Oil Filter Operation

[Ohio HD]

I came across this video. They're using a car motor for the testing of oil filter operation, but it's the same function on HD's as well. They give facts on how the oil filter works when cold or hot.

[Travis3406]

Good stuff. I expected the bypass to open on a cold engine. I never thought about a cold engine having lower internal leakage and reducing flow through the filter.

The video he linked in the description confirmed my suspicion about the 35 micron screens in the reusable filters.

[itsafatboy]

Wow so all our K&P reusable filters and the Purepower filters and so on, are not catching much by this test so first i wonder what the size that dust was? but really doesn't matter , and though it was iron and the magnets in these reusable filters would probably catch that stuff, not sure what brand they were testing, so still concerning though say it was aluminum or carbon particles then the magnets wouldnt help,

Well crap now I'm wondering if i should go back to KN or Amsoil or HD filter, i really don't like idea of hurting my bike, even though my purepower filter is double woven 35 micron so a little better than striate 35 its still bad,

     

[FloridaJim5]

Wow so all our K&P reusable filters and the Purepower filters and so on, are not catching much by this test so first i wonder what the size that dust was? but really doesn't matter , and though it was iron and the magnets in these reusable filters would probably catch that stuff, not sure what brand they were testing, so still concerning though say it was aluminum or carbon particles then the magnets wouldnt help,

Well crap now I'm wondering if i should go back to KN or Amsoil or HD filter, i really don't like idea of hurting my bike, even though my purepower filter is double woven 35 micron so a little better than striate 35 its still bad,

Yeah, I almost believed the hype from a couple of companies pushing the wire mesh reusable filters until I did a little research.  I'm still using the HD filter.  It was designed for the HD engine and I'm perfectly comfortable it's the best for my engine. 

   

[76shuvlinoff]

 I refused to pay the HD tax for an oil filter and there was a Napa between my house and work, so it's been Napa Gold (except for a very brief KN dalliance) for the 12 years I've had my Ultra.

 Then the damn Napa closed up but there are 3 more in a 20 mile radius.

[Hossamania]

I get Motor Company filters from my local independent shop, convenient, $10 or $12 dollars, throw him business whenever I can. It is a very competent shop, I need to keep them around as long as possible.
Could I get them for a few dollars cheaper at Napa or other? Sure, but it's a couple per year, not breaking the bank.
As far as quality, they've kept my motor together for 130,000 miles, so seem to be just fine.

[harlycoop]

They should try the before and after  pressure test with  10w 40 at -20Deg!

[Jim Bronson]

My 2024 SM mentions nothing about pre-filling the filter. I'll stick with the K&N partly because it has a nut welded on the top. I remember having to wrestle with a filter that was tightened by some gorilla at the dealership. Never again.

[bigfoot5x]

I use K&N because of the nut on it also. Prior to the switch I always used the Harley filters and  have their official oil filter tool. How can someone find the $10 or $12 filter? The K&N at O'Reilly's is cheaper than the Harley filter but it is still close to $20 while the Harley filter is $20 or more. I maintain 2 bikes that are ridden a lot so try to be cost efficient.

[Hossamania]

I started down the oil video rabbit hole with that one. Good to have the filter and oil circuit operation explained.
 I've also always suspected that the re-usable steel filters were not as efficient as the paper filters, but never wanted to say anything without proof. They provided a video that proved it. Having said that, many swear by the re-usable filters, I'm glad it works for them. I was always too cheap to buy one, and the thought of cleaning it seemed like a hassle,  compared to just tossing the old filter and dropping in a new one.
 As far as pre-filling the filter, half the time I forget to do it, so the motor has been started with no pressure a few times. More than a few times. Not ideal, but surviving so far. Maybe this will remind me to pre-fill more often.
 Also, the idea that oil changes can go 7500 miles, or even 10,000 miles, as many auto owners manuals recommend, always sounded like the dumbest idea. Worse in variable valve timing cars. I never let them go anywhere near that, and I'm lazy and cheap. When my wife's car was new, with included oil changes from the dealer at 7500 miles for 3 years, there was no way I was going that long between changes. I brought the car in for an oil change at 2500, they said not necessary, it can go 7500. I said no it can't. Especially since we were going on a trip that was going to put about 4000 miles on it, I didn't want that new break-in oil running thru the motor that long. They said they'd have to charge me to change it, not included in the service package. Yeah dude, I'll pay. The car gets changed about every 2500 miles, just because it doesn't get driven much, that's about every 6-8 months. Gets new wipers every time too.

[itsafatboy]

So talked to the owner of K&P today and learned a lot , this test was really one sided and not a good indication of real life and filtration , now if they ran that test with the KP or Purepower it would have been a whole different thing but oh well , and KP even said there is some bad reusable filters out there its all in the surgical mesh and how its woven and KP its their own woven design, so be careful on getting knock offs makes big difference , K&P and Purepower both quality he said have good material and design, i like mine and just from testimonials' on KP site seems like they work really well and I know they flow well and dont need to bypass oil , i have no issue with my reusable, 

 https://kandpengineering.com/

https://www.gopurepower.com/

[Tacocaster]

I'm not interested in this Oil-related topic enough to "look it up" for y'all but I remember when I bought my Purepower there was reference to, "used in aircraft industry". Yes, I know....that jewel of Marketing could mean anything but it was enough for me.

Dozens and dozens (130 + Thousand) of miles later, my internals are running clean (Mobile 1 15W50 oil changes @ <5K religiously, well, at least long before 7K).

Read and consider what everyone is saying then do what makes YOU comfortable. In this arena, your choice is no better than theirs.

[Hossamania]

So, the Internet might not always be telling the whole story?
Huh, who knew?

[Deye76]

I use K&N because of the nut on it also. Prior to the switch I always used the Harley filters and  have their official oil filter tool. How can someone find the $10 or $12 filter? The K&N at O'Reilly's is cheaper than the Harley filter but it is still close to $20 while the Harley filter is $20 or more. I maintain 2 bikes that are ridden a lot so try to be cost efficient.

I've been using ProFilter for a couple of years,TC & Evo, has the nut, $11.99.

[calif phil]

Been running K&P for years and will continue to do so. 

[FXDBI]

Been running K&P for years and will continue to do so.

That makes 2 of us had my K&P for 15 years now, very pleased with it would never go back to a disposable.  Bob

[fbn ent]

Regarding the first video...I was taught in trade school (20 years ago) that the filters bypass all the time. Makes me wonder what they are teaching now. 

[hattitude]

I've toyed with going to a mesh filter, but in the meantime I've been using HifloFiltro HF171CRC filters.

They made the first K&N filters with the 17mm nut on the end. K&N went to another vendor, had some issues (I read about on here), and then I think K&N may have gone back to HifloFiltro.. 

The HifloFiltro are pretty cheap on Amazon ($12.99) and are $3.00 cheaper than K&N on Amazon ($15.86)...

[Rusticwater]

I switched to the HiFloFiltro for my Dyna last year after doing some research to get away from relying on dealer. I use the regular version, not the one with the nut on the end.

[Hossamania]

This is the wrench I use. I've never not been able to get a filter off, no matter how heavy handed it was installed.
3" closes to 2 3/4". No idea what car it was purchased for, I got it 42 years ago from my wife's ex-husband's garage stock. Could be for a Citation (garbage car) or an air-cooled VW, don't know.

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[Dan89flstc]

I'm not interested in this Oil-related topic enough to "look it up" for y'all but I remember when I bought my Purepower there was reference to, "used in aircraft industry". 

Modern jet engines use stainless type filters (because paper would not survive the heat), if a filter is replaced, the old one is discarded, not cleaned.

I have tried to watch that guys videos, but he babbles on ad nauseum and by the time he gets to the point my eyes have rolled to the back of my head.

[Tacocaster]

Well, I guess their Marketing Group didn't lie.....they're "used" in the aircraft industry, they just didn't finish the detail and the devil certainly is in those details.

Thanks of the "rest of the story" but I'll continue to use it.

[76shuvlinoff]

 Been driving and riding and changing my own oil for over 50 years. I can't recall ever prefilling a filter. 

[HogMike]

This is the wrench I use. I've never not been able to get a filter off, no matter how heavy handed it was installed.
3" closes to 2 3/4". No idea what car it was purchased for, I got it 42 years ago from my wife's ex-husband's garage stock. Could be for a Citation (garbage car) or an air-cooled VW, don't know.

You cannot view this attachment.

My 2 favorites:

[Hossamania]

I have tried to watch that guys videos, but he babbles on ad nauseum and by the time he gets to the point my eyes have rolled to the back of my head.

I switch over to YouTube and speed it up.
Edit: I just played with vid posted here and found it could be sped up without switching over to YouTube.
Helps get thru the babble.