[Cut Open] Microgreen MG-101-7 1783mi

[DuckRyder]

So the Acura came to visit today and I noted it was lower on oil than is typical for it to burn at this point.

Got it up on ramps and took a look, good bit of oil on engine/filter/pan. Oil hanging off filter and all around base.

Cleaned it up and let it run a bit, nothing immediately apparent but filter base near gasket shiny. Elected to change the filter.

Upon removal noted that O ring feels uneven though no obvious damage.

 

[CharlieBauer]

Looks very low quality and much older than 1783 miles.

Are the fibers on the "teflon" disk attached to the disk or shed from the regular filter material?

 

[PimTac]

The center is way off and the whole top and gasket look cattywumpus. Very poor build quality it seems judging from the pics.

 

[Linctex]

probably a serviceable filter.....

but I don't see any possibility for returns on investment.

 

[CharlieBauer]

Originally Posted By: PimTac
The center is way off and the whole top and gasket look cattywumpus. Very poor build quality it seems judging from the pics.


It supports the claims of Norbert M Assion (one of the founders of the original filter), that microgreen have cheapened the filter and it no longer performs as originally claimed.

There is a review on Amazon from Dec 2017 with the same complaint of a leaking filter.

You can see Dr Assion's claims and the defective filter review here:

https://www.amazon.com/microGreen-MG-421-8-Oil-Filter/dp/B007USGLCQ#customerReviews

 

[PimTac]

Originally Posted By: CharlieBauer
Originally Posted By: PimTac
The center is way off and the whole top and gasket look cattywumpus. Very poor build quality it seems judging from the pics.


It supports the claims of Norbert M Assion (one of the founders of the original filter), that microgreen have cheapened the filter and it no longer performs as originally claimed.

There is a review on Amazon from Dec 2017 with the same complaint of a leaking filter.

You can see Dr Assion's claims and the defective filter review here:

https://www.amazon.com/microGreen-MG-421-8-Oil-Filter/dp/B007USGLCQ#customerReviews





Looking at pic #3, I would suspect that the gasket was not sealing all the way on the mount due to the center thread being so off center. I have no experience with Microgreen filters but that one clearly failed quality control and was missed. If I had found that kind of shoddiness at the store when inspecting I wouldn’t buy it in the first place. I know stuff happens sometimes but that whole top is very poorly manufactured and assembled.

 

[DuckRyder]

I forgot to say, The filter media assembly seems both shorter and smaller in diameter that the TG element I used for comparison. I will try to actually measure them today. A TG 7317 went back on it.

I also don’t know if this is current construction, UD said that the one he received recently were white with green writing (IIRC)

Aside from the filter element(s) and O ring the filter seemed to be well assembled. Nice Parker ADBV, heavy can, good spring, nice uniform and amply sized louvres.

I don’t care for the wide pleat or the media itself. I haven’t been able to get the 5 micron disk out yet.

The gasket is assembled into a stamped channel which is spot welded and presumably sealed to the tapping plate. This stamped channel seems poorly formed to me and I believe it was causing the gasket to be under uneven tension. Also there appear to be witness marks on the inner run of the stamped channel indicating contact with the sealing surface on the engine, which can’t be good.

ETA Charlie, the fibers appear to be part of the teflon disk.

 

[DuckRyder]

 

[bullwinkle]

Is that shiny area around 11:00 where it was rubbing on the mount?

 

[goodtimes]

Baseplate thread off perpendicular to base so filter gasket contacts more on one side?

 

[DuckRyder]

Originally Posted By: bullwinkle
Is that shiny area around 11:00 where it was rubbing on the mount?


It has witness marks to varying degrees at each point there is a clamping swell in the channel.

Originally Posted By: goodtimes
Baseplate thread off perpendicular to base so filter gasket contacts more on one side?


I will try to check more closely but I think I would have noticed that during installation or removal

 

[DuckRyder]

Best I can tell the threads in the tapping plate are straight.

The media in the TG is 62mm tall and 61mm across the actual media at the widest point. The MG the entire media stack is 57mm, the primary media is 50mm and the widest point is 59mm at the widest point.

 

[PimTac]

In that last pic the center hole doesn’t even look round. Is it the picture angle?

 

[DuckRyder]

Originally Posted By: PimTac
In that last pic the center hole doesn’t even look round. Is it the picture angle?


It must be the lighting and angle, though I don’t really see that in the picture. I used a socket to gauge it and the hole is as round as a socket (a good socket)

I have another one of these, but do not think I will be using it. In many years of changing oil, including when I worked in a dealer I have never had a filter leak. I’m unimpressed with the media and the leak, though there are things I like about the construction, they don’t outweigh the leak and media. I also find the marketing a bit snake oilish...

I thought UD was going to cut open a virgin one of newer manufacture, but have not seen it.

Anyway...

 

[UncleDave]

I cut it open and took a quick vid of it but didn't take the time to photo the individual pieces - it looks the same internally.

will post up later today.

UD

 

[UncleDave]

Heres a quick vid of the thing...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyaov01tSIM


UD

 

[UncleDave]

hmm weird its public - and this is the link I get from the vid after uploading...?!??!??

https://youtube/iyaov01tSIM

When I click the link above post it opens perfectly (?!?!?)

Try this one ....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyaov01tSIM&t=15s




UD

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: UncleDave
hmm weird its public - and this is the link I get from the vid after uploading...?!??!??

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyaov01tSIM&t=15s

UD


Looks like the bypass valve is located below the micro disc. How is that micro disc attached to the main element, and how does the flow going through the micro disc get to the center tube? I think I see how, but would be cool if you pried the micro disc assy off the main element for a peek.

Dang, that towel is too nice to puke oil on.

 

[UncleDave]

Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Originally Posted By: UncleDave
hmm weird its public - and this is the link I get from the vid after uploading...?!??!??

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyaov01tSIM&t=15s

UD


Looks like the bypass valve is located below the micro disc. How is that micro disc attached to the main element, and how does the flow going through the micro disc get to the center tube?

Dang, that towel is too nice to puke oil on.

Disc is simply pushed into the opening on the carrier/ female receiver on this one.

Pretty sure the whole assembly pushes up like a base end bypass against the coil spring - the valve under the puck would have to get all kids of flow for that to work as a bypass and I just don't see it.

The coil spring sits on top of a "puck holder"and the assembly pushes the puck down into a female receiver that is mounted on top of the upper end cap . The holder has holes cut it it for whatever amount of " flow" goes through that disk- which can't be much. Stev Kirchner alluded to the fluid being sucked through the disk rather than pushed, but Im a bit puzzled by how that would be.

Shot this a couple saturdays ago when I got back from a trip just didn't have a chance to upload it - Ill try to poke out the disc and shoot some more picts.

That towels been washed so many times the edges are coming off, so it isnt as nice as it looks in that vid.

UD

 

[DuckRyder]

This one has the same roughness on the treads though it doesn’t look as bad.

The bypass valve is indeed under the micro disk, actually even under the cup that holds the micro disc, if it were to actually bypass it comes out the space you see between the primary element end cap and what I will call the secondary element cup. They bypass is offset from center and there is a tube that sends a small amount of oil to the micro disc.

I believe the cup is attached with adhesive, I have not been able to get it off yet, but you can see it around the bypass valve and end cap.

Edit, wait a minute, sucked through? I thought i understood the flow through this thing but maybe not, I was wondering how all the crud got on the side of Daves micro disc that it did...