Disappointed with Mobil 1 Filter (Cut Open)

[Strjock81]

Well I finally got around to cutting open a Mobil 1 synth media filter today, off my 2004.5 Dodge w/ Cummins. The media popped right out, and surprisingly, the pleating on this thing was an absolute mess.

All the way around the filter there would be 2-3 pleats all stuck together then on either side of the stuck together pleats there would be large gaps approaching nearly an inch across to the next pleat. The whole pleat structure was pretty warped, and really looked ugly. It had about 6K miles on it.

I didn't see any places where the media itself was compromised, but in my opinion a 12 dollar oil filter ought to look a little better than what this one did. I will post pictures, but my wife controls the digicam with an iron fist and I am relatively certain she has it in her car with her.

Please note that this is the older grey Mobil 1 filter, not the new shiny black EP filter. I just put a new style EP filter on it a month or so ago, and will cut it open next time I change oil, which will be a while. Hopefully the newer styles are a little less prone to these issues. I don't know if the pleat distortion has anything to do with its filtering ability, but it doesn't give me any warm and fuzzies. I think I might run the new Amsoil filter next time.

 

[Gary Allan]

Not uncommon in a Champ filter where a human places the media gap together with their fingers.

 

[Schmoe]

Interesting to know.

 

[MADMIKE]

I cut open a Mobil 1 Extended Performance recently and was equally disappointed--pleat spacing uniformity was poor (typical of all Champs) and the adhesive used to glue the end caps to the media was also applied with poor uniformity--excess oozing over the edge of the end cap in some places and barely enough to secure the media to the end cap in other places--poor assembly quality of control. Construction was identical to a SuperTech with the exception of the ADBV which was red instead of black and of course I assume the media quality is better but other than that the same sloppy assembly was evident. For $10.99 no thanks--I'll stick with Wix/NAPA Gold and save a few bucks.

 

[Mr Nice]

Can you post some pictures ??

 

[labman]

That is interesting. I have chopped open several ST 3950's and the pleat spacing has been fairly uniform except next to the seam. Have an STP 3950 waiting my hacksaw too.

 

[Gary Allan]

Here's what I've usually encountered

This is FG's filter after (I think) Champ got through with it on a filter analysis. Forensic evidence

 

[Strjock81]

I will post pictures as soon as I can--the pleats are all wavy and not at all like the picture above. At least those gaps are uniform. As I said, there would be 3 pleats all touching each other, then on either side of those three, the gaps to the next pleat is approaching an inch wide. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to it.

I don't even think it probably means the filter is no good, but it is hard to believe with that kind of contruction that it is as good as they like to make you think. When I cut open the filter that protects my $6K+ engine, I don't want it to look a 4 year old kid put it together during recess.

 

[Strjock81]

quote:

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Originally posted by Gary Allan:
Not uncommon in a Champ filter where a human places the media gap together with their fingers.

---

Darn those humans! I say we fire them all and replace them with machines!

Oh wait, we already are.

 

[Filter guy]

I think what Gary is getting at is that because Champ seals the entire length of the pleat by glueing the two ends together..and it take a machine with rollers to do this...typically due to the rollers there will be a pleat gap in the area where the media is seamed together. ( as pictured above. Sometimes it can be more dramatic with thicker media.


Humans can effect the "straightness" of the media when they take the seamed media pack, insert center tube, and then add the two metal endcaps. Should they twist the top endcap when putting it on, the pleats will look "twisted". Still though, the media itself is in tact and performs it's job..albeit slightly askew...

 

[got_titan]

the new ep filters seem identical to the k&n oil filters which have proven themselves to be great filters....the new ep filters are $7 at advance auto....they are identical in all aspects visually with the same f stamping on the base plate....

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Sounds like a human filter assembler was caught red-handed having a bad day. I'll bet it was a Monday or Friday. I'll also bet his/her other hand was pre-occupied holding a cell phone.

 

[Filter guy]

quote:

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Originally posted by Triple_Se7en:
Sounds like a human filter assembler was caught red-handed having a bad day. I'll bet it was a Monday or Friday. I'll also bet his/her other hand was pre-occupied holding a cell phone.

---

We'll give you a shot to take their place and try to use a cell phone....lol

It takes two hands to put the top endcap on. One to hold the filter , the other the top endcap before the plastisol in the endcap comes out....dripping onto your cell phone....lol

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Maybe the filter media has a cell phone indentation spot...lol

 

[D Bone]

With my 2006 Mazda cartridge filter, you can see the construction of the filter media before and after use. I really like not having to worry about hidden filter media issues, ADBV and by-pass valve designs and so on.

Cartridge oil filters......The wave of the future!


Darryl

 

[Bror Jace]

I see lots of people lining up to drop $10 on these M1 filters ... and I never understood why.

--- Bror Jace

 

[Strjock81]

All filters for my truck are $10+, so I bought the hype for $2 extra.

 

[GMGuy]

Oddly enough, 'How its Made' (Discovery Canada) Fram filter assembly was on this morning (PH4967) Maybe its time to try Fram.

It showed nearly an entirely machine operated assembly line, pleats, centertubes, endcap gluing, etc. The only human contact with filter assembly was the placing of the ADV.

Alex.

 

[XS650]

quote:

---

Originally posted by GMGuy:
Oddly enough, 'How its Made' (Discovery Canada) Fram filter assembly was on this morning (PH4967) Maybe its time to try Fram.

It showed nearly an entirely machine operated assembly line, pleats, centertubes, endcap gluing, etc. The only human contact with filter assembly was the placing of the ADV.

Alex.

---

I will be on the US Discovery Channel Wednesday August 16th at 4:00PM PDT. Probably other times too, but that was all I needed to set my recorder.

 

[wavinwayne]

I've cut open two Mobil 1 M1-205 filters, and I did not see any of the problems that you guys noted. The filters I cut open were the best constructed filters I've ever cut open, hands down.

I have two used M1 filters sitting on the shelf in my garage currently. One is an M1-205 (ran for 5k miles) & the other is an M1-301 (ran for 7250 miles). Both were used on my '00 VW GTI 1.8T. I'll have to cut them open & post some pics, whenever it cools off around here. It's too hot to work in the garage right now.