Coolant filter- an experiment

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Well unfortunately the test vehicle in this thread- my '94 Corsica- has met a sudden and unexpected death. It's now sitting at a friend's house about 1000 miles east of here, never to return to its native Kansas.

I may continue with other coolant filter experiments eventually, but right now I'm concerned with finding a replacement vehicle.

I think the results I've posted in this thread have been enough to conclude that if one uses a fuel filter as a coolant filter, is HAS to have a metal case. Also, the paper elements can work, but aren't really ideal. If at some point I feel the need to filter another cooling system, I'll try a metal-cased filter with a wire mesh element, such as the Case D139225.
 
Still, very interesting findings. Proof that mixing coolants can't necessarily be fixed with a simple flush.
 
Originally Posted By: onion
Well unfortunately the test vehicle in this thread- my '94 Corsica- has met a sudden and unexpected death. It's now sitting at a friend's house about 1000 miles east of here, never to return to its native Kansas.

I may continue with other coolant filter experiments eventually, but right now I'm concerned with finding a replacement vehicle.

I think the results I've posted in this thread have been enough to conclude that if one uses a fuel filter as a coolant filter, is HAS to have a metal case. Also, the paper elements can work, but aren't really ideal. If at some point I feel the need to filter another cooling system, I'll try a metal-cased filter with a wire mesh element, such as the Case D139225.


What happened to the car?
 
You are correct, Texan. The whole sad story can be found on page 2 of my Honda thread.

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2026733&page=2

Originally Posted By: onion
Originally Posted By: mechanicx
I was wondering how many miles were on your '94 Corsica and what failed on it? As far as the Accord, it sounds like you have a handle on its maintenance plan. I'd be very weary about frame alignment but if you really checked it out then that's what matters.


My tired old '94 Corsica suffered sudden transmission failure at 182,000 miles. And these were HARD miles... lots of short trips and stop & go driving. Long story, but I was driving through BFE Kentucky. One minute I was cruising along comfortably at 75mph... then quite suddenly the transmission was in neutral and the engine was hitting the rev limiter. The car never pulled itself again. Can't say exactly why as I didn't tear it down... I'll probably never know EXACTLY what the failure was. But what I do know is that the pump isn't pumping. You can check the ATF level with the engine running or shut off- no difference. Right now it's sitting at a friend's house... he's going to sell it for whatever he can get out of it, and we'll split the proceeds, meager as they may be.

This car was old, ugly, and worn out- but it was religiously maintained. The engine is still in perfect running condition. Of course, I could have said exactly the same about the transmission the instant before it failed. It wasn't worth putting a transmission in- the body was falling apart, rain leaked in through the firewall, it needed struts and a fair amount of suspension work. It had definitely reached the end of its useful life.


Hmmm... wonder if a Honda has any need for a coolant filter...

Actually, the cooling system in my other GM- an'01 Lumina- is very clean. It was spotless when I got the vehicle at 159,000 miles... filled with original dexcool. I flushed and refilled with G05. Now at 225,000, the cooling system is still spotless... but tinted green rather than red. I really don't see a need for a filter in this case- at least not with as many irons as I have in the fire lately.

My 'new' replacement vehicle, the 2004 Accord, has a new radiator (cheap Chinese Autozone junk)... and I wouldn't expect the rest of the cooling system to be dirty at this point. So I'm probably out of the coolant filter business for a while. At least until my classes slow down and my massive maintenance backlog is caught up.
 
I haven't gotten to installing a filter on the Jeep yet either. I've been too busy with college. Once I've got a job up here and some disposable income, I might do a high-flow dual oil filter mount with a pair of PL30001 Pureones on it. Probably around Christmas time.
 
Have any of you guys found what the best coolant filter would be and not posted back yet?

I like the idea of the diesel fuel filter... Do any of you have part numbers for any of them?
 
Originally Posted By: wrcsixeight
^^ yeah. I'm looking for one I can install in my 5/8 ID heater hose. No luck finding anything yet.


Have you strolled by autozone or any parts stores and looked at inline fuel filters yet?
 
I just went to autozone and looked at about every luberfiner fuel filter they had in stock, and none seemed to be the 7/16th inch i need to use on the hose coming from my engine and flowing into the degauss tank.

I found a couple that might be close, but even so, does anyone know the impact of flow on a luberfiner fuel filter used in a cooling system?

Should i be worried about the filter bursting or something leaking due to lack of flow to the filter?

I am very interested to start cutting my hoses and install a filter as well as a neo magnet on the filter to try to catch some of that loose iron floating around in the system.

Where do i find those danm diesel fuel filters?


Possible candidates for my setup...

Luberfiner ff3330/g478 for $4 - Small but might work very short filter

or

Luberfiner ff4507/g6384 for $10 a much larger filter that has about the same size inlet/outlet


also

Luberfiner FF751 for $10 - another larger size filter that might work
 
Also is it a good spot to place the filter in on the rubber hose that flows from the engine into the degauss tank or is there a better spot like after the degauss tank?
 
I just re-read the thread a little more closely, i am going to stroll into my local tractor supply in the next few days or so and see if i can pick me up one of those mesh filters and start cutting!
 
I emailed Luberfiner and here is the response i got back in question to using their filters for this purpose....

Justin,

I can not recommend a in line style filter for filtering anitfreeze. You would need a specific media to filter water and such, other wise the media will deteriorate and come apart. We currently do not do anything for filtering antifreeze, other than our spin on style coolant filters, which are around a 50-60 micron particulate filter.


Bob Buckman
Tech Rep
Champion Labs
1-800-882-0890
 
Okay i seem to be the only one posting in this thread, so sorry for all the back to back posts but i am trying to keep this update for myself and everyone else....

I was at my local Tractor Supply today and they seem to have slim pickings for filters. They only carry Fram filters + some misc lawnmower ones.

I picked up a Fram G15 inline metal fuel filter with 3/8 barbs on it. It looks very identical to the Fram G2 with paper media inside also but metal case.

I am going to try the Fram G15 first for a few days, like in the original post with the G2 and see how much crud i get out of it. The trick there will be trying to cut it open after i am done with it!

I am going to wait until i find a suitable replacement filter after the G15 is out because i can't leave it in there that long.

There was only 1 fram G15 in stock so i need a few of them to clean the crud out before moving to a mesh filter for a longer interval.... Nonetheless i will update with pics if i do anything in the next few days/weeks.... I am going to get this thing done eventually!
 
Well if you're feeling lonesome- I'm keeping up with this thread.

I suspect that the Fram filter you bought will be the same paper-element filter that I bought under the Hastings brand, and by the same part number. We'll see when you cut it open.

I don't know what tools and equipment you have available, but those filters are easy to cut open with a bench grinder- just grind through the crimped seam.
 
I have no power tools available.

Has anyone tried the Harbor Freight "Drill Master" 80 piece rotary tool kit. They have a coupon to save 65% and the price is only $7 with coupon, looks like a dremel knockoff that might get the job done.



They had one of these filters just like this wix but it was a Fram with the glass window and it was huge. It said up to 30 psi before the glass gives out. It had 3 holes so i didn't know if i could get it to work right with an inlet and outlet.... Or else it would have been sweet with all that media and the glass to see the damage!

http://www.amazon.com/Wix-33370-Complete-Line-Filter/dp/B000CSD2LE
 
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What do you guys think about this, i was thinking about installing the fuel filters on a Y-Splitter/Barb so that if the filter gets clogged, it can still bypass the filter to get full flow, and also this way the filter won't be taking as much pressure so it might filter a little better and slower, which means i can leave it on longer at at time, but still get some filtration.

I need to find a metal Y barb though all the ones i see are Nylon and are only rated for up to about 275F

I drew a rough sketch of what it would be like, with the flow coming out from the engine and going into a Y barb then 1 end going to the filter and the other end going to the other Y barb before going to the reservoir.

The other side of the Y barb will obviously be going through the fuel filter and then continue onto the reservoir...

Thoughts? I think this will ensure i don't have any flow issues if the filter gets plugged prematurely


Also please excuse the dimensions of the drawing and the placement, it would obviously be much different hose length and placement in the engine bay, the hoses would be very short.





mockuptry1.jpg
 
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