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General Filter
Facts - Oil Filters |
| click
here for:
Filter Department
Since 1954 when we patented
the first spin-on oil filter,
WIX Filters has been at the
forefront of oil filter
technology and performance for
passenger cars, light trucks,
heavy trucks and buses, and
off-highway vehicles. SAE J806
tests prove that WIX oil filters
hold 45% more dirt than the
leading national brand - meaning
we keep filtering long after the
competition has completely
quit. Consult
Fleet Oil And Truck Supply
to find the best WIX oil filter
for your needs. |
| What the
Oil Filter Does... |
You may
take your oil filter for
granted, but this small,
inexpensive part of your
vehicle's lubrication system
plays a vital role in protecting
the engine from premature wear.
Each moving part in the engine
and the cylinder walls requires
clean oil for proper lubrication
and lasting life. The oil filter
cleans the oil as it passes
through the filter element or
filtering media. This prevents
abrasive contaminants in the
engine lubrication system from
damaging engine parts.
The better you understand your
engine's lubrication system, the
more you'll appreciate the vital
role your oil filter plays. When
the engine is running, oil
enters the oil pump through a
screened intake. The screened
intake -- or oil pick-up -- is
located in the crankcase near
the bottom surface of the oil
pan. The oil is drawn through
the screen intake and forced by
the oil pump through the oil
filter.
Oil from the main gallery is
also fed through vertical
passages to the crankshaft main
bearings and through the
crankshaft to the rod bearings.
Oil thrown from the crankshaft,
or sprayed from the connecting
rods, lubricates the pistons and
cylinder walls.
In a typical full-flow type oil
filter, the oil flows into an
inlet passage and then through
the filtering element. After
flowing through the filter
element, the filtered or "clean"
oil passes directly to the main
oil gallery. In a partial-flow
type filter, the oil returns
directly to the oil pan.
Oil from the main gallery
lubricates the camshaft and the
camshaft bearings (and feeds
hydraulic valve lifters if used
in the engine). On non-overhead
cam engines, oil is metered
through the valve lifter to a
hollow push rod that carries oil
for the lubrication of the push
rod pivot point, rocker arm
pivots and valve guide. |
| Oil
Filter Media |
The
media is the filtering material
in the oil filter element. It
essentially determines the
efficiency, performance and
useful life of the oil filter.
There are two basic types of
filter media: the "paper" media
and the "depth" type media. The
primary features of the filter
elements are:
Particle size retention
(filtration efficiency)
Particle size retention is the
measure of the degree to which
the filter can retain particles
of various sizes. Wix has
developed optimum particle size
retention quality in filter
media by extensive engine wear
tests including exhaustive
testing of filters used in
racing, and sophisticated
laboratory tests. Wix media in
the automotive full-flow oil
filter is able to trap and hold
essentially all the contaminant
particles larger than 25
microns. (A human hair measures
approximately 70 microns in
diameter. An object that is 1
micron in size is .000039 inches
in diameter.) Our filters also
capture a high percentage of
even smaller particles.
Dirt-holding capacity
Dirt-holding capacity is the
amount of contaminant that can
be removed and held by the
filter until the filter ceases
to function. The capacity of Wix
filters is significantly larger
than the minimum requirements to
efficiently filter all the oil
during the oil and filter change
periods as specified by vehicle
manufacturers.
Resistance to oil flow
WIX full-flow oil filters for
automotive applications use
arch-pleated,
prescription-blended media. When
new, the media with a maximized
number of pleats has less than 2
psi pressure drop when filtering
oil at a rate of 4 g.p.m. at
normal operating temperature.
This low initial restriction to
oil flow protects the vital
engine parts more effectively.
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| Parts of
an Oil Filter |
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Gasket - provides
exterior seal between
the filter and engine at
the engine mounting
surface. |
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Mounting Plate -
prevents deflection
(movement) at the gasket
sealing surface. Heavy
gage steel plate
provides for threaded
attachment to the
engine. |
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Inner Element Support -
provides inner element
stabilization and a
positive seal between
the inner element and
the mounting plate to
prevent the bypass of
unfiltered oil. |
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Upper End Cap - retains
element end sealant and
filter media, provides
an outlet for clean oil,
and provides structural
rigidity to the pleated
media. |
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Lower End Cap - retains
element end sealant and
filter media. |
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Arch-pleated,
Prescription-blended
Filter Media - provides
a more than adequate
filter area. The element
has a controlled
porosity blended media
to assure complete
filtration of the oil.
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Spiral-wound Center Tube
- provides internal
element support. The
spiral design greatly
reduces initial flow
restriction when
compared to other
designs. |
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Coiled Spring - ensures
a constant load on the
inner element to
maintain the seal
between the upper
element end cap, the
inner element support,
and the mounting plate
even during pressure
surge situations.
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Filter Canister -
encloses the assembly
with a
mechanically-locked
double seam. The
canister provides
"flutes" at the closed
end for ease of removal
with an oil filter
wrench. |
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Silicone Anti-Drainback
Valve - Stays flexible
in extreme temperatures,
improves oil flow and
keeps oil in filter to
prevent engine
destroying dry starts.
Also provides lasting
protection to meet new
vehicle manufacturers
longer recommended oil
change schedules.
Nitrile valves can
harden and become
ineffective over time. |
Some WIX full-flow filters
include anti-drainback and/or
filter by-pass valves. These
types of filters are identical
to full-flow filters, except
that a by-pass valve replaces
the inner element support and an
anti-drainback valve has been
added. The Anti-Drainback Valve
prevents oil from draining out
of the filter inlet holes when
the engine is shut off. It also
provides seal between clean and
dirty oil at the upper end cap.
This is necessary in
applications where the oil
filter is mounted in a
horizontal or inverted position.
The Filter By-Pass Valve
If a WIX full-flow filter
becomes "clogged", or
excessively restrictive to oil
flow, the filter by-pass valve
ensures continued engine
lubrication by allowing the oil
to by-pass the filter. Some
vehicle manufacturers have the
by-pass valve built into the oil
filter mounting unit (located on
the engine).
Other vehicle manufacturers
require full-flow filters have
the by-pass valve built into the
filter itself. All Wix oil
filter types recommended for
these particular applications
include the by-pass valve
assembly in the filter.
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By-pass Valve Assembly
-- spring loaded valve
assembly that allows oil
to by-pass the element
under high-differential
pressure conditions such
as cold oil and/or
excessively contaminated
media. This allows
lubrication of the
engine, but without
full-flow filtration.
click here for:
Filter Department |
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Note: Info from Wix Filters |