backflow valve on cartridge type filter

[sHERM]

My new Volvo has a Cartridge type filter. I wanted to use a Pureone filter, Purolater only make the cartridge in it's regular premium filter. My concern was the back flow preventer valve. I E mailed Puralotor on the valve and they responded that cartridge type filters fit in a canister and do not have a backflow valve.

Does anyone know how these cartridge filters work. Would the cannister have it's own valve?

 

[FowVay]

Both of my newer cars use a cartridge filter. One car is a Volkswagen Golf diesel and the other is a BMW 323i. Both of the engines have a spring loaded by-pass valve built into the engine. When I change the oil I can press down on the little ball and this allows virtually all of the oil to drain from the filter housing. It may also serve as the anti-drainback valve. Both cars use a dam that sits inside of the filter to prevent the filter housing from draining all of the oil out once the engine is turned off. On the VW the dam is built into the filter and it is a plastic tube that covers approximately 2/3rds of the filter height. On the BMW there is a metal tube that sits in the filter housing and you slide the filter down over the tube. It also protrudes up about 2/3ds of the filter height.

So the little metal ball in the engine prevents oil from draining back to the pump and the dams in the filter prevent the filtered oil from draining toward the bearings once the engine is shut off. I would imagine that your Volvo system would be similar.

 

[labman]

I am not sure how the one in my Cavalier with the Ecotec engine works. There is certainly nothing in the element itself. Unlike FowVey's, mine is disturbingly empty when I take the cap off. There is an O-ring at the bottom, but as far as I can see there are no oil passages where it goes. I think it is just to hold the element centered.

When I start the engine, with or without an oil change, the oil light goes off immediately, and I never hear any start up noise. Perhaps this is part of the 5W-30 oil recommendation. Maybe ADBV's are not as important as thought, or they have designed it to quickly push oil to the lifters on start up. In general it seems to be a nice system. So when is the volume going to end the rip off on the cartridges?

 

[labman]

Fresh new info. I changed oil tonight. I poked around and found a port out of the little hole the tip with the O-ring goes in. When you unscrew the cap, the filter comes with it. I tried pouring oil straight into the empty canister housing, and sure enough, it was going into the little hole and out the port. I next put the filter in without the cap and poured more oil on it. The oil filled the housing and filter, and the level stayed up. Apparently, removing the filter allows the oil in the canister to bypass the ADBV, hidden somewhere, and run out. Surprised they have that feature just to reduce the mess of changing. By putting the filter in without the cap, you can pre fill it and then put the cap on. The bypass valve is built into the cap. I think this is the more desirable bypass on the inlet.

Also measured the filter area of the used Purolator Premium Plus element, 130 sq. in., slightly less than the AC, Hastings, and STP. I put in a WIX which had a good pleat count. Results in March.