Re: Bipass Oil Filtration Systems

[John Bolhuis <bolhuijo@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Mon, 20 Jan 2003 alex.fadeev@domain.elided wrote:

> That's not much.
> This is the same problem faced by people with high oil consumption ratios.
> You may be adding a quart of new oil every week, but the stuff that has
> not burned off (been removed with filter changes) may be turning into
> sludge at the base of the oil pan.
>
> > The filters keep the oil squeaky clean particulate wise,
>
> What about chemical breakdown from exposure to heat, blow buys,
> condensation and gasoline that inevitably finds its way into and dilutes
> the oil?

 This is not a recommended system for those with excessive blowby or
other engine problems that pollute the oil.  As with normal
maintenance schedules, short trips that condense much water into the
engine are also cause for more frequent maintenance intervals.
 In engines that are warmed up properly, water and gasoline evaporate
away quite nicely.

> > and the periodic addition of oil keeps the additive package adequate.
>
> Not likely.
> Adding 1-2 quarts every 10K miles only represents 10-20% of the oil in the
> engine.
> That's 10-20% of the intended additive package concentration.
>
> > It really does work, and oil analysis proves it.
>
> How so?
> Where is the data certifying proper test conditions and outcome?

 Oil analysis is well established.  Aviators use it.  Factories use it
on all sorts of equipment to do predictive maintenance before failures
occur.  Analysis reveals all sorts of information - water, fuel,
coolant, all sorts of trace elements, viscosity, and Total Base
Number.  You can see if the oil is getting thinner, or thicker, or
full of bearing material, or more acidic - a key indicator of a
depleted additive package.

> If you don't drain oil, you may never get the sludge that settles
> down on the bottom of the oil pan.

 Good oil isn't forming sludge.  Good synthetics are remarkably
resitant to heat breakdown.  Ideally you've drained it before
analysis tells you the oil is done for.

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