Is there any more black....?

[PwrSmoke]

I change the oil and oil filter once in the summer and once in the winter along with the tranny fluid, but change the oil filter only at least once a month.

That is a serious waste of money with absolutely no benefit to your engine. Let me tell you why.

1) A statistic from the filter industry is that that average oil filter is loaded to about 50% of capacity when changed for a normal interval oil change.

2) Filtration efficiency actually improves as the filter loads up. The first few hundred miles are when the filter is the LEAST efficient... meaning you are allowing the most contamination possible to run thru your engine. Filtration efficiency improves by a minimum of 2-3 percent over the life of the filter.

3) Soot is mostly sub-micronic, meaning most soot particles are less than one micron in size. The average oil filter catches particles in the 20-30 micron range so the majority of the soot continues to circulate, hence the oil that turns black quickly. Particles that small are generally harmless. I have IH literature that states soot level condemnation is 3-4%. In my truck, and I have every batch of oil analyzed, I have never reached that level, even after a 6K run. Soot does agglomerate, meaning it can collect as a sludge-like material, but that only happens when the oil's dispersant package has ceased to function. That usually takes many thousands of miles... usually longer than a normal oil change interval.

4) Every time you change the filter, even if you fill it with fresh oil before installing it, there is an element of a "dry start" which causes extra wear.

5) When is the most common time for a filter to fail in some way? Soon after installation. Factory defect usually show up right away or soon after installation. The more filters you go thru, the more chance to find one of the bad ones. I personally had a Wix filter fail within about 30 minutes of installation, which was 30 minutes after first start after my 2009 overhaul. I happened to be under the truck looking for leaks and watched the filter start to drip and then spew oil, The crimp where the base is attached to the can was not good.

6) Please tell me which filter brand you use. If I can't change you mind about this with logic and facts, I may want to buy stock in that company! ( : < )

Not trying to be a wiseass here, just trying to keep more beer money in your pocket.

 

[OLDBULL8]

An Auto-RX treatment will clean your engine, specially the small oil passages. After a cleaning, you might even see a small oil pressure drop, maybe 5 lbs. You have to do the treatment just like it tells you.