Perhaps more of us should try this?

[BrianX128]

So, with doing all of the online research I was doing for adding my bypass oil filter system, I ended up on many a ford diesel forum and many oil filtration forums. In all of my readings I came across plenty of stuff for my bypass system, but came across something else that was odd regarding the normal full flow filters.

It was on a powerstroke forum, where people were discussing what filter they could upgrade to over the FL1995 motorcraft filter if they wanted to. The most common answer was that giant donaldson filter that is literally 12 inches long and on most idi's (at least mine being a 2wd), if my filter was to go over 10" it would for sure start hitting some metal. Here's the spec sheet they had listed with the FL1995 on it, I've seen it on here before but we have a lot of new idi owners lately so just for informational purposes:

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What I found interesting in that thread was that most people were suggesting a fleetguard filter being better than the motorcraft filter we all use on our IDI's. It uses something called stratapore filtering internally and also comes in a regular media version with a different part number that is cheaper. It was also quoted a test done in a magazine as follows:

"PSR magazine did an extensive evaluation of oil filters, and the LF3974 was the best, and the Motorcraft FL1995 came in second place. The LF3974 has a 10 micron nominal capability @60% and 20 microns @85% and absolute at 25 micron with the same restriction as the FL1995, but I can't remember the nominal micron rating for the FL1995."

Also, the LF3974 is barely any taller as the specs list it as "Height (inch) : 8.12;O.D. (inch) : 4.27;Thread : 1 1/2-16 UN-2B". So, if the powerstroke fits on your IDI this filter should as well being only maybe 1/3 of an inch bigger.

The micron ratings for this filter were put up on several forums as the following:

Fleetguard LF-3630 (standard media) - 10-12 micron nominal @ 50% (nothing else listed)
Fleetguard LF-3974 (Stratapore) - 10 micron @ 60%, absolute @25 micron
Fleetguard LF-3374 (Stratapore same as 3974, but 1 quart extended capacity)

I don't believe the extended capacity one will fit on our trucks with the way the oil pan area is constructed at an angle, and if it did the giant donaldson 7405 is slightly better and same length, but the 3974 certainly should fit since it's barely bigger then the stock powerstroke filter most of us run on our trucks, and the big kicker here is it isn't that much more expensive.

The FL-1995 is usually roughly 10$, but you can get the stratapore filter I'm talking about in this thread for 25$.

Here's one site you can get it from https://www.klmperformance.com/oil-filter-for-1994-2003-7-3l-ford-powerstroke-fleetguard-lf3974.html , it lists the specs slightly different then what I found on those forums but even so, it's still better than the motorcraft filter: 30 Absolute (100%), 10 Microns @ 60%, 8.72 GPM flow rate. Our 1995 is only 68% efficient at 20 microns, this filter is basically doing that at half the particle size.

Either way, I'm ordering one right now since they aren't that much more expensive and I'll report back once I put it on. I'm approaching an oil change soon anyways, and since I just put my bypass filter on mid oil change cause I didn't want to waste that oil I'm going to throw a fresh b164 onto the bypass as well.

I'm also adding a .045 or .06 restrictor to my bypass as the standard restrictor in the b164 is still letting a pretty fast oil flow through my system, though I honestly haven't noticed a change in my oil pressure.

 

[Hydro-idi]

I run the Bosch 3530 oil filter in my truck. Seems to be a premium style filter that doesn't cost much more than the fl1995. I made sure to run that filter when breaking in my new engine.
And for some reason the 1995 filter will not screw onto my oil cooler . Haven't been able to figure that one out yet.
Good idea to add a bypass filtration system on your engine. However, many diesels have gone millions of miles without them. I think the important thing to note here is not to run oil past it's breakdown point. Seems like delo 15w-40 will hold up to 15k miles but not much more than that before it breaks down. But a lot of guys change it way earlier than needed, including myself lol.

 

[BrianX128]

The first freehand turn of the 1995 is always a little odd like it's crossed up but once it's passed that it's always spun on like butter for me. I never could wait 5k to change the oil seeing as how black it gets but its probably mostly soot so yeah.

I guess my goal here isn't as much to get a giant return on my investment in saving cash though I might some. My plan was with the bypass to actually wait 5k miles to change the oil and send a sample out, but now that I'm gonna try this filter I'm gonna do a fresh change with it a new b164 for the bypass and go 7-7.5k miles and send a sample in for analysis. Even at that, if I'm spending 20$ more for the better full flow filter and 10$ for the bypass filter I'm still saving a few bucks over buying 2x the oil if I were to change it once in that timespan and buy a 1995.

 

[FORDF250HDXLT]

i run the Mobil m1601

https://mobiloil.com/en/oil-filters/performance-oil-filters

 

[CDX825]

The fleetguard stratapore is their name for their synthetic media filters. When I say synthetic I mean the filter itself. Some people hear that and think its for synthetic oil only and that's not the case. Most filters use cellulose or paper as the filtration media. The downfall is you can only get so much filtration efficiency out of it. So manufacturers have been using synthetic media to achieve better filtration. Most of the ones Ive seen use several layers of media with a wire backing for support. They are really well made filters. They not only filter better but they are also intended for longer use.

You can also get fuel, air and coolant filters with synthetic media.

Fram also makes a nice synthetic media filter that can easily be obtained at your local walmart. The part number is XG3786. Its the same size as the FL1995 but uses two layers of synthetic media and is rated at 99 percent efficiency at 20 microns.

 

[Hydro-idi]

The first freehand turn of the 1995 is always a little odd like it's crossed up but once it's passed that it's always spun on like butter for me. I never could wait 5k to change the oil seeing as how black it gets but its probably mostly soot so yeah.

Just because your oil turns black doesn't mean it's bad. My oil turns pitch black about 20 miles after an oil change on my 6.7 psd. Absolutely nothing to worry about. I run delo 15w-40 in it with a change interval of 7-8k miles. You can probably run your engine oil for at least 10k miles before an oil analysis reveals breakdown.

 

[BrianX128]

Yep, I'll just feel a lot better about letting it go that long now that my bypass is on and I'll have a better full flow filter on. I'm just hesitant to let it go "longer then recommended" specs even though a lot of my driving is easy without beefing up the filtration system some.

I did over the holidays due to a family situation get forced to driving the truck across pa and back in the same day to help some family members with a home emergency and the truck went 500 miles round trip by the time we got their heat taken care of in their house, never got above 190* water temp and oil pressure at hot idle when we got home that night was still 10-12 ish on the gauge even with the bypass. Checked oil next morning and it didn't use a drop. Was very happy.

 

[firehawk]

I think too many over think the oil issue. Use good oil and filter and change it as required. I have done engine tear downs on turbo charged engines with 200k+ miles and the bearings were fine each time. And by that I mean I plastigauged them them and they were all still withing spec. I have done tear downs on junk yard engines that still ran fine, even when valve covers will literally filled with sludge. The problems seems to be from damage caused by lack of oil to the bearings. A big oil filter won't help that.

 

[Macrobb]

The problems seems to be from damage caused by lack of oil to the bearings.

Any idea on causes for this, or is it just user error(i.e. running out of oil)?



Personally, I'd like to get a good enough filtration system that I can just run a very high quality synthetic, and change it at 25K or more.
I know it's possible, but I wouldn't do it on an IDI without some way to filter out /all/ the particles that accumulate over time. This means a centrifuge or something; something that will manage to take out the massive amounts of carbon along with the larger particles.
In the mean time... cheap Mobil 15w40 and 2.5K mile oil changes.

 

[firehawk]

Personally, I'd like to get a good enough filtration system that I can just run a very high quality synthetic, and change it at 25K or more.
I know it's possible, but I wouldn't do it on an IDI without some way to filter out /all/ the particles that accumulate over time. This means a centrifuge or something; something that will manage to take out the massive amounts of carbon along with the larger particles.
In the mean time... cheap Mobil 15w40 and 2.5K mile oil changes.

Why? Oil is cheap and going for such long intervals does not seem like it would be a good return on investment.

 

[BrianX128]

I think it's more the unknown territory for some of us when we're approaching a change what's that last 500 miles wearing on. Without sending your oil out for a sample, you don't "really" know if 4500-5000 is the same on your engine as 0-4500. It's more a peace of mind thing for me. I'm not gonna send for an oil analysis and waste money on a basically stock system I'll just change my oil at 3500. But, if I can add a bypass for 170$ ish dollars and use a better full flow filter for 15$ more (by the way it's supposed to come Tuesday I did the cheapest shipping ha), then to me if I can go 7000 miles between changes I'll probably be putting money back in my own pocket after a couple of oil changes and feel better about what's flowing through there as the miles climb. Probably at that point send one oil sample out and see what they say and how much longer I could safely push it.

That's not to say there's anything wrong with just changing it at 3k and moving on, but I guess my point with this thread wasn't the bypass and super long extended oil change intervals it was more to the effect of if for 15$ we can all use a better micron full flow filter irregardless of when we change our oil, it can't hurt the engine.

 

[jwalterus]

Economically it makes no sense to me
If you add the cost difference of the synthetic oils in, your cost is more than $15 more per oil change, especially if (like a majority of us) your truck burns more in the synthetics than in dino oil
I spend about $1.50 per quart on oil, I buy it in 30 gal drums
1995 filters cost me $5 or less, that makes my oil change cost $20 or less total, every 4-5k miles depending on how heavy I've been hauling with the truck, truck burns a quart every 1500, so $25 max per change.....
Costs me (rough) $625 per 100k miles.
So to be equivalent, your oil change would have to be (rough again) ($625-170)/14(7000 mile oil changes)=$33 per oil change to be the same cost over 100k miles, or $38 over 200k miles

That's including oil usage between changes
If it costs you $50 per oil change (which I think is reasonable) over 200k miles, that's $336 more that could be used for injectors/ip/other
If you could manage a $1000 overhaul, to come out even between the two, you'd have to get 600k miles out of your engine and only get 200k out of mine

I'll stick with Dino oil, a 1995 filter, and having my oil analyzed once in a blue moon

 

[Macrobb]

I spend about $1.50 per quart on oil, I buy it in 30 gal drums
1995 filters cost me $5 or less, that makes my oil change cost $20 or less total, every 4-5k miles depending on how heavy I've been hauling with the truck, truck burns a quart every 1500, so $25 max per change.....

I /wish/ I could do something like that.
I spend $10 each on FL1995 filters, and the best price I've gotten on oil was $8/gallon($2/quart) when Mobil has their mail-in-rebates going on.
Otherwise, it's usually $13/gallon, for 15W40.
So a 'cheap' oil change could cost around $34 in materials, otherwise it would be $49.

Synthetics are similarly more expensive - $30/gallon minimum(for something like Mobil 1), as far as I can tell. So that puts you at $100 each

If I was able to get prices like you are, at $25 per change... eh, just change it a lot and install an oil furnace for the winter!
Otherwise... it makes some financial sense to be able to extend the oil drain interval, if you can do it without sacrificing longevity.
And as far as I can tell, if you can filter it well enough, you'll actually /increase/ the longevity, even with longer drain intervals, because it's not the oil additives that are failing - it's the crud suspended in the oil.

 

[79jasper]

Unless you just have a junk engine Burning oil and/or high wear metals, it makes a lot of sense to run extended oil changes.
I see some of you need to do more research into the subject vs just guessing.
Many fleet company's are saving millions a year on maintenance from running quality synthetics.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

[Hydro-idi]

Today's oil is much different than it was back in the 80's.
I agree. If you have no fuel dilution &/or antifreeze in oil problems, run it at least 5k. Just my opinion. I'm also notorious for changing my oil too often in my idi. I'm going to change that when I run the Schaffers & Mobil filter when my engine is done breaking in. Probably leave it in for a few years.