Stens 120-523 cut open

[jeepman3071]

This came off of a customer's Toro Timecutter zero-turn with the 24hp Kohler Courage V-Twin. It was in use for at least 2-3 years. These filters list on Amazon for close to $10, and are likely more at local small engine dealers. They are the aftermarket replacement for Kohler, John Deere, Briggs and Stratton, and many other small engine OEM filters. I wasn't that impressed with the filter media, and the bypass seems to consist of holes in the back of the media cartridge that rest against the leaf spring. The ADBV was hard as a rock and likely wasn't doing much. The oil out of this mower was jet black. It left with a Wix 51348 filter and some Napa Synthetic 10w30.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Super pleat spread ...

 

[53' Stude]

Looks

Thanks for c&p and glad you put something better back on

 

[walterjay]

Thanks for that cut and post. I have used a couple of Stens products in the past and it seems that their products are a cut below oem.

 

[jeepman3071]

The can seemed decently strong, but that was the only good point I saw. Just like the OEM small engine filters, they just seem to be way over priced for what you get. The Wix that went on is a much better filter and I got it for $5.50 or so on Amazon. For the last 10 years or so, I have not used any OEM oil filters unless provided or requested by customers. The exception to that would be the Kawasaki or Honda OEM filters, as sometimes they can be found pretty cheap on ebay and are decent quality for their small engine applications.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Looks like a champ

Thank you for posting

 

[Mr Nice]

Originally Posted by ZeeOSix
Super pleat spread ...

Why some manufacturers have a small gap and others have a big gap ?

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted by Mr Nice
Originally Posted by ZeeOSix
Super pleat spread ...

Why some manufacturers have a small gap and others have a big gap ?


Wide pleat gaps = sloppy manufacturing.

 

[Kira]

....and less material used.

 

[CR94]

Originally Posted by Kira
....and less material used.
Sometimes so, if spacings are wide due to a low number of pleats. Other times when the number is higher, a few super-wide pleats just mean the others are crammed tightly together, which isn't good either.

 

[danez_yoda]

That is all a money grab by the small engine manufacturers. We all know these tiny filters are nothing special but the profit margin is huge for them and the small engine shops. Its a $2 filter for them at most.

Most people will screw on an equivilent and larger car filter for a few bucks and drive on. MotorCraft FL400S is my favorite for this. Lasts multiple years and the tiny flow cause nearly zero damage to the element. The Silicone backflow is appropriate for multiyear use as well. Oil (Pennz Plat 5w30) stays nice and clean for two years with single yard work in a B&S 24HP. I change it more out of guilt than concern.

 

[jeepman3071]

Originally Posted by CR94
Originally Posted by Kira
....and less material used.
Sometimes so, if spacings are wide due to a low number of pleats. Other times when the number is higher, a few super-wide pleats just mean the others are crammed tightly together, which isn't good either.


Yup, on this one you can see the pleats are pretty close together on the other side.

 

[jeepman3071]

Originally Posted by danez_yoda
That is all a money grab by the small engine manufacturers. We all know these tiny filters are nothing special but the profit margin is huge for them and the small engine shops. Its a $2 filter for them at most.

Most people will screw on an equivilent and larger car filter for a few bucks and drive on. MotorCraft FL400S is my favorite for this. Lasts multiple years and the tiny flow cause nearly zero damage to the element. The Silicone backflow is appropriate for multiyear use as well. Oil (Pennz Plat 5w30) stays nice and clean for two years with single yard work in a B&S 24HP. I change it more out of guilt than concern.

Definitely. I've opened Kohler, Briggs and John Deere OEM filters and they aren't anything special, probably closer to the cheapest SuperTech filter you can buy. A Wix or Fram Ultra would last several years with no issue, heck this filter was on at least 2-3 years after talking to the owner, maybe more, and it held up okay besides the ADBV being stiff.

The only thing I would caution you on is using filters that are much larger than stock. Some of these small engines fill up the oil filter first before sending oil to other areas, and with their low amount of flow to begin with, a faulty ADBV on something like a PH3600 might take a bit to fill up before sending oil to other areas. The smaller filters (like a Wix 57035 or Fram PH8170) actually have pretty robust cans and still plenty of filter media for an engine that small.

 

[spasm3]

I'm running a frame ultra 3614 on my toro/Kawa engine.

 

[4WD]

Originally Posted by spasm3
I'm running a frame ultra 3614 on my toro/Kawa engine.


Same on my Sears/Husky/Briggs lawn tractor … once a year I'm going to spring in Spring for an XG3614

 

[jeepman3071]

The OCI on many OPE engines (Kohler, Briggs, Honda, Kawasaki, etc) is 50 hours, and 100 hours for the oil filter. That's with whatever filter and usually just 10w30 or SAE 30 meeting API SJ or higher per the manual. I think most Wix and Fram Ultras are capable of more than that. Heck, this Stens that I cut open likely has more than 100 hours on it. I'm not saying that changing oil and filter on equipment yearly is a waste, as it's cheap insurance, but the filters could likely have no problem going longer. On my own equipment I go for the 100 hour filter change interval with a quality filter. I'd like to think it makes for less filters in the landfill, and every one of mine I've cut open looked perfect.