In Search Of Torn Filter Media (FL-820S)

[BlueOvalFitter]

My son brought me (6) MC FL-820S filters, (1) FoMoCo factory 820s filter, and a NAPA Pro Select 820 equivalent filter. I will be cutting the MC 820's open first in search of the (Loch Ness Monstuh) elusive torn filter media.
I ordered some diamond wheels for my Dremel (will be here Tuesday or Wed.) but will use my current cheap cutting wheels until they run out.
To be continued..............

 

[tundraotto]

 

[CarbonSteel]

Be careful when you cut them; rotational tools like die grinders, cut off tools and the like have a nasty habit of snagging the metal and being pulled deeper into the cut (which could hit the media) and introduce a false positive.

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

Notice the filter on the top right is missing its gasket. I wonder if the lube tech checked the engine filter base for the gasket before installing the new filter!

 

[53' Stude]

Originally Posted by BlueOvalFitter
Notice the filter on the top right is missing its gasket. I wonder if the lube tech checked the filter base for the gasket before installing the new filter!

I'll take my $40 Longacre. That way, the results are never skewed

Just sayin

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

Originally Posted by 2015_PSD
Be careful when you cut them; rotational tools like die grinders, cut off tools and the like have a nasty habit of snagging the metal and being pulled deeper into the cut (which could hit the media) and introduce a false positive.

Thanks for that advice.
You're absolutely correct about the wheel wanting to dig in deeper. I had a heck of a time keeping it from doing that on my last oil filter I cut open. It was the black one (M1, WIX...????) I cut open a couple of weeks ago and posted here. That can was very thick!

 

[Jackson_Slugger]

Should be interesting, as I have forsaken the Motorcrafts from my Duratech...

 

[ZeeOSix]

The FoMoCo factory 820 and a NAPA Pro Select 820 equivalent will not show torn media because they are built differently than the Motorcraft (Purolator) 820s.

 

[MParr]

Zee06

 

[bullwinkle]

Originally Posted by ZeeOSix
The FoMoCo factory 820 and a NAPA Pro Select 820 equivalent will not show torn media because they are built differently than the Motorcraft (Purolator) 820s.

+1, the ProSelect is a Wix, the FoMoCo factory one is Wix too (or Champ if it's really old).

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Originally Posted by ZeeOSix
The FoMoCo factory 820 and a NAPA Pro Select 820 equivalent will not show torn media because they are built differently than the Motorcraft (Purolator) 820s.

You win the best answer invisible prize for today.

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

Originally Posted by ZeeOSix
The FoMoCo factory 820 and a NAPA Pro Select 820 equivalent will not show torn media because they are built differently than the Motorcraft (Purolator) 820s.

He threw those in there because one day of OCI's didn't have any MC 820's. Those were the only 820 equivalent filters for that day.
So, calm down, and l DO KNOW these are NOT the ones with the suspected torn media!

 

[Jackson_Slugger]

Originally Posted by BlueOvalFitter
Notice the filter on the top right is missing its gasket. I wonder if the lube tech checked the engine filter base for the gasket before installing the new filter!

This tended to be more common on Ford units for some reason, the "double-gasketing" where the car leaks oil everywhere on the startup check. We used "Group 7" (basically Purolator) filters. It seemed to be more common on Escorts and Tauruses back in the day...

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

Originally Posted by Jackson_Slugger
Originally Posted by BlueOvalFitter
Notice the filter on the top right is missing its gasket. I wonder if the lube tech checked the engine filter base for the gasket before installing the new filter!

This tended to be more common on Ford units for some reason, the "double-gasketing" where the car leaks oil everywhere on the startup check. We used "Group 7" (basically Purolator) filters. It seemed to be more common on Escorts and Tauruses back in the day...

Back in the day (mid to late 80's) when I worked in my uncles gas station, and tire store up the road, we used Group 7 oil filters too. I don't know how much he paid for them, but when a shipment came in it was BOO KOO cases of them!
It was a Texaco gas station. We used Havoline oil. The quart cans had to be used with an oil spout stuck into the can. We had M1 oil too. The customers would get a M1 oil change and come in every 10K (I think) and would get the filter replaced and topped off with a quart of M1.

 

[kschachn]

And I guess I'll be the one to say it, people finding torn media is proof that it is tearing, but not finding torn media does not constitute proof that it is not tearing. Somehow I get the impression that if this sample (or subsequent ones) are found to be intact that it somehow invalidates the reports of ones that are torn. It does not work that way.

No doubt a plethora of ballistic answers is on the way but what I posted above is correct. It is much easier to prove that something happens rather than to prove it does not happen.

 

[Jackson_Slugger]

Originally Posted by kschachn
And I guess I'll be the one to say it, people finding torn media is proof that it is tearing, but not finding torn media does not constitute proof that it is not tearing. Somehow I get the impression that if this sample (or subsequent ones) are found to be intact that it somehow invalidates the reports of ones that are torn. It does not work that way.

No doubt a plethora of ballistic answers is on the way but what I posted above is correct. It is much easier to prove that something happens rather than to prove it does not happen.


What are the reports of it tearing like? How many? I'm just asking, as I said I will not use the FL-820 because I simply do not like the way the pleats look on the one side with the spacing. I'll pay $1 more for a Gold or $.57 more for a K&N (black) filter. But I am curious as to how frequent verified complaints are?

 

[CarbonSteel]

Originally Posted by kschachn
And I guess I'll be the one to say it, people finding torn media is proof that it is tearing, but not finding torn media does not constitute proof that it is not tearing. Somehow I get the impression that if this sample (or subsequent ones) are found to be intact that it somehow invalidates the reports of ones that are torn. It does not work that way. No doubt a plethora of ballistic answers is on the way but what I posted above is correct. It is much easier to prove that something happens rather than to prove it does not happen.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted by Jackson_Slugger
Originally Posted by kschachn
And I guess I'll be the one to say it, people finding torn media is proof that it is tearing, but not finding torn media does not constitute proof that it is not tearing. Somehow I get the impression that if this sample (or subsequent ones) are found to be intact that it somehow invalidates the reports of ones that are torn. It does not work that way.

No doubt a plethora of ballistic answers is on the way but what I posted above is correct. It is much easier to prove that something happens rather than to prove it does not happen.

What are the reports of it tearing like? How many? I'm just asking, as I said I will not use the FL-820 because I simply do not like the way the pleats look on the one side with the spacing.


The part in red is one of the main factors why the media tears. Wide pleat spacing + brittle media + high delta-p = media tearing.

 

[cronk]

Any updates?

 

[Kruse]

You can't do this with a heavy industrial filter, but those car filters can be opened up with a good pair of tin snips. Cut the seam at a 90° angle and then work your way around cutting the seam off of the filter body. The filter then comes neatly apart. This method won't put metal shavings in the filter media.