Clickers, Frams, and E-cores, oh my (pics)

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Sorry about linking to this site that requires sign in but I don't know of one that will allow direct linking. If someone smarer than me can help me out with this I can provide pictures much faster and easier.
Filter Failures
 
I have recently posted some stuff to Photolocker. Le me know if it will let you seehttp://www.photolocker.net/images/Labman/labmanellagretchen.jpg
 
lube owner

I've torn apart a few of my filters ..but have never seen the media distorted like the images that you show. Are these "neglected" vehicles that you see here? That is, are these customers typically letting their OCIs go too long ..or something else??

It would be interesting to compare the service records of those that show this type of distortion.

btw-thanks for going to all this effort here. In your case this isn't just one fitler every 3-6 months.
 
Gary,

I'd bet that percentage wise, this represents a small number of the oil filters he sees. So the odds of seeing this on a properly maintained engine are quite small. However, I do think using high quality air/oil filters is an excellent idea.

Ted
 
quote:

I'd bet that percentage wise, this represents a small number of the oil filters he sees.

I pray this is the case
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I would really feel "naked" thinking that I've just been lucky
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OTOH ..given lubeowner's profession ..he may see a higher percentage given "human nature"
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quote:

However, I do think using high quality air/oil filters is an excellent idea.

Given our paranoid nature ..this visual evidence of "what if" ...will have us in a stampede to the highest quality filters on the market.

We need a GC/D1 of filters
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If we can change out $6/quart oil on a 6 month basis ..we can surely handle a $6-$10 filter
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Not trying to send everyone in to panic mode, but those filters in the pics were the only ones we cut open yesterday. I would not call the failures an isolated instance. these came off newer cars with low mileage. We rarely service cars over 6 years old and most are fewer that 4 yrs. old. Our shop is in an upper middle class area with lots of SUV's and higher end cars. We do get the occasional neglected sludgebucket as some of my pics have shown but all of the pics from yesterday were ODI's within the manufacturers suggested mileages. The camera makes the media look dark and sludgy in some of the pics but I can assure you that the oil was really not bad on most of these things. Those Fram's look terrible after 3500 miles. As I said before almost every clicker bypass, or Fram built filter we have opened since this study began has had some type of damage.
 
Wavyness in the pleats is not that big of a deal. It makes for interesting viewing but the filter media remaining in tact is still doing it job. What "may" cause the wavy pleat is water or coolant/antifreeze in the oil. Water may get in there through condensation or some other avenue.

The only thing that might concern me is any pleat(s) that become torn. Or not glued into the endcap ( and that is a rare occurance). One thing about Champion Labs quality control is that every spin on filter manufactured is tested for leaks before it is allowed to be packaged ( actually before the can is painted). This includes leaks at the roll seam of the filter and anything wrong internally. All other filter manufacturers spot test X amount per production run.
 
I am not worried about waviness either, the problem is that wherever you see the waviness the media is torn from the endcap. As the element distorts and twists it pulls away from the endcap. It is hard to capture with the camera, but believe me it is there.
 
"One thing about Champion Labs quality control is that every spin on filter manufactured is tested for leaks before it is allowed to be packaged ( actually before the can is painted). "
________
How is this leak check done and where is the leak that you are looking for? Seems like all filters would "leak" thru the media?
 
quote:

Originally posted by lubeowner:
As I said before almost every clicker bypass, or Fram built filter we have opened since this study began has had some type of damage.

The clicker bypass design was suspect from the beginning. The concern now seems justified.
 
Hey Lubeowner, what do you think of Purolator filters, especially the premium plus? I've cut many open from 3 different vehicles and they've all been perfect inside.
 
quote:

Originally posted by edwardh1:
"One thing about Champion Labs quality control is that every spin on filter manufactured is tested for leaks before it is allowed to be packaged ( actually before the can is painted). "
________
How is this leak check done and where is the leak that you are looking for? Seems like all filters would "leak" thru the media?


You'll have to take the plant tour...
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Basically after the filter is fully assembled but not yet painted, Champ has an extra process whereby they will send air into the complete spin on filter and check for leaks. Either at the roll seam which is the rounded part around the edge of the filter that is the "seal" for the filter and for internal leaks.

When i've taken people on plant tours we would do two things. First there are "control" filters which will be put in the line to test the equipment to make sure it is working correctly. If there is "X" cc's of air leakage the machine will kick the filter out to a holding area. If the "control" filter makes it past the machine, then all filters will be tested by hand operation on different equipment.( in the same station area)

We would also deliberately turn the leaf spring upside down or leave it out before the filters can is seemed to show that internal problems will also fail the test.
( If you ever get a filter that rattles before you use it, chances are the spring is upside down , if it's the flat leaf spring type, or left out altogether. NEVER use a filter that rattles before you use it.)
I won't go into exactly how the test works because we do have other filter companies employee's who read this..
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But this is one quality control reason why Champ has a lot of the OEM business they do.
 
Lubeowner:
"As I said before almost every clicker bypass, or Fram built filter we have opened since this study began has had some type of damage."

Can you post pics for all to see of just the clicker valve that are "damaged".

Or explain how you've determined the valves are damaged.
 
quote:

Originally posted by Filter guy:
Can you post pics for all to see of just the clicker valve that are "damaged".

Or explain how you've determined the valves are damaged.


I don't think he's saying the "clicker bypass valve" is damaged. I believe he's saying that filters with the "clicker bypass valve" show some damage to the media.
 
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