Exploding Mobil 1 filters

[csandste]

From the MiniMopar filter study...

http://www.minimopar.net/oilfilterstudy.html#mobil1

"It uses a synthetic fiber element that can filter out very small particles and is very strong. It is rated just under the Purolator Pure One as far as filtering capability, but is still very much above conventional paper filters. It also has a very strong construction to withstand high pressure spikes during start-up. However, as with all Mobil 1 products, expect to pay 2 - 3 times as much for this filter.

I have received many reports of these filters failing at high pressures. It seems that the seam where the backplate crimps to the case can split."

OK, so Champion Labs makes these things like the proverbial brick crapper and they split wide open.

Assuming that these reports have some validity, anyone like to tell me what might be going on?

 

[Patman]

I don't know if I believe that report. I have used the Mobil 1 filters quite a lot and these suckers are built like a tank! A lot of the LS1 and LT1 owners I know use these filters too, and out of thousands of members on various message boards I frequent, I have yet to hear of one single failure of these filters. Their burst strength is 600psi, well beyond what the normal oil pressure would be. Even a thin AC Delco oil filter can withstand 150psi. My engine for example, never sees anything above 80psi oil pressure ever, and even then that is only with cold oil and full throttle.

 

[UncleS2]

That information is at least a couple of years old now, & I have seen nothing anywhere else in the past year or two about burst M1 filters, except people quoting that MiniMopar filter study. It'd be great if he could update things some, but I'm sure real life intrudes on him too. If I could find M1 filters at a decent price, I wouldn't worry. It's the $12 each that scares me away!

After changing my own oil, off & on, for more than 30 years, I finally had a bad filter a few months ago. It was a major maker, seemed to be bad seam where "cup" joins "lid", & emptied out 4.5 qts of brand new oil in seconds.

Was so mad at the time, I threw it away, losing all evidence for my troubles!

Guess I'll never make it big in the lawsuit business, huh?

 

[VaderSS]

I've actually crushed filters in a pneumatic filter crusher. Mobil 1 filters required the full line pressure before they would fold. Fram filters would go down almost as soon as the lever was pushed. That's not to say they can't fail at a crimp joint, but of the all the stories of problems on the Impala forums, I've never heard of any filter failing, much less a Mobil 1, and a bunch of Impala owners run them.

 

[Patman]

That $12 is definitely priced too high, however some guys I know found them for 99 cents each at their local Kmart! (going out of business sales)

 

[VaderSS]

I've always felt that $10 was worth it IF you were going to push the interval, otherwise, I run AC. I'm going to have to start checking K-Marts though. Buy a case of em.