Date: Wed, 13 Jan 2010 20:24:18 -0600
Reply-To: Tom Hargrave <thargrav@HIWAAY.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Tom Hargrave <thargrav@HIWAAY.NET>
Subject: Was Motor Oil (Synthetic), now Ail Filters
In-Reply-To: <BAY132-DS212E3EDAE2F38333C0218A06A0@phx.gbl>
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Wear metals may be blamed on the oil but elevated silica is a sign of dirt
getting past the air filter.
Years ago I ran two 1986 Mercedes 300E's and we were putting 40K - 50K /
year on them. I was also running Mobil 1 and having oil analysis done every
5K miles. The oil analysis would let me extend the oil change to 40K miles
with no problem but one issue did come from the analysis.
I mailed off both analysis and both came back with elevated silica, but
everything else was normal. I emailed the company & asked why and they
stated that high silica was usually a sign of dirt getting past the air
filter and that the issue could be a bad filter or something as simple as a
loose clamp letting air in past the filter.
I immediately suspected the air filters I was running - I had "upgraded" to
K&N filters which are oil soaked gauze filters that are supposed to do a
better job than paper. I immediately pulled the K&N's, installed stock
filters and changed the oil. The next oil analysis and subsequent ones
showed normal trace amounts of silica.
This was enough of a test to convince me that K&N filters are junk and that
they do not perform the superior filter job they claim to do. And, yes I
oiled them per the instructions with their special red oil - this was not a
user issue.
Thanks,
Tom Hargrave
256-656-1924
Our Web Sites:
www.kegkits.com
www.stir-plate.com
www.andyshotsauce.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf Of
Dennis Haynes
Sent: Wednesday, January 13, 2010 6:56 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Motor Oil (Synthetic)
As for quality, (consistency, good design, heavy duty construction) both the
Mann and Mahle filters are quality products. I do not wish to put them down.
Where those products fall short is their ability to maintain adequate
filtration for extended oil drain intervals. In a number of vehicles
including mine is results were wear metals and silica would reach
unacceptable levels in less than 7,500 mile intervals. I have also done some
experiments changing just the filters to see if new filters would clean
things up. Both the Mobil 1 brand and the Fram Tough Guard have shown
consistent ability to clean up an engines oil to acceptable levels. I am
sure that both of these companies now offer premium products ( better filter
media) but I have yet to see them available here. Maybe someone out there
can get us the good stuff.
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Alan Felder
Sent: Wednesday, January 13, 2010 12:20 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Motor Oil (Synthetic)
Dennis - I have an 82 Diesel and have purchased MANN oil filters for my next
few changes. I noticed you mentioned MANN and MAHLE filters twice,
inferring "do not use". I have always thought of these as being quality
filter manufacturers. What are the reasons for not recommending them, or am
I reading your statements incorrectly?
On Tue, Jan 12, 2010 at 11:13 PM, Dennis Haynes
<d23haynes57@hotmail.com>wrote:
> some point we have a thermal run away. On the 2.1L engines the oil cooler
> was added to help this and dynamic oil pressure warning system detects
this.
> No a Mann or Mahle filter does not fix it.
> 50. My 1988 Fox can go as high as 14,000 miles with good filters,(not Mann
> or Mahle). The Vanagon oil tends to need replacing due to nitration, (high
> ring temps
>
> --
> Alan Felder
> Austin TX
> 82 Diesel Westy
>
