ALH blowing holes in oil filters

[[486]]

I've noticed that my engine's been putting holes in the oil filter up at the top past the standpipe, caught one after far too many miles but the next one was there at only 3k miles, down in the bottom of the pleats. Hengst brand filters.

Granted, this might be from experiments running 20w50 because the engine needs its crank ground but I ain't gonna do that. Still, one would think that the bypass valve should be able to keep up, it hasn't been below 70F overnight and the 5w40 I normally run makes twice the pressure on an actual cold cold start...

Anyone else notice similar, or am I the only one that has looked closely at the filter element coming out before it hits the trash?

 

[Boosty]

Never saw or heard of that before. Mebbe try a mann next. Was hoping to try hengst due to a review I saw of its construction in comparison to others but now dunno, usually use bosch or manns.

 

[[486]]

It's got a very old wix in there right now, so that may or may not be a mann depending on just how old it is.

The hengst ones are very nice in their construction compared to the other brands I'd seen and that's why I usually went with them, everything is all neat tidy and concentric, but maybe the media is just engineered for hot 5w30? Dunno.

 

[jmodge]

I'm going to start looking at mine a little closer. How big of a hole is it making?

 

[[486]]

I'm going to start looking at mine a little closer. How big of a hole is it making?

Just little ones where the media tears for about 5/32" down in the bottom of the crease, up near the top of the filter past where the standpipe occludes flow inside the filter body.

 

[turbobrick240]

Any chance coolant is getting into the oil?

 

[[486]]

Not losing coolant, I am burning/leaking enough oil that I'm adding about a gallon every 2k or so

 

[[486]]

well, the hecho in polski wix filter looks great
stuck another hengst in there, we'll see if it has holes again in 5-10k when I give it a little gasoline-rinse

 

[Sting]

I've had my TDI for 4 years.... never noticed any holes in my filters. My car gets a constant diet of Rotella T6/Motormaster 5w40 synthetic and Mann filters.

 

[ghohouston]

I've been running 15w40 Dino oil in my alh for like 10 years and never had such an issue.

 

[ghohouston]

Not losing coolant, I am burning/leaking enough oil that I'm adding about a gallon every 2k or so

That's honestly close to what mine burns (507k on pistons/ rings)

 

[jmodge]

Not losing coolant, I am burning/leaking enough oil that I'm adding about a gallon every 2k or so

The one thought I had when you said this was vacuum pump. I don't as if crankcase pressure would have an effect like that though. Or maybe the oil bypass isn't working? Thought I'd throw a couple darts at your board. Curious though if you ever put a gauge on it?

 

[[486]]

The one thought I had when you said this was vacuum pump. I don't as if crankcase pressure would have an effect like that though. Or maybe the oil bypass isn't working? Thought I'd throw a couple darts at your board. Curious though if you ever put a gauge on it?

the filter bypass valve can be poked at with a screwdriver, it moves with about the force you'd expect
Oil pressure in general is very low, but she's just tired, about a thousand miles ago I just put the smaller sprocket on the oil pump, it helped that a little but not as much as I'd hoped.

I think reply #6 may have gotten it, although I haven't confirmed it yet.
I've been washing the grit outta the filter elements with gasoline every few thousand miles, but I'd forgotten about the ethanol in cheap gas. That ethanol is probably carrying enough water to weaken the filter paper. Gonna use mineral spirits next time.

 

[jmodge]

Yeah, true, water doesn't pass well through filters unless they're designed for it.

 

[[486]]

it ain't that it doesn't pass through, it is that it weakens the paper until it dries out
I'd been letting them dry in the sun for a couple minutes before tossing them back in, nowhere near long enough to get the water out of the fiber

 

[Boosty]

Not losing coolant, I am burning/leaking enough oil that I'm adding about a gallon every 2k or so

I start to sound like a broken record on this but if you've not seen this vid it might help with compression/oil getting past rings and valve stems;
Does Restore Work? Will it Improve Engine Cylinder Compression? - YouTube

And a year later;
Did the "Engine Restore" Compression Improvement Last? One year later (Episode 2) - YouTube

And another;
Restore results are in !! - YouTube

I've used it before on a ford 2.3 and a vw 2.0, will be trying it on a 217k mile bew next oil change. It loses some oil and has a nice wafty puff on startup so I feel this is a good candidate for engine-rebuilder-in-a-can. Now back to your regularly scheduled filter media hijinks. The Hengsts use a felt end cover/seal so wonder if that's not at issue as felt isn't very strong and likely even less so if water is present. Just some ideas for you.

 

[Nuje]

I've watched a bunch of Project Farm Guy's videos - had no idea he actually was a farmer.

 

[Sting]

That's honestly close to what mine burns (507k on pistons/ rings)

Are you guys talking miles or km?

My car has 711K km (442K miles) and depending on my driving, I'm about 1L of oil per 10K km (6K miles).

 

[ghohouston]

Are you guys talking miles or km?

My car has 711K km (442K miles) and depending on my driving, I'm about 1L of oil per 10K km (6K miles).

Miles in my case. I suspect oil control ring issues. I'm not messing with it until it looses compression or becomes like a gallon a week habit.