Which bypass filter: Amsoil or Motorguard?

pezzulli · Oct 22, 2003

Hi:

I am going to purchase a bypass filtering system for my 96 Caprice LT1, which I would like to keep for a long time. I have narrowed down my choices to either the Amsoil (single remote) or reworked Motorguard units.

The Amsoil unit appears to require less servicing (25K/annually per Amsoil using their oil) and is less messy. The additional filter cost over TP is not an issue. However, I have the following questions:

1. Is the Motorguard a more effective filter in real world use (i.e., the finer filtering capacity is actually of benefit in reducing wear) and

2. Is the more frequent Motorguard maintence, which requires adding a fresh quart of oil (thus replenishing the oil additives), a significant benefit as compared to not replenishing the oil for a year or more.

Any other considerations.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

John

msparks · Oct 22, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by pezzulli:
Hi:

I am going to purchase a bypass filtering system for my 96 Caprice LT1, which I would like to keep for a long time. I have narrowed down my choices to either the Amsoil (single remote) or reworked Motorguard units.

The Amsoil unit appears to require less servicing (25K/annually per Amsoil using their oil) and is less messy. The additional filter cost over TP is not an issue. However, I have the following questions:

1. Is the Motorguard a more effective filter in real world use (i.e., the finer filtering capacity is actually of benefit in reducing wear) and

2. Is the more frequent Motorguard maintence, which requires adding a fresh quart of oil (thus replenishing the oil additives), a significant benefit as compared to not replenishing the oil for a year or more.

Any other considerations.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

John

I would say if you are using synthetic oil, and extended drains the Amsoil filter will be better. Like you said longer drains which equals less makeup oil.

If you using a conventional oil I would go with the motorguard.

As far as effeciency, either one is doing less than 3 micron absolute, both can remove water. The only problem with the TP is the mess compared to the spin on canister.

Also note you should be able to get more than 25K out of the Amsoil filter. I've had mine on for 2 years and 20K and it's still doing a great job. I don't drive as much(about 10K/year)

Lastly, if you find a good place to mount, you can use any of the sized filters that will fit. Your best cost/performance is the BE 110 which adds 2 more quarts to your capacity and probably woudn't need changed for over 50,000 miles as long as your changing out the FF and toping off every 6 months to 1 year.

greencrew · Oct 23, 2003

I believe you get the best filtration possible with a good old toilet paper filter.

I went with the spinn on for two reasons. One I wanted to try something different. Two, since a by-pass filter is realy overkill for an auto engine what is the advange of looking for the one with the best filtration. I wanted the one that is the most convenient to change.

Either one will work well when it comes to filtering oil, it's more a matter of which unit do you want to work with for the install and maintenance.

Mykro · Oct 23, 2003

Whats wrong with overkill?? Can the oil be too clean??

greencrew · Oct 23, 2003

Nothing wrong with overkill, just making a point.

Mykro · Oct 23, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by greencrew:
Nothing wrong with overkill, just making a point.

You made a good point!

RalphPWood · Oct 24, 2003

Pezzulli,

I don't know of any filter that can clean oil as good as a Motor Guard except another tp filter or a few that use a similar dense cellulose media. For a filter to work better than tp it must be a higher quality cellulose than tp. If anyone knows of a filter that can filter as well as tp let me know. Clean conventional oil will always out perform not so clean synthetic. Normal engine wear is not what a Motor Guard user is after. My 4 cylinder Camry gets a new filter and a qt of synthetic oil every 4,000 miles. No filter is easier to change than a spin on filter that is easy to get to and is upside down and drains good. A Motor Guard is much less messy to change than a spin on filter that is in a threads up position and doesn't drain well. Filters are not magic. The better a filter cleans oil and the smaller it is the more it needs to be changed. Synthetic oil doesn't last longer than a conventional oil. How often you need to change a filter depends on how much wear you are willing to tolerate. It also depends on how well you want the engine to run until you trade it in. If one filter can go longer between filter changes without a higher wear rate it must be larger. A local NAPA store had a cut away of a dual remote system. It had a large housing with a element smaller than tp. It didn't have the depth of a roll of tp. The next time they see me coming they will cover it up.

I don't do much reworking of the Motor Guard. I replaced the injection molded polypropylene internal parts with lathe turned nylon parts. One of my origional customers put a M-30 on his oil and one on his fuel. It is a Mercedes 300 diesel. I am getting three M-60's ready for his new Powerstroke 6.0 for fuel, lube oil and transmisssion. On the M-60's I add brackets on for frame mount. He will change the filter on the lube oil about every 2000 miles, that is the same as the Mercedes. For reasons I don't understand Canadians are easier to sell these filters to.
I am sending a Motor Guard M-30 to a guy for a new Powerstroke 6.0. He said he can put it under the hood.

Ralph

pezzulli · Oct 24, 2003

Good Afternoon:

I would like to thank Ralph, MSPARKS, and the others who responded to my question. The information that you provided is much appreciated.

While I believe that either the Amsoil or Ralph Wood Motorguard will satisfy my needs, I have decided to order Ralph's bypass filter. During my somewhat long lifetime (i.e., old man), I have come to appreciate (and support) the contributions of cottage industry individuals like Ralph,who make superior products available to the cognoscenti.

Regards,
John

deepsquat · Oct 26, 2003

Good choice!

greencrew · Oct 27, 2003

Good choice!

Valk1500 · Nov 24, 2003

Motor Guard will go into operation on a 98' F150 5.4L in a few days.

Read so much on these, wish I had it when the truck was new, it has 67,000 miles already. ugh!!

The auto trans will be getting a Motor Guard next...

[ November 25, 2003, 12:34 AM: Message edited by: Valk1500 ]

Doug C · Nov 25, 2003

I'm new, but have been noodling around on this forum for a while so I do not mean to sound dumb but... are you guys for real? A TP filter? I looked at the web site, I know what it says but... you have got to be kidding right??

?? Single or two ply? Scented or unscented???

Cheers,
Doug in Colorado

greencrew · Nov 25, 2003

As surprising as it sounds, there is no better filtering media, not to mention great availability.

deepsquat · Nov 25, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by Doug C:
I'm new, but have been noodling around on this forum for a while so I do not mean to sound dumb but... are you guys for real? A TP filter? I looked at the web site, I know what it says but... you have got to be kidding right??

?? Single or two ply? Scented or unscented???

Cheers,
Doug in Colorado

Doug , do a search at Yahoo! or Google...on " Bypass filter" There is a lot of info out there..do a search on this forum, on me , deepsquat, and you will find analysis of the oil in my car ran out to 30000 miles, and still in great shape....Do your car a favour and install a Motorgaurd filter ..if nothing else it allows you to simpley spend 5 minutes to change your filer and add a quart of oil Vs 1 hour or so to do standard oil and filter change out.

Mykro · Nov 25, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by Doug C:
I'm new, but have been noodling around on this forum for a while so I do not mean to sound dumb but... are you guys for real? A TP filter? I looked at the web site, I know what it says but... you have got to be kidding right??

?? Single or two ply? Scented or unscented???

Cheers,
Doug in Colorado

I have 3 Frantz toilet paper filters on my PSD truck.. Engine, Trans, and Fuel. They work remarkably Great!! Don't look at the filtering element as though it belongs in the bathroom.. Look at it objectivly. TP makes the perfect filtering media. It cleans oil like nothing else can!! I was skeptical at first until I reasearched the whole bypass thing inside out! I have read every post that Ralph has on this board! I checked out his website and others..
http://www.garynorth.com/y2k/detail_.cfm/5359

http://www.lubetrak.com/newsletter/July09HTML.html

http://www.gulfcoastfilter.com/why.htm

http://www.bypassfilter.com/

http://www.wefilterit.com/

I read everything that Google came up with too.. I have made numerous phone calls on the subject.. I wasn't going to spend my money on some snake oil contraption. Here is the bottom line for me.. I wish I had installed these filters on every vehicle I have ever owned! A TP bypass filter should be the very FIRST Investment/ Modification that anyone should make..

terryr · Nov 26, 2003

And the scented TP makes your engine smell springtime fresh.

Valk1500 · Nov 26, 2003

White Cloud is very soft and cloth like, but what works best in TP filtration?

Bio-T · Nov 26, 2003

Scott tissue, by Kimberly Clark, 1000 sheet-1ply is one of the best I have found. I ordered a case from Viking office supply.

[ November 27, 2003, 01:06 AM: Message edited by: rugerman1 ]

Mykro · Nov 26, 2003

You want a tight roll.. Hard to squeeze!
don't buy the soft stuff.. Thats only for house wifes who think that since the paper on the roll is easy to squeeze, its soft..Thats BS!! Its loosly rolled so its easy to squeeze.. You want
1 ply / 1000 sheets or 2 ply / 500 sheets. The FIRMER the roll the better it will filter..

RalphPWood · Nov 27, 2003

My 36 year old Motor Guard technical manual mentions "White Cloud", Aurora", "Delsey", Safeway "Truly Fine" and "Chiffon". Some of these are probably not suitable now. Color is not a problem. I would stay away from creams and talcum powder. In those days single ply meant junk and 2 ply meant quality. Scott 1000 sheet is single ply and very high quality. I use mostly Scott Kimberly Clark now in my own equipment. In the equipment at work I use whatever the janitor uses in the bathrooms. Most of what you find at a janitorial supply is good quality. I order it from www.vikingop.com. catalog no. G06-03607. The boss thinks because he uses Scott 1000 sheet in his marine engines and cars I should use it in the equipment. I have some customers that like Scott Tradition. I haven't seen any around here. I saw some in a motel in Canada. I notice those things.
I just got a call from a guy in Canada that has a Motor Guard on his Mercedes Benz diesel. He wants two more. One on the lube oil and one on the fuel for a new 6.0 Ford Powerstroke. He wants Motor Guard 60's for under the cab mounting. He seems to be pretty savy. I think he has a fuel filter on the Mercedes also. A guy in Houston has the Motor Guard 60's on the ATF and motor oil on a powerstroke. Whatever works.

Ralph

Which bypass filter: Amsoil or Motorguard?

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