Our article is about the best oil filter brands. However, it should not be about the construction and disposal of an engine oil filter and what types of oil filters there are should not be the topic. Even if it can be interesting to know what types of oil filters are distinguished and what the oil filter elements look like, we are primarily concerned with the question: „Which oil filters are the best?“.
Contents
Oil Filter Functions
The oil filter is designed to clean engine oil.
Together they perform the following functions:
- < i class="as-icon as-icon--circle as-icon--info" style="background-color: #fffff">Retraction of heat from the surface of engine components that become hot due to friction;
- Cleaning the engine from dust, soot and metal particles that appear in the process of work;
- Formation of an oil film that prevents the friction of the surface contacts;
- Noise of engine operation is reduced
Types of oil filters
full flow. He passes the entire flow of oil coming out of the engine. An important part of this type of filter is a bypass valve that controls the pressure in the engine lubrication system. If the pressure level exceeds the permissible values (for example, if the filter element is clogged), the valve opens the access of dirty oil to the motor units. Valve operation prevents damage to the lubrication system seals and protects the engine from malfunctions caused by low or lack of lubricant on the surface of its components.
Bypass. It offers more refined oil filtration. The engine lubrication system in this case consists of two circuits. In one circuit, contaminated oil is freely circulated between the engine components, in the other circuit, part of the oil volume is filtered on a recurring basis. Eventually the filter cleans all the oil circulating in the system. However, more time is needed to clean the oil of impurities. A bypass filter helps to keep the pressure in the system at a certain level, even if the filter is clogged or the bypass valve has failed.
Combined engine lubrication systems use both full flow and bypass filters. Filters can also have a one-piece or assembled housing. The assembled housings are cheaper to maintain: you can only replace the filter element in them.
The oil filter design
The part has a metal housing that houses two valves and a filter element. The anti-return valve prevents oil from returning when the engine is not running. The bypass valve provides oil flow into the engine with a full filter when it fails and in cases where the filter is clogged, oil viscosity will increase if the anti-return valve sticks. The filter element is made of special paper.
Oil_filter_operating_characteristics
The oil filter is used in very difficult conditions. He constantly suffers from: temperature changes caused by engine power; Chemicals that create hot temperatures with the oil. The paper from which the filter element is made must be resistant to different viscosity, thermal and chemical effects and constant filtration of oils. It is recommended to change the oil filters every 7 000 – 10,000 km to change. Ignoring these recommendations is not advisable: using filters that have exceeded their useful life, as well as purchasing inferior consumables, can lead to engine damage.
How to choose one select a high-quality oil filter
- Pay attention to the cleaning performance of the filter paper: it must correspond to the technical characteristics of your car. In passenger car engines, the filter must provide oil filtration of 5 micron particles. Well-cleaned oil extends the life of the engine and its components. But remember, the higher the degree of purification, the lower the filter throughput capacity.
- Check the filter housing. The valves and seals must provide sufficient integrity.
- Check carefully the information about the manufacturer. As a rule, the companies that make the high-quality filters always list their company details on the packaging, including the country of origin and the customer support phone number.
- If buying the item online, you should only do so on trusted online – do shops. They usually offer expert help and a quality guarantee.
Why isn't it worth skimping on the quality of consumables?
- Thick paper is used in low quality filters. The service life is very short.
- The bypass valve of inferior filters opens at low pressure and dirty oil is returned to the engine.
- If the anti-return valve is not tight enough, it will work oil in the crankcase. When the engine starts, the oil pressure warning light flashes on the instrument panel.
- Particles of poor quality filter element can clog the engine oil passages.
The best brands of oil filters >As with other vehicle parts, engine oil filters are offered by different manufacturers. Of course, it is primarily important to install the right car oil filter. Because the oil filter function can suffer significantly and there are enough negative reports about what can happen if the wrong oil filter is installed. In our oil filter test, we determined which oil filter brand is the best. You are sure to find the best vehicle oil filter for your car from the manufacturers mentioned.
1st place: MANN-Filter
MANN filters are primarily impressive because of their quality. The main focus is on the filter effect. In all cases, these engine replacement parts, which ensure that impurities and dirt are filtered out of the engine oil, are processed particularly well. In addition, the assortment of this company is particularly large. So you can be sure that you will find a suitable oil filter from the MANN brand even for rare vehicle models. During our extensive tests, however, it sometimes happened that the filters we ordered did not fit 100%, even though the key numbers were identical. Therefore, before installation, check in particular whether the filter element is a suitable size for your vehicle. During production, the manufacturer ensures that the matrix used is actually suitable for all high-performance engine oils used today.
2nd place: BOSCH
In addition to classic oil filters, Bosch also offers so-called centrifugal oil filters. These take advantage of the centrifugal force by circulating the oil flow. As a result, the dirt particles are pushed to the edge and can be removed more easily. This type of filter is also usually not clogged, but you still need to be replaced regularly. If you choose a BOSCH oil filter, you can be sure that you are getting a high-performance replacement part. Then it is very rare that the oil pressure warning light on your dashboard comes on between two oil changes. This signal may indicate that your oil filter is defective. Defective check valves or damage to the housing can lead to a sudden drop or increase in oil pressure. You should take a closer look at such defects and eliminate them as quickly as possible.
3rd place: MAHLE ORIGINAL
MAHLE ORIGINAL offers a whole range of different filter types. Of course, this also includes classic engine oil filters, which do their job perfectly in many vehicle models. All oil filters are of very high quality, so you don't have to worry that your engine oil filter may be malfunctioning. The company not only offers components for petrol engines, but also for diesel units and commercial vehicle engines. You can also purchase the transmission oil filter, which is mainly used in automatic transmissions, from MAHLE ORIGINAL with a clear conscience.
4th place: K&N
K&N is primarily known for high flow air filters. However, due to the company's success in this area, it was only logical to expand its own product range with highly efficient oil filters. The production standards are identical for both types of filters. They offer optimal filtration and yet also high flow rates, whereby you benefit from these properties for a long time, as the durability of the oil filters is particularly good. K&N primarily offers oil filters for cars and trucks. This even includes sports cars, but the portfolio also includes components for motorcycles and classic off-road vehicles. Last but not least, K&N also sells oil filters for various types of watercraft.
5th place: STARK
2013 This company was founded, which initially focused on the production and focused on the sale of brake system components. These components were already convincing on the aftermarket with their unbeatable quality. 2014it was then decided to expand the product range to include fuel system components as well as engine, ventilation and cooling system spare parts. For several years now, this company has also been offering certain interior components. In the field of oil filters, you can order far more than 100 different spare parts from this brand. These are suitable for a wide range of vehicles and always impress with their high component quality.
6th place: RIDEX
The RIDEX company also sells a wide range of spare parts for cars. That's why you'll find RIDEX spare parts for almost every vehicle system. Of course, this also includes appropriate oil filters for your vehicle lubrication system. These often convince with a particularly low price, but there seem to be production fluctuations with this producer from time to time. Ultimately, however, you should ask yourself to what extent it is actually worth installing the cheapest of the cheap motor oil filters; After all, we are talking about components here, which are often in a price range of 2 to 20 €. Since a filter change is in most cases every 10,000 to 15,000kilometers is required, these small price differences are hardly relevant because the work involved in replacing them is identical and therefore costs just as much money.
Conclusion
An engine oil filter is a classic wearing part. This must therefore be renewed every time the engine oil is changed. But many motorists pay little attention to this spare part. Choosing high-quality spare parts can help to extend the service life of the engine and ensure that it always runs perfectly.
A tip from CarTipsandmore: Many drivers wonder what actually happens when your oil filter is clogged. In this case, the lubricant circuit should come to a standstill. This would have fatal consequences, such as engine overheating, which could result in irreparable engine damage. However, your engine oil filter now has a pressure relief valve, which means that the engine oil can continue to circulate even if the filter is clogged. But then this is no longer filtered, which could sooner or later lead to engine failure.