Oil Filter Problem?


Fubar

Totally ****** Up
Mark II Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Aug 2, 2006
3,979
Dallas, TX
I've been waiting for John or somebody over at Accufab to talk about ther new product but I guess they are just shy. This isn't meant to be a plug for John as much as a word of caution to the community.

First this has not happened to me or anyone I know of... but I heard that John at Accufab had seen a few cars, then a few more, that had a crushed oil filter (Including the center plastic support). Now it should be noted that if John is looking at a motor it's typically heavily modified and blowing out 1000+ hp but regardless of power, the oil filter being crushed was not a thing that made sense... even on those big hp motors. After a lot of head scratching, I think the prevailing logic was that the owners were taking the cars out, probably more often around this time of year when cold temps are setting in, these cars would be allowed to warm up according to the engine temp gauge (water temp around motor), then given a good throttling. Here is the problem, temp gauge reflects water getting warm, oil takes longer to get warm but that delay is magnified by the large dry sump reservoir. SO... the oil was still very 'thick.' The problem may be further aggravated by the amount of ethanol fuel used in the cars (or even methanol when talking to Johns customers) and the chemical affect on the plastic support structure inside the filter.

Its not going to be a common problem but something to think about as the weather gets cold (or slighter cooler for you SoCal boys). The oil filter is after the oil pump and the flow is from the outside of the filter, inward so the any crushed plastic support would be in dangerous proximity to the internal oils "squirters" (I think that's the term, oil jets didn't seem right).

Accufab basically fixed the issue by making a stainless steel filter replacement. It will not be able to scrub the oil as well as a paper filter but it will likely flow much better, be reusable and hold up to just about anything on the greesy side of pure lard.


**if a mod wants to remove the link, it won't bother me. I don't know if Accufab is still a sponsor here or not. I would want my friends tell me about this item and the related issue and that's is genuinely my only motivation here.

cheers
F
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    82.4 KB · Views: 354
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    72.3 KB · Views: 354
Last edited:

BIGFOOT

GT Owner
Jan 18, 2012
739
Northeast
That's very Interesting. Is there any history of race cars or otherwise using a metal oil filter?
 

Fubar

Totally ****** Up
Mark II Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Aug 2, 2006
3,979
Dallas, TX
My guy, Fish, said that he has used them in drag cars before. I notice that K&N makes some metal filters for oil or fuel that are good to 25 microns. I thought Fish told me that these will filter beyond that but that a good paper filter would be better. If you keep good oil in the car it shouldn't make a big of a difference. I'm just Joe Schmoe that the shade-tree mechanic. Maybe somebody with a nack for this stuff could chime in.

If you really let the engine heat up properly it won't be a problem. There just isn't a good way of knowing when oil temp is decent. I guess you could do a cold start experiment and use a IR temp gauge on the oil tank reservoir. Just time how long it takes the tank to warm up to 130-140 deg and make sure you don't spank it before that time has expired.
 

GTJack

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Oct 1, 2006
1,728
Saddlebrooke, MO
I am curious how enough ethanol gets into the filter to do damage to the plastic stem.
 

BlackICE

GT Owner
Nov 2, 2005
1,416
SF Bay Area in California
I am curious how enough ethanol gets into the filter to do damage to the plastic stem.

By running rich mixtures which every tune does at high loads. Some of the fuel isn't burned, so a portion of it works it way into the crankcase. When the oil gets hot enough for long enough, the ethanol is boiled off and burnt via the PCV system. The vapor pressure of most alcohols is less than the majority of gasoline components, so it is harder to boil off.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...el.xls&usg=AFQjCNFycRxvpRGpLmFos0VnRrS8WGK_dw

http://publications.jrc.ec.europa.e...36839/6839 - EVAP_Final_Report_final_isbn.pdf
 
Last edited:

SMOKDU

GT Owner
Dec 17, 2011
412
Was the filter twisted or crushed in ? I have seen one that was not snapped in all the way twist bad. Could it be installed wrong ?
 

STORMCAT

GT
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
May 25, 2006
7,549
Ft. Lauderdale
Was the filter twisted or crushed in ? I have seen one that was not snapped in all the way twist bad. Could it be installed wrong ?

good point... could have been a rookie install mistake.. With that said I bought a reusable SS mesh Fuel filter so why not an oil filter...
 
Last edited:

Fubar

Totally ****** Up
Mark II Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Aug 2, 2006
3,979
Dallas, TX
I didn't see the examples but I'll ask.
 

nota4re

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Feb 15, 2006
4,177
I've seen examples of this. What I have seen is that the filter itself is scrunched down to maybe 70% of its normal height. When I have seen it, the plastic hub is undamaged and it is just the filter element that is collapsed. Thankfully, I have only seen this on very rare occasions - maybe 1 in 100. I had a picture on my phone of the last (and worst) one we'd seen but I seem to have deleted the picture :(
 

nota4re

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Feb 15, 2006
4,177
OK, found the picture in a text message I had sent to the owner....

OilFilter.JPG
 

Attachments

  • OilFilter.JPG
    OilFilter.JPG
    82.5 KB · Views: 225

Kingman

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Aug 11, 2006
4,072
Surf City, USA
That ain't right!
 

Specracer

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Nov 28, 2005
7,081
MA
How the hell did "Conan the mechanic" pull that one off?
 

MarkH

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
May 19, 2007
528
Katy, Texas
We have run into many issues with the paper filter and worked with John on this product. We have been using it for years on the race car and have nothing but good things to say about them. Now we believe our issues were mainly due to the power and amount of flow we were needing plus the fuel we used that broke down the oil but at the end of the day we stand behind the product as well. Great job AccuFab and John on always helping those that stand with you.

Thanks,
Mark Heidaker
M2K Motorsports, LLC
 

SMOKDU

GT Owner
Dec 17, 2011
412
OK, found the picture in a text message I had sent to the owner....

View attachment 40031

Installed wrong. The filter was not snapped all the way down and twisted when screwing on the main cap. I have seen this. Installer mistake IMO
 

nota4re

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Feb 15, 2006
4,177
Installed wrong. The filter was not snapped all the way down and twisted when screwing on the main cap. I have seen this. Installer mistake IMO

This was an out of state car in for its first service with us. But I don't think your theory is right. Look at the twist in the pleats. If it was binding going on, then the twist would be the other way.

We've only seen this one other time - on another GT where the service interval was unknown.
 

STORMCAT

GT
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
May 25, 2006
7,549
Ft. Lauderdale
This was an out of state car in for its first service with us. But I don't think your theory is right. Look at the twist in the pleats. If it was binding going on, then the twist would be the other way.

We've only seen this one other time - on another GT where the service interval was unknown.

sounds like a case for " Forensic Files " !! :biggrin
 

RALPHIE

GT Owner
Mar 1, 2007
7,278
This was an out of state car in for its first service with us. But I don't think your theory is right. Look at the twist in the pleats. If it was binding going on, then the twist would be the other way.

We've only seen this one other time - on another GT where the service interval was unknown.

Would that mean that the twist in the pleats happened when the cap was removed?
 

SMOKDU

GT Owner
Dec 17, 2011
412
I have seen this and I'm still thinking it would be easy to not snap the filter on all the way because it does not look like you would need to do this. if you could get the cap to start to screw on it then could crust the filter down laying the fins down to either side. My therory was it would twist turning it but Maybe it just weakens the fins to the point they lay over . That's my story and Im sticking to it . Lol