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:
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.
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:
You must be registered for see images attach
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.