Will a centrifugal filter work with multi viscosity engine oil?

[oldbrokefarmer]

Will a centrifugal engine oil filter work with multi vis oils? Or will the centrifuge seperate the different oils

 

[Cujet]

Will a centrifugal engine oil filter work with multi vis oils? Or will the centrifuge separate the different oils

I have a 30,000 "G" industrial fluids centrifuge. It is used to clarify fuel, and works well for removing contaminates of fuels mixed with oils, such as Jet-A mixed with additives, such as two stroke oil, Stanadyne lubricity additive and anti-microbial treatments, without pulling the additive out. It pulls out heavy contaminates such as water and bacteria. It will not remove carbon contamination, as the carbon is lightweight, or other contaminates with similar properties, such as motor oil mixed with fuel.

I tried to remove contaminates from motor oil and the unit will not do the job. Even when the motor oil is diluted with Jet-A or Gasoline. It comes out as dirty looking as it goes in. Nor did I find any buildup inside the centrifuge itself.

Of note, this is a very powerful centrifuge and if anything could do the job, this thing would be it.

I'm convinced that a 0.05 micron filter is much more effective in cleaning oil than a centrifuge.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Multi-viscosity oils are not made up from "different oils". It's called multi-grade because the viscosity behaves differently due to viscosity index improvers (VIIs) that essentially increase the viscosity at higher temperatures vs what the oil would be without the viscosity index improvers. That way, the oil is more useful for cold and hot use conditions (ie, a 5W-30 oil grade). From what Cujet said above, seems a super cetrifugal filter would not effect the formulation of the oil additives in any way.

 

[oldbrokefarmer]

Thanks. My farm tractor is factory equipped with a centrifugal filter and usually has some crud that has to be removed when cleaning. The oem spec is for single vis oil type of 30 or 40. I wonder if i could use a 15w40 product or maybe a 5w40?

 

[ZeeOSix]

Thanks. My farm tractor is factory equipped with a centrifugal filter and usually has some crud that has to be removed when cleaning. The oem spec is for single vis oil type of 30 or 40. I wonder if i could use a 15w40 product or maybe a 5w40?

What year is that tractor?

 

[oldbrokefarmer]

I have two. One is a 1994 and the other a 1995.

 

[ZeeOSix]

I have two. One is a 1994 and the other a 1995.

I would give the tractor manufacture a call and ask if they now recommend a multi-viscosity oil for use in the older models. If they make the same kind of tractor today, what do they recommend for oil viscosity in those today that have a centrifugal filter?

 

[oldbrokefarmer]

Thanks. I have done some of what you describe. The engine has been discontinued by the manufacture but it's replacement still uses a similar centrifugal filter. The oil recommended really didn't change much but 15w40 i think was acceptable? There was quite a bit lost during the break up of the ussr and that was right at the time my tractors were manufactured. Kharkiv T150k 07 model. The engine an smd 63 or variant was used in agricultural trucking and military. The filter is probably a soyuz design.

 

[twX]

Thanks. My farm tractor is factory equipped with a centrifugal filter and usually has some crud that has to be removed when cleaning. The oem spec is for single vis oil type of 30 or 40. I wonder if i could use a 15w40 product or maybe a 5w40?

I can't think of a reason why multigrade oil wouldn't be fine for the centrifugal filter. I've got a dirt bike with a centrifugal filter, and it specs 10W-40.

I would not use a 5W-40 in an engine that specs SAE 30 or 40. It will be much thinner than the straight grade oils when it's subject to high shear rates. A 15W-40 would be more similar to an SAE 30, and a 20W-40 or 20W-50 would be more in line with an SAE 40.

 

[oldbrokefarmer]

Thank you again. I think you are correct about the 15w40. I just didn't want the filter to spin out the additives. Wasn't sure if it would even be a problem or not.

 

[Cujet]

Many aircraft piston engines pump oil through the end of the crankshaft and into the prop, where it operates the prop pitch mechanism via a cylinder and piston w/spring.

As you might imagine, this is a form of centrifugal filter. It fills with lead, from the leaded fuel that gets by the rings and into the oil. Here is an example of a crankshaft full of lead and wear metals. The prop pitch actuator bore will be even worse. It is pretty obvious there is no significant carbon there.

 

[kschachn]

Will a centrifugal engine oil filter work with multi vis oils? Or will the centrifuge seperate the different oils

And just to be clear, a multi-viscosity oil is not “different oils”. It may sound like it to you from the name, but that’s not how it works.

 

[kschachn]

Thank you again. I think you are correct about the 15w40. I just didn't want the filter to spin out the additives. Wasn't sure if it would even be a problem or not.

No it will not remove additives. You can’t use a centrifuge to remove compounds that are in solution. Even if you could the centrifuge on your tractor produces nowhere near that kind of g-force.

 

[oldbrokefarmer]

And just to be clear, a multi-viscosity oil is not “different oils”. It may sound like it to you from the name, but that’s not how it works.

Yes sir thank you. That was a poor choice of words from my description.

 

[ZeeOSix]

I can't think of a reason why multigrade oil wouldn't be fine for the centrifugal filter. I've got a dirt bike with a centrifugal filter, and it specs 10W-40.

I would not use a 5W-40 in an engine that specs SAE 30 or 40. It will be much thinner than the straight grade oils when it's subject to high shear rates. A 15W-40 would be more similar to an SAE 30, and a 20W-40 or 20W-50 would be more in line with an SAE 40.

He could use some non-VII HPL multi-viscosity oil if the price doesn't scare him away. Every oil can be looked at as some "multi-viscosity" due to what it goes over temperature changes, but some like what HPL makes can meet the SAE multi-viscosity grades (per SAE J300) without VIIs.