who uses SS oil filter

[bork]

I was wandering if it actually was worth it & would be better for engine life? I heard it has good costant flow, especially cold start ups. I keep hearing Fram has inconsistant holes in paper for larger microns to pass ? ( in auto forums)

[roadcam]

I run the Scott's stainless steel oil filter ... works fine, has a finer micron rating than a paper filter. I would definitely recommend them ... regarding your mention of FRAM, years ago, Consumer Reports always picked FRAM as the best filter, then, they had an article claiming FRAM had been sending them specially-prepared filters for testing ... from that point on, Consumer Reports started purchasing their test products over-the-counter, to avoid being duped again ... since then, they pick the WIX filters as the world's best filter ... (your NAPA stores carry the WIX under their own "Napa Gold" label, with the regular Napa filter being made by Fram) ... ?

[Beyond The Pale]

Fram filters have been known to suck for some time. However, I have a hard time believing that the stainless mesh filters do an overall beter job than a paper filter. I'm sure that they work good enough. I had two earlier Honda's, a 78 XL250 S and a 81 XR500R, that did not have an oil filter. Those bikes only had one rather large mesh screen. The holes were like 1/2 mm. I put about a LOT of miles on them and never had a oil related problem that I know of.

The most important thing is to change the oil often.

[bork]

I heard the same thing about consumer reports too. If Fram went thru that much trouble ,they must be hiding something. I used to be a diehard fram buyer, but no more. Thanks for the napa gold recomend & yes I change my oil real often.

[HawkGT]

I'm very tempted by the SS oil filters. I'd like to collect enough evidence (both anecdotal and otherwise) to convince me there is no reason NOT to use one.

[qadsan]

As long as you have good oil flow from using the right viscosity of oil and are changing it often enough, your engine should have a long healthy life. The only way you're going to know if the ss filter is better for you in your application is to get on an oil analsys program with particle count and send in numerous samples over a period of time to verify the differences.

There are strong opinions for ss oil filters and strong opinions against them, but one thing is for sure and that is if you follow your recommended maintenance schedules as outlined by your service manual in addition to using a good quality oil + filter and changing it often enough, then you're already a step ahead of most people. You'll be fine with using either the ss, OEM or most aftermarket oil filters.

Many years ago cars didn't have oil filters. Our 1980 XR80 doesn't have an oil filter and yet it has over 20K off road miles on the orignal engine. Our XR100 & 200's did not have oil filters on them, although the XR200 did have a screen. I'd rather run an oil filter than not run one, but I do not think you're going to find much of a difference in wear numbers through oil analysis between running a SS and OEM filter.

[bork]

As long as you have good oil flow from using the right viscosity of oil and are changing it often enough, your engine should have a long healthy life. The only way you're going to know if the ss filter is better for you in your application is to get on an oil analsys program with particle count and send in numerous samples over a period of time to verify the differences.

There are strong opinions for ss oil filters and strong opinions against them, but one thing is for sure and that is if you follow your recommended maintenance schedules as outlined by your service manual in addition to using a good quality oil + filter and changing it often enough, then you're already a step ahead of most people. You'll be fine with using either the ss, OEM or most aftermarket oil filters.

Many years ago cars didn't have oil filters. Our 1980 XR80 doesn't have an oil filter and yet it has over 20K off road miles on the orignal engine. Our XR100 & 200's did not have oil filters on them, although the XR200 did have a screen. I'd rather run an oil filter than not run one, but I do not think you're going to find much of a difference in wear numbers through oil analysis between running a SS and OEM filter.

GOOD POINT !

[Supplicate]

using the right viscosity of oil

just curious, but what is the "right viscosity" of oil?

[Beyond The Pale]

just curious, but what is the "right viscosity" of oil?

I never use anything less than 40 in an air cooled bike. That's the second number. It gives the viscosity at operating temperature. The first number is the cold viscosity and is somewhat less important as I'm not out riding my bike when it's much below freezing. Normally, I run 15W-40 diesel oil (Rotella, Delo, Devlac) or 20W-50 (Castrol, Honda HP4, etc).

[roadcam]

I never use anything less than 40 in an air cooled bike. That's the second number. It gives the viscosity at operating temperature. The first number is the cold viscosity and is somewhat less important as I'm not out riding my bike when it's much below freezing. Normally, I run 15W-40 diesel oil (Rotella, Delo, Devlac) or 20W-50 (Castrol, Honda HP4, etc).

wrong ... sorry, thats what most people think ... take a teaspoon of 10W-40 oil, and hold a flame under it ... it will NOT thicken up, it will thin out (that's why you always drain hot oil, not cold) ... the first number is the weight of the oil (thats why it has the W) .. the second number is an approximation of the 'characteristics' of the oil, or how well it 'sticks' to the metal surfaces ... try the experiment before you reply I am wrong, you'll see ... ?

[Beyond The Pale]

I stand by what I said. The numbers are not on the same scale. Of course it doesn't thicken up. All oils loose viscosity with temperature. I believe that measurement is called "viscosity index" if I remember correctly. The bigger the VI, the less it looses viscosity with increasing temperature. Big VI is good for an aircooled motorcycle.

The W stands for winter, not weight. It a measure of the minimum temperature that the oil will flow when the engine is started. The scale for the W numbers is much different. For instance the 40 or 50 part of the number. This is measured at boiling (100C or 212F). 40 oil has a viscosity between 12.5 and 16.3 centistokes. 50 oil is between 16.3 and 21.9 centistokes. The W is measured at low temperatures. The spec for 20W is that the viscosity will be no greater than 9500 centistokes at 5F or -15C. The spec for 10W is no more than 7000 centistokes at -13F or -35C. Commomly 20W is only to be used above freezing (32F or 0C).

[qadsan]

...The W stands for winter, not weight...

BINGO!!! ?

[porterdog]

wrong ... sorry, thats what most people think ... take a teaspoon of 10W-40 oil, and hold a flame under it ... it will NOT thicken up, it will thin out (that's why you always drain hot oil, not cold) ... the first number is the weight of the oil (thats why it has the W) .. the second number is an approximation of the 'characteristics' of the oil, or how well it 'sticks' to the metal surfaces ... try the experiment before you reply I am wrong, you'll see ... ?

Utter nonsense.

Look here and here.

[roadcam]

I'll admit when I'm wrong ... (I don't mind, doesn't happen very often ) ... after reading your posts, I see things are very different from what I was taught regarding the 'W' designation, so I stand corrected ... ?