A friend has an very old lister diesel motor ( runs maybe 50 hrs/year) driving a generator and uses an oil filter which fits an MGB sports car and it got me to wonder what is the difference, if any? between oil filter construction (regardless of the brand) for diesel engine oil vs petrol engine oil. I expect the oil grades/viscosity would generally be the same for either engine type but given diesel oil blackens up quickly with carbon is the diesel filter constructed differently to protect bearings etc due to a heavier filter need? Any thoughts?
Question on oil filters
- Thread starter aussiejeff
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Fram (the makers of so-so filters) believes they are different.
www.fram.com
Structural and Functional Design of Diesel Oil Filters
A technical overview of diesel oil filter engineering.
www.fram.com
While you can find differences in filter size and construction I believe thats marketing hype.Fram (the makers of so-so filters) believes they are different.
Structural and Functional Design of Diesel Oil Filters
A technical overview of diesel oil filter engineering.
For example the genuine OEM filter on my G2160 (diesel) and G2460 (petrol) are the same.
Dan
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This thread is about engine oil filters
Hydrauliv filters come in two basic types.
Output side filters operate at thousands of pounds of pressure.
Suction side filters operate at just a few pounds of negative pressure
Dan
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I think it's very unlikely that diesel engine and gas engine oil filters are the same in every way in terms of the media, the amount of media, the bypass pressure, the internal port sizes, the thickness of the case etc., but I don't design oil filters for a living. This would be a good question to ask the experts at WIX or similar.
Comparing a 2024 Ford Super Duty F-350 with a 7.3L gas engine to a 2024 Ford Super Duty F-350 with a 6.7L diesel engine, the later oil filter is considerably larger. There is no equivalent whether OEM or high performance from WIX or similar for those engines. Is the size difference simply due to the amount of space available for the oil filter or is something else going on?
Great question though but I doubt you'll find the answer here.
Yes, most diesel filters are larger than the corresponding petrol filter to increase filter capacity.
For example the filter on a twin turbo BMW 335D diesel is almost twice the size of the filter on a the twin turbo petrol version of that engine. They are carttidge filters and its pretty obvious the filter media itself is the same construction.
Dan
I've never cut open a diesel and gas oil filter and compared the media inside to see if it's the same. When I bought my first new Super Duty in 2002 I ran a bypass filtration system with two remote filters. One filter was the OEM type (or better) and the other was far more restrictive (10 microns rings a bell) with the idea that 100% of the oil passes through the 10 micron filter every X number of miles. The idea of these bypass systems is to extend oil life and provide greater protection of critical engine parts.
Given the amount of carbon particulate that accumulates in diesel oil, it wouldn't shock me if diesel filters were designed to have a way to prevent carbon from fouling up the filtration media within a few miles. Maybe this is achieved with more surface area of filtration media, hence the larger filter, and if large soot particles are blocking up the pores in the media then it makes sense to provide more pores.
The bottom line for me is to pick the right filter for the job. Like many here I tend to have a favorite non-OEM brand and that's WIX for me. I would never use a filter in an application because it's on the shelf in my garage and it fits, unless it's shown to be a filter that's appropriate for the application. I can be cheap, but not that cheap.
There are many different Kubota examples of the exact same filter being used on the diesel and petrol versions of their machines. The filter on my G series is also used on 160 different models including both diesel and petrol garden tractors, RTVs, and Zero Turns. In some cases its even used as a HST filter
Same filter - absolutely no difference
Dan
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I have no doubt that you're right, but it would be interesting to talk to someone who designs filters for a living. There are probably myriad considerations that we aren't exposed to. I run a larger oil filter than OEM on my '98 Jeep TJ with the 4.0L inline six engine. I always buy the Purolator PL30001 which adds 0.5 quarts over the factory one.There are many different Kubota examples of the exact same filter being used on the diesel and petrol versions of their machines. The filter on my G series is also used on 160 different models includingboth0 diesel and petrol garden tractors. RTVs, and Zero Turns. In some cases its even used as a HST filter
Same filter - absolutely no difference
Dan
Good discussion though, but I can't say I'm any the wiser.
I am sure you are wiser for it.I have no doubt that you're right, but it would be interesting to talk to someone who designs filters for a living. There are probably myriad considerations that we aren't exposed to. I run a larger oil filter than OEM on my '98 Jeep TJ with the 4.0L inline six engine. I always buy the Purolator PL30001 which adds 0.5 quarts over the factory one.
Good discussion though, but I can't say I'm any the wiser.
Dan
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If you visit diesel truck engine forums, there are tales of diesels crushing oil filters or causing them to separate if they aren't OEM or same as OEM. Diesel oil systems supposedly run at higher pressure and that oil also goes to the injectors.
I guess there is potential to save a few dollars on each oil change, but as much as oil is, I don't see how risking it is worth it.
I guess there is potential to save a few dollars on each oil change, but as much as oil is, I don't see how risking it is worth it.
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Somebody is badly confused. On hydraulic fuel injection systems high prresure injector oil supply is post filter and created by a separate high pressure oil pump. Engine oil pressure is in the normal range.
Dan
I think you combined two things I said and made an assumption of what I meant. Or, maybe I wasn't clear.
I was trying to give your sources the benefit of some doubt. So let me be clear.
As a rule diesel engines do not run at higher engine oil pressures and engine oil pressure is not sent to injectors.
Dan
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I think that @jimh406 was referring to the oil pressure that's used to operate the injectors that's generated by the high pressure oil pump (HPOP). It's up around 3,000 psi for my '02 F-250 at full throttle, but the engine oil pressure is pretty standard i.e. in the 40 psi to 70 psi range.