Oil Filter Question

[cguthrie]

i went the Cummins NW here in Anchorage and i bought a new oil filter, the one they gave me was a LF3894 and the one that is in my pickup is LF3552. On the Geno's Garage website it says LF3894 is the statapore filter for 24 valve pickups and the LF3552 is the microglass filter for 12 valves. Now i took it back to them today and the guy at the counter said that filter would work in my pickup. Anybody know anything about that, i don't want to start changing my oil and the filter not work. Thanks



Chris

 

[JLEONARD]

Everybody I know says the stratopore will work.

I have been using the 3552 and will probably change to the stratopore next time.

Jay

 

[bgilbert]

You can use any oil filter on your truck up to a 2002 oil filter. I've run both the 3552 and 3894, I'm told the 3894 is a finer filter, I just bought two yesterday.

 

[cguthrie]

thanks for the info guys, i feel better now about using it.



Chris

 

[SRadke]

You can use any oil filter on your truck up to a 2002 oil filter. I've run both the 3552 and 3894, I'm told the 3894 is a finer filter, I just bought two yesterday.

Add to this a little, you can use any filter. They all use hte same thread and sealing surface from 89 up through 05. There are diffrences in filtration and the new ones have a diffrent number because they have the flutes for the big wrench on the bottom but any of them will work.



-Scott

 

[Greenleaf]

My nine ISB models use a different filter (thread size) than my nine 12 valves use. Perhaps the school bus industry specs a larger thread size on the ISB for whatever reason, however Bluebird doesn't build the engine, so have a tough time realizing that the bus body company is telling Cummins what is best in terms of oil filtration, you dig?



Is everyone positively/absolutely/110%/no doubt sure that the 12 valve engine uses the same as the 24???????



Not so in my line of work... ... ... ... . again Bluebird don't build the engine, Cummins duz. Same engine you find in the pickup trucks guys.



Go figure.



I have the #56 engine blocks too or is it the #53 that crack??? no matter. I got 'em.



The nice thing about it all... ... ... ... is performing D&R on school bus engines, then apply that to our trucks did I mention I blew a head gasket? Darn driver!!!! Overboosted her... ... again!



-S

 

[rdodd]

I have used both filters on my 92, but i noticed the stratapore 3894 always makes a mess when i take it off. The sratapore media must not drain down like the 3552 and when i take it off oil runs everywhere. Anybody else notice this with the stratapore?

 

[JLEONARD]

when i take it off oil runs everywhere

Here's a boater's trick that will help contain the mess.....

slip a ziplock bag around the filter once it's loose enough to turn by hand.



Jay

 

[bgilbert]

Scott, I'm a million percent sure the 24V oil filter fits and works for the 12V. I just did an oil change, used 3894. Tell ya what, when I bring my 89 over for VE pump removal and install at your house, I'll show ya the 3894 on it.....

 

[SRadke]

Is everyone positively/absolutely/110%/no doubt sure that the 12 valve engine uses the same as the 24???????

I won't say positively/absolutely/110%/no doubt sure but I can guarantee you I used the leftover filters I had for my 96 on my 03 after I sold it.



-Scott

 

[RustyJC]

IIRC, the differences between the filters are:



1. As has been stated, the LF3894 uses the Stratapore filter media.



2. The LF3894 has a thicker shell. The early 24V engines had a problem with rupturing/splitting shells on cold startup, so the LF3894 addressed this with an increase in shell thickness.



Otherwise, they're physically interchangeable.



Rusty

 

[Greenleaf]

My ISB engines use the LF3970 ( Cummins # 3937736) and it is marketed as StrataPore



My 12 valve engines use a filter that has yet to be mentioned here on the forums or in a recent TDR Magazine article.



The LF3349 ( Cummins # 3932217) is in use on my 12 valves. It is not indicated as anything special i. e. StrataPore etc.



Scott

 

[JLEONARD]

Scott,

The LF3349 is the old "standard" cellulose element filter that was supplied with most of the 6b engines.

Jay

 

[Greenleaf]

Standard.......

so all the others are automatics Little wonder everyone is installing the "other" filters. Auto's rock Oo.



OR



Then that must mean they meet Cummins' oil filtration "standards"?



I dunno... I'd seen the LF3349 is for sale by Geno's for the 12v's



-GL

 

[JLEONARD]

Then that must mean they meet Cummins' oil filtration "standards"?

Yes I believe that to be correct.

If I were to go to Cummins and give them my truck's engine serial number and ask for an oil filter, they would walk back to the counter with an LF3349.

My marina friend with the marine Cummins circa 1987 would also get an LF3349



My marine engine, circa 1999, calls for an LF3552, perhaps because of the higher HP rating??

Anyway... the 3552 and the 3894 are upgrades... the media is different and they filter different size particles at different (higher) efficiencies.