quote:
Originally posted by acewiza:
Yeah understand, that's why I said "or so." I've heard alot of reports that people are changing them more frequently on the diesels. Probably just overzealous maintenance obsessives. I've run the Motorguards on my V8s (one big block) 5k w/ no issues, so I thiink around 3k on the diesels should work too.
But it is certainly a limiting factor the prospective user needs to consider in terms of both mileage and maintenance effort.
The above quote and philosophy is worth discussion.
It will always be true that "one size rarely fits all" - and trying to convince a Ford fan to buy a Dodge is nearly impossible - regardless of how many facts or statistics are provided to influence the final choice.
Bypass filters will undoubtedly follow the same pattern.
Still, in a product or device that has the clear and intended goal of cleaning our oil the absolutely best we can, that choice DOES seem a bit more clearly defined!
Sure, there are tradeoffs in price, ease of maintenance, and installation - but how MUCH will we allow or accept those tradeoffs to erode the basic goal of cleanest oil - and if we are willing to accept significantly reduced performance to "gain" some degree of convenience, maybe we'd be better off to simply avoid bypass filtering altogether?
Is it wiser to choose a spin-on type filter because it's easier to change, and lasts longer than another type - even if the spin-on can easily be shown to do a poorer job at what we bought it for - CLEANING the oil?
After all, it has been seen MANY times that these engines WITHOUT anything other than routine maintenance are capable of lifespans FAR greater than most of us will ever keep them!
Personally, I chose to install bypass filtering on my truck because, at least during the time *I* own the truck, I want the cleanest oil possible circulating thru it. In earlier years, Frantz TP filters were about the ONLY product available for that purpose.
Now, we have a fairly broad selection - with new ones hitting the scene regularly - and some like Amsoil developing what they claim are the best filter media available.
So which one is REALLY the best? It's certainly true that test results will vary to a degree, depending upon individual mods and truck applications - but at the same time, oil filtration isn't rocket science, and the ability of one filter's performance vs another isn't really likely to be all that hard to determine.
We'll argue the quality and performance of one oil vs another REPEATEDLY in these forums - and usually without the faintest shred of supporting individual testing or analysis to support our personal decision - resorting instead, to "warm and fuzzy feelings", or some claims made by the folks SELLING the oil.
In the case of bypass filters, direct comparison isn't all that hard to obtain - it's as easy as taking a sample and having it analyzed. Then, when results are in, only the buyer/user can decide whether the ease of a throw-away spin-on outweighs the efficiency of a unit that requires the few added minutes to physically remove the old element and install a new one into it's housing . Or, perhaps only scrape out the crusted residue accumulated in a specific number of months or miles.
But unless the bottom line goal is cleanest oil possible, at a relatively comparable price and reasonable effort, why even bother?
