Do old style centrifugal filters do anything?

[atikovi]

My old Fiat has this centrifugal oil "filter" on the end of the crankshaft pulley. Do they actually do any filtering? I would think a good oil would keep particles in suspension and they would just wash off the vanes.

 

[WobblyElvis]

I had a Honda motorcycle with a centrifugal oil filter in the 70's. I thought it worked very well bit it was a pain in the a** to clean.

 

[ragtoplvr]

If well designed they work excellent, as evidenced by the amount of dirt and sludge the old Honda filters collect. As stated, can take some effort to clean, but they do not have to be completely clean either, just wipe out most of the sludge.
Rod

 

[Trav]

I believe they work extremely well. I knew a old navy diesel mechanic, he told me they use a large version in the main propulsion engines on the LST he was on.
He said they didn't change the oil just clean the centrifugal filter and add some chemicals. I have no experience with these things but the guy was one heck of a mechanic so I no doubt the info was factual. Looks impressive to me though which means nothing.

https://www.slideshare.net/apgokhale/centrifugal-oil-cleaner-for-marine-diesel-engines

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted by atikovi
My old Fiat has this centrifugal oil "filter" on the end of the crankshaft pulley. Do they actually do any filtering? I would think a good oil would keep particles in suspension and they would just wash off the vanes.

Have you ever opened it up to see what it has caught? As others have said, the ones on motorcycles work quite well - I've cleaned out quite a few when I wrenched on bikes at a couple of dealerships.

 

[atikovi]

I did years ago and just saw minor varnish.