Well a few bits and pieces.
First Champ hasn't changed hands multiple times recently. I worked there form 1982 to 1999. In that time they were sold once. Since leaving they've been sold once. But the people that they were sold to reorganized and now have a "group" name that Champ shows as their owners. UCI.
As for defending Champ..lol I suggest someone go lok up a thread where I said all filters were good enough that are made in the USA. As a representative of the Filter Manufacturers Council for a little over two years..having Fram, Baldwin, Donaldson, and some smaller filter companies no one in here cares about as my customers..It seems that some people think what they want. My posts are to point out area's where people are blaming filters for problems. I don't care what brand they are. Because I knew who builds what for who.
As for the clicker valve issue..suit yourselves.
I've pointed out before that Champ has invested between 10-50 million dollars on the engineering, design and manufacturing of that filter. Including the clicker valve. Including automotive fleet testing. And if it was such a poor design..Wix, Fram, Purolator or others would be out there with tech bulletins picking it apart. becaus eI can guarantee you they've tested it.
If lubeowner wants to send back filters all he has to do is call Champs toll free number. They will send him a filter retrieval kit. As per ISO 9000 lab procedures every filter sent back to the lab will be tested and an engineering service report sent to the one who sends the filter in along with a cover letter explaining the tests performed on the filter. It would be nice if they are not cut open. But if they are make sure you return all the parts. And don't mix Fram, Purolator, ,Wix or any others in the box. They know their own parts.
I'l give you an example of a filter sent back to the lab that I know of personally. It was from a quick lube that Champ private labels for. The complaint was the filter leaked, engine lost oil within 20 miles, and there was potential for engine damage.
The filter was returned to the lab. It was checked for proper part number for engine type. The gasket was checked to se if the correct gasket was there. The backplate and threads checked to see if there were any problems. Nothing was found at inital inspection and no other visual damage. The filter was then put on an impulse test machine. This simulates the starting of the engine. They send oil at rated flow into the filter, then stop, then again, then stop..and cycle 5,000 times. This tests the gasket sealing properly, the filter being able to withstand the flow and they look for leaks. If the filter doesn't leak..no warranty. This filter leaked the first pulse.
Leaked like a sieve under the seam.
Well somethings amiss. If you remember back to when I talked about every filter is checked for leaks after it's been assembled but before it's painted. This filter leaked so bad there is no way it would have got by the test equipment. So they put the filter under a high magnification.
After the filter is checked on the production line for leaks, it goes to be painted. Champ uses powdercoat electrostatic paint. So flakes of paint are sprayed onto the filter.
There were no flakes of paint in the area inside the filter where the leak occured. Which if the filter would have been built that way, there would have been.
What happened is someone took a tool and cut the filter in order to make it leak. Chances are the lube person forgot the drain plug and when the owner brought the car back because the low oil light came on, they knew what they had done.
The warranty was denied. The quick lube corporate office notified and the service report sent to corporate and the individual shop. Corporate did their own investigation and found that the lube store fessed up as to what happened. They paid the claim.
I would expect every filter company to do similar testing and also send out service reports.
Someone in here mentioned in another thread where Champ paid him for a failure. Champ wil pay when they screw up. Always have. And I was the warranty manager for 3 years for one of their brands. my name is on enough cover letters to customers.
So I have all the experience of what transpires and what doesn't. Champ never questioned when they needed to pay. Thats what insurance is for. but they won;t pay if it's not their fault. The biggest claim I personally saw was $40,000. And that was for a $12.00 filter.
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As for coolant or water getting into the oil...if you don't want to belive it or you do not understand the relationship between the cooling system and how heat is dissapated, then fair enough.
Oil filter cellulose media is not treated to withstand much water or coolant in the oil. The resins in the media can withstand only so much before the media gets wavy or worse and turns to mush. And i've seen that, too.
It's nice the newer GM Dexcool that is supposed to last 5 years. A long as you follow their recommendations. I suggest you read up on it and what owners should and shouldn't do. About topping off with tap water that has mineral deposits or other solids. The recommendation is distilled water is the only thing to put into your cooling system if you need to top off. Or a premix of approved coolant ( which is mixed with distilled water).
And if you drive a big rig then you get into low silicate coolant, which is another issue by itself.
Whether you're talking propolyene or ethlyene glycol, long life five year coolant has it's own set of maintenace. And anyone who opts for recondition coolant is asking for trouble. Especialy those quick lubes who have a machine which takes your coolant and they put it back in your engine. All that does is strip out the floating solids ( Champ makes the filters for that machine, I know I sold them, they were my account at one time. Hello Wynns) And then they pour in some reinhibitor. It does nothing to remove the disolved solids. There are only three methods for doing that, that are approved by OEM's and that machine doesn't do any of them.
So yeah, I don't know much about coolant and it's effects on the oil filter.