From what I have read when you cut open a oil filter you are looking to see how much contaminates it holds. Is there any thing else specifically you want to look for after you have oil filter cut open. Thanks.
By
Bull6791, September 7, 2014
From what I have read when you cut open a oil filter you are looking to see how much contaminates it holds. Is there any thing else specifically you want to look for after you have oil filter cut open. Thanks.
To see how well they are made inside. Filtering media and surface area, materials, construction, integrity...
You'd be wasting your time cutting open your own filters, since you don't really know what you're looking for. It would not be revealing at all... You can see cut up filters that were documented by others on the internet.
I agree with dom - by the time you can visually make out metallic particles or see evidence of sludge in the filter pleats - already too late to do anything about it, short of a rebuild.
Cutting open filters is more to satisfy your curiosity and/or look at how these filters are constructed. As a diagnostic tool - usually you look for any debris that is trapped in the filter pleats, if there is a significant amount of metal shavings or certain type of debris - this will justify tearing down an engine.
Ok so it would not benefit me to cut my own oil filters open. I can go to BTOG and see filters already cut open.
Its one of those diminishing returns sort of thing. Cutting them open is more to satisfy your curiosity and/or look at how well or how poorly these filters are constructed. As a diagnostic tool or to see how the engine is performing - UOAs are much more revealing on what is happening inside.
Ok thanks I will stick with UOA since I already have the kit from BlackStone Labs. I will do normal oil sample with TBN.
