How to choose an oil filter

The oil system of the car is one of the most important for the correct operation of the engine. Effective lubrication of friction surfaces and heat removal from the walls of the cylinders are its main tasks. In the course of its work, the oil is contaminated by the combustion products of the fuel and is oxidized; it is subject to the formation of condensate and the ingress of dust and small debris. All these impurities must be separated at the stage of supplying oil to the cylinders, for which the oil filter is used. This is a special element separating dust, debris and impurities and allowing the purified oil to continue through the system. In order to significantly extend the life of the engine, the choice of the oil filter and its timely replacement should be given special attention.

Top Oil Filter Manufacturers

The release of filtering equipment at the moment is carried out by many companies, but the choice should be given in favor of exclusively proven products supplied to the conveyor of many world manufacturers:

1. Purflux;

2. Knecht;

3. Mahle;

4. Filtron;

5. Mann;

We should not lose sight of the opportunity to study user feedback on a particular product. You can find them on the Internet, on the pages of forums and communities on social networks.

The principle of operation and types of oil filters

The design of the oil filter is quite simple and functional. It is an element made of soft and dense cellulose, which has a high hygroscopicity with respect to oil. The corrugated structure is designed to hold the dirt and prevent them in the cylinder block of the car. As the vehicle is used, sediment accumulates a significant amount, and therefore after 7-10 thousand kilometers of run, the filter needs to be replaced.

Filter insert

Soft cylindrical element, devoid of outer shell. It is installed in a special seat - an oil cup - and rigidly fixed with the top cover. It is made of cellulose in pure form or in combination with synthetic fibers.

Virtues

• Inexpensive;

• Variety of models and sizes;

• Qualitatively filtered oil;

disadvantages

• Requires partial disassembly of the engine compartment of the car;

• Assume frequent replacement;

External oil filter

It is installed on the outside of the engine and is a metal container in which the filter element is placed. Replacement is carried out without much difficulty and the need to dismantle the valve cover or other elements. Designed for installation in compatible in a constructive terms cars.

Virtues

• Compact size;

• Do not require special tools and engine disassembly;

• Easy installation;

• Mechanical protection;

disadvantages

• More expensive filter inserts;

• The resource does not exceed 10-15 thousand kilometers;

The main criteria for choosing an oil filter

First of all, you need to remember that you should not save on the quality of filter elements. It is on them that the functionality and performance of the car depends, and therefore one should give preference to either original spare parts bearing the manufacturer's stamp or products of the supplier companies to the conveyor, the list of which is listed above. In addition, it is necessary to pay attention to the following features:

The principle of the filter

1. Full-flow filters provide for the passage of the entire volume of oil before being supplied to the rubbing parts. Cleaning in this case is close to the maximum, but there is a significant drawback. In case of violation of the intervals of replacement and operation in severe conditions, the engine may experience oil starvation, which is fraught with its failure;

2. A partial-flow filter takes up a certain portion of the volume of an oil cup and does not filter the entire volume of incoming oil. The degree of cleaning it in this case below, but the oil starvation and the problems associated with it, are excluded as a class.

The quality of the cellulose filter element

To control this parameter is possible only in models-inserts. The paper should not be too thick to prevent oil starvation, however, soft models are not a panacea - such filters quickly become unusable and require replacement.

The principle of the check valve

The check valve is installed either in the filter itself, if we are talking about closed non-separable models, or in an oil glass. It is intended to keep the amount of oil in the filter when the engine is muted, which greatly facilitates the cold start of the car. Valve diaphragm should have a small stroke range and quality manufacturing.

Filtration limit

A parameter reflecting the amount of impurities that the filter is capable of holding while performing its duties. It is measured as a percentage and the higher this parameter is, the better for the engine. Preference should be given to those models whose filtering is at around 90-95%

Minimum frequency fraction

Means the physical size of the particles that the filter can stop. It is an extremely important parameter for the operation of a car, since particles of any size carry with them an abrasive effect on the walls of cylinders, which is fraught with scoring and engine failure as a result. It is better to choose the filter, the minimum size of the filtered fraction is at the level of 1-2 microns.

Replacement interval

Depending on the specific model and manufacturing technology, this parameter can vary and range from 5-7 to 20-30 thousand kilometers. Up to the upper limit to bring the mileage is not worth it, because after 15 thousand kilometers the filter ceases to perform its duties. The optimal mileage on one filter is 7-10 thousand kilometers.

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Attention! This material is the subjective opinion of the authors of the project and is not a guide to purchase.