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reuseable oil filters, good or bad?

tacotruck

Member
I read about reuseable metal oil filters in differnt mags. most supporting them and how the filters "may" increrase Hp, torque, and reduce oil temp. At the average price of $130.00, is this a good buy. Does anyone have one, used one, or have any opions on them?
 
Honestly, with the standard Harley oil filter doing such a good job and a bargain at around $10...you can buy a LOT of those long before you approach the price of the "one" reusable oil filter. The other question is, how do you "clean" that filter with just 1 or 2 layers of filtrant contaminated by particles 1/10,000 of an inch, much less micons which are much smaller than the diameter of the human hair. Don't know why one would put something used and dirty and mix it up with their fresh synthetic high dollar lubricants in their $30,000 motorcycle...JMHO
 
Honestly, with the standard Harley oil filter doing such a good job and a bargain at around $10...you can buy a LOT of those long before you approach the price of the "one" reusable oil filter. The other question is, how do you "clean" that filter with just 1 or 2 layers of filtrant contaminated by particles 1/10,000 of an inch, much less micons which are much smaller than the diameter of the human hair. Don't know why one would put something used and dirty and mix it up with their fresh synthetic high dollar lubricants in their $30,000 motorcycle...JMHO

Couldn't have said it better!:bigsmiley12:
 
My question would be, how would changing to a cleanable oil filter increase horsepower and/or torque?
 
I have had a wee bit of experience with reusable oil filters a long time ago and they were a real pest to clean
The only improvement i can see with fitting them is perhaps a wee bit of extra cooling and some pennies to the manufacturer and vendors
So i am really happy with a spin on spin off disposable filter

Brian
 
I would not use a re-usable oil filter for the same reason I would not run re-tread tires on the wheels........that nagging worry or wondering of something going wrong in the back of my mind would be miserable.
 
Everything above is correct, never use them.

A manufacturer of said filters was on a magazine site and told us all how their test method was better than the multi pass rating method, so I looked up the ASTM test they used. (I have access to ALL ASTM and many many other standards)

It is a test designed for screening of filter material for consistency and comparison, nothing more.

Of no value in a real world filter where media depth is very important too.

Also, they come shiny, I don't like shiny. (see below)

As to cleaning them, NewHD47Fan nailed it, you cannot see the particles that we really care about, any cleaner you buy will likely have larger particles in it, still below eye range. So how do you clean with a dirty solvent? Remember, you can't see any of this.

-=-=-=-=-= End rant.

Rambling below.



SAE was paid years ago to run a study, 40 micron filter baseline (limit of human vision, btw)

A 30 micron filter cut wear by 50%

A 15 Micron filter cut wear by 75%

HD requires a 5 micron, whether that is nominal or absolute is a separate question that I struggle with, but I aim for high efficiency 5 micron or preserve my warranties. (gonna go to Amsoils eA0 next time since I found good data on them finally)

On chrome filters.

I am a bit of a filter snob, in addition to dealing with efficiency of filters (Beta ratings) with millions of dollars at risk, I also run the thermal imaging program here, so I gave the thermal end of the filters some thought. I don't buy chrome, not even for my wife's "too shiny to look at wonder Harley". I must be serious to tell her no, right?

Black will shed heat better than chrome. Given our bikes' propensity for hot running, why not give it every tiny benefit? May not matter, but I do it anyway. This is related to the emissivity of the surface, shiny and polished just doesn't emit heat as well as dull.

If you have one of those little temp buns, get it and a kitchen thermometer. Find a place to stick the thermometer and see what it reads, then shoot with the temp gun. If it is a shiny surface, you will get a lower reading. Unless you are seeing reflected heat from anything else, Shoot something cold and shiny outside on a sunny day, you will se hot. Shoot the sky on a hot day, you'll see cold. thermal is not really hard, but it is a different mind set.

The easiest way to get a good idea is to put a pan on the stove. Shiny outside w teflon inside.

Let it get hot and then hold it shiny side towards your face, feel the heat?
Now, turn the dark side towards you. It will feel much hotter. Even though they are the same temp on contact, Emissivity and radiant transfer at work.

Sorry for the rants

R
 
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