Stainless steel oil filters...?

[BlasterEaten250]

Does anybody use stainless steel oil filters? Instead of just replacing the filters all of the time, you can just clean this one. If anyone has one, how do you like it? Would it be worth the extra money? This is for a 400ex by the way.

[2muchquad]

i know a couple people who have used them with good luck.i keep meaning to try them but im just too cheap:D

[ImWhite]

Originally posted by 2muchquad
i know a couple people who have used them with good luck.i keep meaning to try them but im just too cheap:D


same here lol..i hear they r great tho

i would rather buy new 4 dolar filters and know its working than keap using the same one.

[BlasterEaten250]

Thanks for the replies, any other opinions?

[malibuj]

On the couple that I've seen, I don't recall seeing a micron rating, or the size of particle that they will filter out. That's why I'm still using the pleated paper Honda ones. And they're pretty cheap too! I'd almost bet money that the factory/paper ones filter better.

[ill_lil_romey]

I've been looking into this issue also. The stainless oil filters are similar to the ones they use in F1 GP cars and bikes. I think if they are good enough for that application they would be just fine in a quad. It kinda makes sense too, just change the oil and clean the filter.

[malibuj]

Just a brief exerpt from the stainless oil filters FAQ section over at www.scottsperformance.com for those who may be interested.

4) How does this type of filtration compare to paper filters? We sent three common brands of paper filter material off to have them tested for the smallest and largest sized particles that would pass through the material. We sent the material off with no names, just numbers for identification so the lab wouldn’t have any idea who’s filter they were testing. The results we got back showed that the smallest particle the three would catch ranged between 9 and 20 microns. The LARGEST particle the three would allow to pass through the material ranged from 56 to 300+ microns. Paper filters are rated on an average of what they will let pass, so each of these three would each be rated at numbers that are somewhere between their individual extremes. The medical grade stainless steel cloth that we use is rated at an absolute 35 microns, meaning nothing larger than 35 microns should pass through the material. This “absolute” rating is important because this type of filter material is also used in medical applications like blood filtration. Bottom line is paper is rated differently than the stainless cloth (average vs. absolute), and either one works to filter stuff out of your oil. Personally I like the idea of keeping the big stuff out of the engine.

There's some more good reading, promoting of course, about the filters there too. Post was long enough already!


malibuj

[drgnerth]

I run one in my yfz. No problem yet and it'll save me money in the long run.

[dork]

a good stainless (K&P, or scotts, which is a K&P) filter will let a little more through than the stock honda filter, but it has more uniform openings, where the papers vary, and its not affected by moisture, unlike paper. they also claim it flows better, so at cold start up the oil will go through the filter instead of through the bypass.

i like stainless because they're built sturdy. i had the bypass valve break at the spot welds in -10 degree weather and block off the outlet on a paper filter, which eventually ruined the cam. the stainless are billet aluminum.