K&N Reusable Oil Filters...

[dino33]

My apologies if this has been covered. I did a Bitog search and couldn't come up with anything, but I can hardly believe this would not have been discussed here.

What up with this filter??? Seems like a brilliant idea if it works. Can't find any info on how efficient it is. No idea how much the price is either. Does anyone have any real life experience with this metal reuseable filter???


K&N Washable / Reusable Billet Oil Filters



Our Best and Highest Flowing Oil Filters
K&N is proud to release a new reusable oil filter that will last the lifetime of your vehicle under normal vehicle operating conditions. The filter housing, bypass valve and call plate are CNC machined from Billet 6061 T6 Aluminum. The filter cartridge uses stainless steel micro-screen and end caps bonded into a single piece for extra durability. The mechanical filtration is accomplished with dual woven T 304 stainless steel micro-screen that provides excellent engine protection while providing substantial increase in oil flow when compared to standard disposable oil filters. The filter cartridge contains two Neodymium magnets located in the filter screens for additional capacity and debris removal. All of the seals are dependable long lasting mil-spec Viton for a dependable seal. The billet by-pass valve is removable for cleaning and uses a stainless steel sealing ball with a stainless steel spring for increased service life. Each oil filter is manufactured from high quality material and components, designed for very high flow rates at low restriction, provides excellent engine protection and is easy to clean and maintain. A K&N Reusable Billet Oil Filter by Pure Power is truly the last oil filter you will ever need to buy.
Billet Aluminum Housing
Stainless Steel Micro-Screen Filtration
Embedded Neodymium Magnets
Mil-spec Viton Seals
Stainless Steel By-Pass Sealing Ball & Spring
U.S. Pat. No. 7,413,089 and U.S. Pat. Pending

Oops, it seems google search works better than the Bitog search function! Here is a thread regarding this filter:

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2541154


http://www.knfilters.com/oilfilter.htm

 

[CharBaby]

I've never heard of the K&N Reusable Oil Filter.
If it lasts a lifetime undrt normal use, I'd only use it for one specific vehicle that I was going to keep forever. Othewise, we'd be spending lots of money on oil filters for our different applications. Unless K&N provides several different removable thread designs for other apps.

I don't particularly want to clean my filters! I just want to throw'em away. Cleaning would involve more spent time doing the OCI. Just think, you'd have to stop to clean it prior to the reinstall.

I'm sure that there will be more info from other members about the information that I didn't read on the K&N site pertaining to the reusable filter.

The way I buy filters(typicaly Puro Classic/PureONE) on sale with rebates, no need for reusable filters.

 

[demarpaint]

I'd imagine the time it takes to clean the filter would be the deal breaker for me. Also if its anything like their reusable air filters, which typically show less than stellar results in UOA reports when they're used I'd pass.

 

[Jim Allen]

I have never found a quoted spec, though an un substantiated 100% @ 30 um has been bandied about. If true, that's "average" filtration. If you are serious about it, write K&N's tech people and ask directly. I see nothing inherently wrong but I wouldn't spend all that money for "average" filtration (assuming that's what it is).

 

[Cristobal]

I just think that cleaning an oil filter would be one heck of a mess. It is only a good set-up for a person who perhaps has a shop or some employee dedicated to that task. I think for the individual home owner or apartment dweller the time and effort to clean an oil filter just will not be worth it.

 

[Donald]

I'll pass. The main goal for oil filtration is filtering oil with high efficiency down to a small particle size and not reusablity.
K&N seems to have it backwards.

 

[JethroBodine]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
I'd imagine the time it takes to clean the filter would be the deal breaker for me. Also if its anything like their reusable air filters, which typically show less than stellar results in UOA reports when they're used I'd pass.


+1 exactly...^^^^

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: Jim Allen
I have never found a quoted spec, though an un substantiated 100% @ 30 um has been bandied about. If true, that's "average" filtration. If you are serious about it, write K&N's tech people and ask directly. I see nothing inherently wrong but I wouldn't spend all that money for "average" filtration (assuming that's what it is).
You got yer "average filtration" but "great flow"....I wonder why

..

 

[Clevy]

Originally Posted By: Char Baby
I've never heard of the K&N Reusable Oil Filter.
If it lasts a lifetime undrt normal use, I'd only use it for one specific vehicle that I was going to keep forever. Othewise, we'd be spending lots of money on oil filters for our different applications. Unless K&N provides several different removable thread designs for other apps.

I don't particularly want to clean my filters! I just want to throw'em away. Cleaning would involve more spent time doing the OCI. Just think, you'd have to stop to clean it prior to the reinstall.

I'm sure that there will be more info from other members about the information that I didn't read on the K&N site pertaining to the reusable filter.

The way I buy filters(typicaly Puro Classic/PureONE) on sale with rebates, no need for reusable filters.


They are a pure power product just re-badged as K&N.
At least K&N is consistent. They are gravel traps at best,just like their air filters.
Unless that steel mesh was hand woven by rumplestiltskin no way would I use it on an engine I wanted to keep.
I'll bet it has a heavy capacity rating. I think I'll stick with whatever's on sale when I'm stocking up.



Originally Posted By: Donald
I'll pass. The main goal for oil filtration is filtering oil with high efficiency down to a small particle size and not reusablity.
K&N seems to have it backwards.


Par for the course for K&N.
to be honest they make a decent air filter when the consumer oils the filter properly but I gotta admit I'm not one of those guys who can get all the pores of the filter without absolutely drenching it,then because I overdid it my MAF got coated and no matter how much sensor safe spray I used to disperse the oil the car kept throwing a code and it would lurch from a dead stop.

These steel filters aren't evolved enough yet to make them efficient first,then affordable. I have seen them on bikes here and there.
Its mods like that one that just cannot control wear properly that shorten a Harley's lifespan but people want to blame Harley,because it just CAN't be the shorty straight pipes I've got on and didn't re-jet my carb so my pistons are actually melting.

 

[simplistic]

Check out Go pure power.com That is the same filter, they allow k&n to use the design per liencing agrement. That web site should tell u every thing u want to know.

Fwiw i belive its 22 microns absoluite.

 

[95busa]

The oil filter looks like a bad idea. However, I have uoas with belie average silicon with k&Ns. Flame on.

 

[Jim Allen]

Going onto the Pure Power website, they have misleading stuff like:

"Independent laboratory testing at Southwest Research Institute and field testing by Mack Trucks and the U.S. Postal Service have proven Pure Power! Oil Filters to be over 90% more efficient than con- ventional “throw away” oil filters in removing debris 30 micron and SMALLER (particles that are most harmful to engines)."

The part is red is moronic and is repeated several times on the page. I couldn't find the alleged SWRI tests and could not find an actual micron rating shown, or a bata ratio or anything specific on the efficiency. In fact, they go thru a lot of verbal hoops to actually avoid saying what the efficiency is. Bigtime red flag in my book.

And they say other misleading things like:

"Did you know the oil filter on your engine DOES NOT filter your engine oil? That's right, the oil filter you buy at your dealership or quick lube and tune shop DOES NOT filter your engine oil. These conventional oil filters use a by-pass system which allows contaminated oil loaded with potentially harmful particles to go around the pleated paper oil filter (instead of through it). The problem is the harmful particles trapped inside the filter can be loosened again into the oil flow going through the engine. The result? Reduced horsepower and gas mileage, increased engine wear and increased emissions. And, frequent changes increases maintenance costs and toxic waste which is harmful to the environment."

OK flow is fine but I think they are WAY, WAY overstating the bypassing issue. Another red flag when they make mountains out of molehills.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: Jim Allen
I have never found a quoted spec, though an un substantiated 100% @ 30 um has been bandied about.


I'm wondering if anyone who makes them has ISO tested it. That would tell the real story on it's performance.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: Jim Allen
Going onto the Pure Power website, they have misleading stuff like:

"Independent laboratory testing at Southwest Research Institute and field testing by Mack Trucks and the U.S. Postal Service have proven Pure Power! Oil Filters to be over 90% more efficient than conventional “throw away” oil filters in removing debris 30 micron and SMALLER (particles that are most harmful to engines)."


That's a pretty bold statement by Pure Power, and taken literally it's trying to say their metal mess oil filter is better than the average spin-on oil filter ... whatever that is. I agree, they never come out with a beta or efficiency statement like "xx% efficient at 20 microns:. That would tell the real story.

The lab at the Southwest Research Institute does do ISO oil filter testing ... I had email traffic with the guy there a while back. You pay them, they will ISO test filters for you.

 

[dino33]

I've found some other 'reusuable' oil filters. Hmmm... seems like this idea could be picking up steam. If it wasn't such a good idea I'm sure these companies would drop them fairly quick. Guess time will tell. We need to see some uoa's.

37 degree filters...

http://www.37degreefilters.com/

Flo Oil Filters...

https://www.denniskirk.com/flo-oil-filte....prd/305881.sku


Pure Power oil filters...

http://gopurepower.com/

Magnus oil filters...

From a hundred bucks...

http://magnusmotorsports.com/products/en...r/#.Ugg-X5KTjRZ

 

[boxcartommie22]

don't forget k&p engineering

 

[Jim Allen]

UOAs won't tell anything about an oil filter At the very least, you need before and after particle counts (done on the same machine). Better yet actual Beta Ratios and industry standard efficiency testing. The lack of published efficiencies is telling.

These types of filters are nothing new and many of those companies have been around a while in racing circles. Nothing whizbang about them, they are just about flow of filtration and primarily designed for engines whose life in measured in number of races, not miles or years.

One possible combination would be to have one of them as the primary filter for the big chunks and maximum flow. Then install a very high efficiency bypass system to get the small stuff.

Another thing like about a scree like that is the ability to autopsy the fitler and see just what sort of contamination is being caught. I won't exchange that for higher efficiency, but if I had the bypass system... which I do... it might be interesting to try.

 

[SteveSRT8]

The screen is precisely why racers run them. It allows an easy post mortem to tell you what happened! Bits and pieces will be in the screen.

Totally intended for very high flow apps, very specialized, not intended at all for regular cars in most cases.

 

[boxcartommie22]

screen...lol..its not a screen!! its a stainless steel mesh just like you use a paper mesh which makes no sense whatsoever its cheap and they fall apart eventually with a little pressure increase..have you all ever seen a stainless steel filter or used one?? prob not just anxious to trash a product you have no knowlege of....

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: boxcartommie22
screen...lol..its not a screen!! its a stainless steel mesh just like you use a paper mesh which makes no sense whatsoever its cheap and they fall apart eventually with a little pressure increase..have you all ever seen a stainless steel filter or used one?? prob not just anxious to trash a product you have no knowlege of....


Uh, beg your pardon, but with a third gen machinist in a very high end shop in our family we have real sprint car engines being built as we speak. They actually DO use the "screen doors" you are advocating.

Please learn about racing versus street driven vehicles and their differing needs first, and then boost your fav product. This is simply not good for the average vehicle at all. It passes HUGE particles and cannot absorb any contaminants