my tests to see what oil filter is best.
09-28-2014, 01:57 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
my tests to see what oil filter is best.
Over the past year, i have decided to use different oil filters to see which one is really the best you can buy. The 2 test vehicles were my 2011 5.0 F-150,which now has 80,000 miles, and my 2001 4.0 Sport Trac, which has 135,000 miles. The F150 is a highway truck, and the Sport Trac is a dirt road and back road truck.
THE WORST:
Fram: After 5,000 miles in the F150, the oil is very dark. After 4,000 miles in the Sport Trac, the oil is completely black and filthy.
NEXT TO WORST:
Purilator: After 5,000 miles in the F150, the oil is slightly cleaner than the oil when i ran the fram, but is still dark. After 5,000 miles in the Sport Trac, the oil is black, but slightly less gritty looking than the Fram oil.
THE BEST:
K&N: This filter has to be ordered from Autozone (around here anyways), and is MUCH more expensive than the others ($15). However, after 8,000 miles in the F150 the oil comes out very slightly brown but still very clean. After 6,000 miles in the Sport Trac, the oil is brown but is not gritty or dirty.
THE SECOND BEST:
MOTORCRAFT: After 7,000 miles in the F150, the oil is kind of brown, but still impressively clean. After 6,000 in the Sport Trac, the oil is brown, but again, still no grit and has some life left in it.
Now, i know this is not a very accurate test or very well documented, but the point is, if you dont want filthy oil running through your motor, dont get a walmart filter. If you want to go all out, go get a K&N, but realistically you can buy a Motorcraft for 2 more dollars than a fram that has almost matching performance of a K&N. Just thought this was interesting, and thought i would share for all the people running cheap crap on your $40,000 truck.
Long live your motor.
THE WORST:
Fram: After 5,000 miles in the F150, the oil is very dark. After 4,000 miles in the Sport Trac, the oil is completely black and filthy.
NEXT TO WORST:
Purilator: After 5,000 miles in the F150, the oil is slightly cleaner than the oil when i ran the fram, but is still dark. After 5,000 miles in the Sport Trac, the oil is black, but slightly less gritty looking than the Fram oil.
THE BEST:
K&N: This filter has to be ordered from Autozone (around here anyways), and is MUCH more expensive than the others ($15). However, after 8,000 miles in the F150 the oil comes out very slightly brown but still very clean. After 6,000 miles in the Sport Trac, the oil is brown but is not gritty or dirty.
THE SECOND BEST:
MOTORCRAFT: After 7,000 miles in the F150, the oil is kind of brown, but still impressively clean. After 6,000 in the Sport Trac, the oil is brown, but again, still no grit and has some life left in it.
Now, i know this is not a very accurate test or very well documented, but the point is, if you dont want filthy oil running through your motor, dont get a walmart filter. If you want to go all out, go get a K&N, but realistically you can buy a Motorcraft for 2 more dollars than a fram that has almost matching performance of a K&N. Just thought this was interesting, and thought i would share for all the people running cheap crap on your $40,000 truck.
Long live your motor.
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1getz (10-05-2014)
09-28-2014, 05:52 PM
#2
Snow Blower
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Good post 79L.
I've been using the Amsoil extended run filter, don't remember the exact price but somewhere around the K+N maybe a little more. Anyway, I send a sample to Blackstone Laboratories out of each change for the truck to monitor engine wear but data could easily be used to judge filter performance. Visually the truck V8 (90,000 miles 547 RWHP) looks dark amber and still translucent after 5000 miles and gets a clean bill from Blackstone, Mustang V8 (24000 miles 400 RWHP) oil still looks new but it's on a yearly change schedule because I don't put enough miles on it to go strictly by miles.
Morale of the story the best filter you can by is still way less expensive then the average "Cosmetic" upgrade and IMAO well worth the price.
I've been using the Amsoil extended run filter, don't remember the exact price but somewhere around the K+N maybe a little more. Anyway, I send a sample to Blackstone Laboratories out of each change for the truck to monitor engine wear but data could easily be used to judge filter performance. Visually the truck V8 (90,000 miles 547 RWHP) looks dark amber and still translucent after 5000 miles and gets a clean bill from Blackstone, Mustang V8 (24000 miles 400 RWHP) oil still looks new but it's on a yearly change schedule because I don't put enough miles on it to go strictly by miles.
Morale of the story the best filter you can by is still way less expensive then the average "Cosmetic" upgrade and IMAO well worth the price.
09-28-2014, 08:13 PM
#3
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Good post 79L.
I've been using the Amsoil extended run filter, don't remember the exact price but somewhere around the K+N maybe a little more. Anyway, I send a sample to Blackstone Laboratories out of each change for the truck to monitor engine wear but data could easily be used to judge filter performance. Visually the truck V8 (90,000 miles 547 RWHP) looks dark amber and still translucent after 5000 miles and gets a clean bill from Blackstone, Mustang V8 (24000 miles 400 RWHP) oil still looks new but it's on a yearly change schedule because I don't put enough miles on it to go strictly by miles.
Morale of the story the best filter you can by is still way less expensive then the average "Cosmetic" upgrade and IMAO well worth the price.
I've been using the Amsoil extended run filter, don't remember the exact price but somewhere around the K+N maybe a little more. Anyway, I send a sample to Blackstone Laboratories out of each change for the truck to monitor engine wear but data could easily be used to judge filter performance. Visually the truck V8 (90,000 miles 547 RWHP) looks dark amber and still translucent after 5000 miles and gets a clean bill from Blackstone, Mustang V8 (24000 miles 400 RWHP) oil still looks new but it's on a yearly change schedule because I don't put enough miles on it to go strictly by miles.
Morale of the story the best filter you can by is still way less expensive then the average "Cosmetic" upgrade and IMAO well worth the price.
09-28-2014, 08:32 PM
#4
Cycle For Fun and Health
I used the K&N filters for some time on previous trucks. They had a nice feature of a socket head so you could get at them easily with a socket and extension that made the filter changes very easy.
Been using MotorCraft for some time now and happy with it for much less money.
Thanks for posting the results of your visual tests. It certainly has merit.
Been using MotorCraft for some time now and happy with it for much less money.
Thanks for posting the results of your visual tests. It certainly has merit.
09-29-2014, 08:19 AM
#5
Snow Blower
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Interesting, i dont think i ran an Amsoil filter. Where are these available? I might have to get me one. I also heard of a new filter that is available that you only buy once and at each oil change, you slide the inside out of the case, and clean it up and throw it back together. I have been wanting to find one of these to try out to.
09-30-2014, 07:29 AM
#6
Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
The dirtiness of oil is only signifying how many particles it currently has in suspension. Really doesn't have anything to do with the filter.
You should have sent samples out to black stone after each filter. Only then would you have any actually quantifiable results other than oil dirtiness.
That's the same trick the oil change guys use. "Oil looks really dirty, you need to come in every 3k for s change." How about no, the oil is just doing its job.
You should have sent samples out to black stone after each filter. Only then would you have any actually quantifiable results other than oil dirtiness.
That's the same trick the oil change guys use. "Oil looks really dirty, you need to come in every 3k for s change." How about no, the oil is just doing its job.
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10-01-2014, 09:02 AM
#8
Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
Oil filters are graded off a beta ratio. Basically the difference in number of particles of a certain size between oil in vs oil out.
All dirty oil signifies is that the oil is doing its job suspending the particles. The saturation level of the oil is so much higher than the standard change interval, so as long as you're using a good oil with a quality filter AND FOLLOWING THE CHANGE INTERVAL, your engine is fine. I regularly go 10k on full synthetic oil changes with no Ill effects.
A good filter is always a good idea, all I'm saying is oil dirtiness doesn't prove anything either way.