There are good and bad oil filters, and low-quality oil filters have all the functions they should. However, compared with the brands on the market, in terms of processing accuracy, filter paper area, performance of auxiliary parts, etc., each item will be a little worse or even more.
What is an oil filter for?
The oil filter generally refers to the oil filter. During engine operation, metal shavings, dust and carbon deposits oxidized at high temperatures are continuously mixed into the oil. The function of the machine filter is to filter out these impurities, keep the oil clean and protect the engine.
It is difficult to say whether the quality of the oil filter element is good or not, it looks similar. It needs to be carefully compared with the genuine oil filter on site to identify the difference.
The following will share with you how to identify inferior oil filters
1. Look at the appearance details
shell:
The filter housing of the brand machine has a smooth surface, no deformation, and no scratches.
Inexpensive filter housings have rough surfaces and scratches from wear.
Font pattern printing comparison:
The printed content of the brand machine filter case is full and clear, and the borders of text and patterns are clear and not blurred.
The cheap machine filter case has defective printing content, overflowing borders of text and patterns.
Packaging comparison:
Branded filters often have plastic seals over the opening to keep the opening clean.
The filter port of the cheap machine is exposed, without plastic sealing, and the surface is uneven and stained.
The method of observing the appearance of the oil filter is actually very useful, because a good filter must have a good appearance. The origin of the cheap filter itself is very questionable. Their predecessors may have been used waste filters, refurbished and reassembled for sale. Of course, craftsmanship can be preserved.
2. Observe the rubber ring of the oil inlet and outlet of the machine filter
The rubber rings at the oil inlet and outlet of the machine filter are also one of the references for judging the quality of the machine filter. You can take off the rubber ring and pinch it with your hand to feel the texture of the rubber ring.
The rubber ring of the brand machine filter is more elastic, and there will be no cracks at the bend, and the degree of stretch is high.
The rubber ring of the cheap machine filter is hard and lacks elasticity.
The harder you squeeze, the harder it feels and the less stretch.
For a good machine filter, the material of the rubber ring will be very thick, and it will feel soft when you pinch it by hand, ensuring the sealing around the oil inlet and outlet.
3. Is there a check valve?
Whether there is a check valve is also an important basis for judging the quality of a machine filter. You can identify whether the machine filter has a check valve structure by the surrounding gadgets.
The check valve is located at the filter inlet. We can test it by inserting a pointed object into the oil inlet: if the rubber feels soft, the filter has a check valve; if a hard object is inserted, the filter does not have a check valve.
The filter check valve is actually a rubber cup, a very simple part, but its function is very important - it can block the oil backflow and ensure that when the engine is cold started, the oil pressure can be formed in the lubrication system as soon as possible.
Supply may be guaranteed oil, and minimize the amount of time the engine is dry-grinding.
Simply put, a check valve is a device that allows the lubrication system to retain as much oil as possible after the vehicle is turned off.
4. Shake the engine vigorously to see if there is any noise
The judgment basis of this trick is the same as the method of touching the inner wall - a good machine filter has better fixation on the filter element, and there will be no noise that the components interfere with each other when shaking.
