperatures if you have an oil that is engineered to perform at cold temps.

 

[steved]

If the oil is at operating temp and the oil is at 20 PSI, then yes it still flows good from the bypass filter. If you have your return going to the filler cap, screw it off and give it a look... . you'll see plenty of flow regardless of whether it's at 20 PSI or 40 PSI as long as the oil is hot.

I'm talking pressure upstream of the bypass... the orifice is only allowing the pump to hold 20psi on the entire system at idle, but that might also be the placement of my guage in the line to the bypass filter. If you have any pressure downstream of the bypass filter, you got issues, since it is an "open ended" system. And again, 20psi at idle is probably fine since it is only a quart a minute (I hope so since I have about 35k on this setup!!).



And fluid physics say that flow rate will increase and pressure increases through a fixed diameter opening (as in the bypass filter's orifice)... I'm already flowing a quart per minute at idle (orifice is at 1/16" and flowing through 1/4" hose for a distance of 20 or so feet)... I figure that is most likely around a gallon per minute at 60psi (hot/cruise)...



I have converted to synthetics in everything BUT the engine (from someone who was set against synthetics early on)... but I still can't come to running full synthetics in an engine (especially now with 100k on the clock)... so I will keep running dino Rotella... maybe on the next one I'll change...



As a side note, running the oil through over 20 feet of 1/4" hose (with a cooler in the return line) doesn't really seem to affect much... I have check flow on a cold morning (so far only 20*F here) and flow from the BP doesn't seem affected, even with that distance and diameter of hose...



steved

 

[Arkapigdiesel]

Cold oil flow with a bypass filter also depends on what oil you are running. A conventional 15W40 will have a much higher (warmer) cold pour point temperature, meaning when it gets down to 30 degrees, lots of 15W40 conventional oils don't pour. The paraffin in the conventional oil causes it to thicken much sooner than synthetic oils. AMSOIL AME 15W40 HD Diesel and Marine synthetic has a cold point of -44 degrees F. That's 44 below zero, it still pours. You are much more likely to see good bypass filtration at low oil temperatures if you have an oil that is engineered to perform at cold temps.

Duluth,



What you speak of is the truth. A synthetic oil will flow better in cold temps. compared to a dino oil (when going through a full flow filter), BUT to say that it will flow significantly better through a bypass filter with a restrictor orifice isn't exactly true.



I've compared both dino and synthetic oils in applications where a bypass filter is used and the restrictor orifice just doesn't allow a lot of flow when temps. get cold in either syn or dino oils. Keep in mind that where I live we do see single digit temps. in the wintertime so I do have a basis for comparison.

 

[steved]

Duluth,

Keep in mind that where I live we do see single digit temps. in the wintertime so I do have a basis for comparison.

I haven't had this on quite a year yet, but it gets -20 to -30*F here sometimes... been a warm (and snowless ) winter here so far... so my testing is limited in colder weather...



But I know rotella doesn't quit pouring at 30*F... it doesn't really get thick until around 0*F in my experience...



steved

 

[Diesel Thunder]

So, I gather from the posts that with the unit I am considering (Amsoil Bypass BMK-11), there should be no oil pressure, flow, or volume issues?



As I understand it, the bypass setup has a restrictor to prevent pressure/flow loss to the engine?



Or, as good insurance, should a check valve be installed that would prevent the oil accessing the bypass filter when pressures are say 25 psi or below?



This is a very interesting concept on oil filtration. As someone mentioned earlier though, is it worth the trouble and complexity?



I think it may be. But then again, I have seen diesels disassembled that still looked excellent as far as wear on the mains and crosshatching in the cylinders with 200-300 thousand miles. Diesels that had regular oil changes with no bypass filtration.



However, as the recent TDR issue explained, the new oils that are going to be introduced (API CJ-4?) mean there could be wear issues that a bypass setup may be able to help minimize.



Diesel Thunder.

 

[Arkapigdiesel]

So, I gather from the posts that with the unit I am considering (Amsoil Bypass BMK-11), there should be no oil pressure, flow, or volume issues?

Zero issues.

As I understand it, the bypass setup has a restrictor to prevent pressure/flow loss to the engine?

Yep.

Or, as good insurance, should a check valve be installed that would prevent the oil accessing the bypass filter when pressures are say 25 psi or below?

You can do it if you like to spend unnecessary money. The Amsoil BMK-11 unit has the restrictor on the outlet side and the oil MUST flow through the orifice in order to exit.

As someone mentioned earlier though, is it worth the trouble and complexity?

It depends on what you are interested in. Are you interested in extended OCI's? Do you want clean oil going through your engine at all times? Do you want the smaller abrasive particles out of the oil that the full flow filter won't catch? Remember, oil doesn't wear out it gets dirty which in turn makes the oil fall back on its' detergent package and it will eventually exhaust itself fighting off dirt and insolubles.



The only complexity involved is the install of the system, if you would call it complex. Cummins makes a bypass filter install a breeze. You can remove one of the bolts on top of the oil filter housing and replace it with a 1/8" NPT fitting for the pressure source and your return can go back to your oil filler cap... pretty easy if you ask me.

But then again, I have seen diesels disassembled that still looked excellent as far as wear on the mains and crosshatching in the cylinders with 200-300 thousand miles. Diesels that had regular oil changes with no bypass filtration.

Very true. You would more than likely get similar wear with a bypass setup, but you would be able to go longer in between oil changes.



By the way, I ALWAYS recommend a UOA (used oil analysis) to determine how long you can go on an OCI.

However, as the recent TDR issue explained, the new oils that are going to be introduced (API CJ-4?) mean there could be wear issues that a bypass setup may be able to help minimize.

Possibly so.

 

[rbattelle]

That is the reason I used 1/4-inch ID, steel-braided 5k-psi hydraulic hose... very abrasion resistant and, like everything else I like to do, a little overkill.

So did I.



I remembered the other reason I haven't reinstalled the filter: the return line. I wanted to find a way to return it to the pan rather than the oil cap.



Ryan

 

[Arkapigdiesel]

So did I.



I remembered the other reason I haven't reinstalled the filter: the return line. I wanted to find a way to return it to the pan rather than the oil cap.



Ryan

Try a self tapping hollow bolt; it works great. Here is a pic of a STHB used on one of my old trucks.

 

[steved]

I will only add that you don't need a good reason other that the added filtering of your oil... I am not really extending changes, nor am I using synthetic oil or do UOA... I run 10k on my oil and OE filter (DCX recommends 15k on my driving style) and will change the bypass (an amsoil EaBP100) out every two or three oil changes...



In this case, I am not relying on the bypass as much as someone doing extended oil change intervals, but I am getting the benefit of cleaner oil... and if I have to run over 10k to get home from a jobsite, I'm not going to sweat it.



As for whether or not it will prevent sludge, etc... we pulled the valve cover off my dad's 99 to adjust valves... it was spotless inside. He has 255k on his truck and does 5k oil changes... in his case, it did not make a difference.



steved

 

[JFaughn]

Not sure if the point got across , an OEM filter has a bypass to the lube system that bypass's the filter [ incase it is pluged for some reason ] so that the eng. gets lube .
The bypass add on systems , a portion of the oil bypass's into an extra fine micron rated filter to clean the oil better .

That was my point thought, I didn't think the FILTER had a bypass in it... I knew we had a bypass somewhere, just wasn't sure it was in the filter...

steved

 

[steved]

As I understand it, the bypass setup has a restrictor to prevent pressure/flow loss to the engine?

I will only add that MOST bypass filter have the restrictive fitting, some sold on eBay (including one guy selling Amsoil filters on his setup) don't have a restriction and therefor would need one added.



But the Amsoil setup (an actual Amsoil head and filter) do have a restrictive orifice... like the one that I hopefully attached...





steved

 

[J.BURCHFIELD]

A by-pass filter will not interfere with anything simply because it is a bypass filter. Your original filter will continue to function as before. I have one on my 98 12v and use 100% synthetic oil and change only the filters every 10K. Wheen you put on the new filters, fill the canisters with oil so as not to starve the turbo on initial start up. My by-pass filter at highway speed will have all the oil in the engine pass through it every hour, possibly 45 minutes. It takes time for 11 or 12 Quarts to pass through a 2 micron filter. That is why it must be on a by-pass system so as not to slow the normal circulation. The big trucking companies are using by-pass filters with synthetic oil to cut costs. Engine parts do not wear when the oil has passed through a 2 micron filter, they just polish, so to speak.

 

[mymtnhauler]

Does anyone have picks of there bypass fully installed. Just need to get some ideas on how too install thanks!

 

[Arkapigdiesel]

Does anyone have picks of there bypass fully installed. Just need to get some ideas on how too install thanks!

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?t=173564