I just pulled the filter that I purchased and installed on 8/12/22. You can add Las Vegas to the list of filters with malformed louvers. It's not as bad as the bad one that silverbulletking posted, but nowhere near as good as the good one. I tried several times to get a good picture but failed. For reference this is a black M8 filter.

EDIT: Curiosity got me so I cut mine apart and looked at both in a side by side comparison. Here it is, and mine is of course the one on the right. I'll check my Heritage 114 later, after I get some new filters.

 

Those are the new anti-sumping filters. You don't have to worry about not getting the oil out quick enough if you throttle back how much oil gets in. 🥸

 

I agree with everything you have said. I would like to see HD tell the dealers to quit selling these filters and stop installing them until they get the issue resolved. Then tell everyone that has one at home to return for a full refund. That's what they should do , but it's not gonna happen.
They had my E-Mail address when i called too. I wonder if we will hear anything back from them ever ?

 

I suspect at most, it would be a Service Bulletin telling dealers to inspect Harley oil filters prior to installation, showing what to look out for... but I think it may be something more low key... less public...

In reality, these bad filters probably won't cause HD a bunch of money.....

First, there would need to be a catastrophic engine failure... that probably won't happen because the filters will go into bypass to maintain oil flow, albeit with unfiltered oil... so mostly these filters may cause increased and/or accelerated wear & tear on the engines using them. That won't cost the MoCo a cent...

If there was a catastrophic engine failure, how many people will look at the oil filter to inspect its flow....? Probably very few... mostly high end shops that have to redo an engine on their own dime...

Then of the few catastrophic failures where someone actually inspected the filter and found this flaw, how many will have the assets to prove it was the filter that caused the failure....? It would most likely go to court...

So the MoCo will evaluate the $$$$ risk that could be caused by the bad filters v the $$$$ risk due to lost revenues from bad publicity should this bad filter issue be made public....

I think we all know which way that decision would go....

My advice would be:

If you use HD filters, check them before installation. If you find you have a bad one, go back to the place you bought it from and raise a stink, demanding a good filter.... If they have no good ones in stock, demand a refund...

If you have recently had an oil change with an HD filter, I would either check it on your own, with a good filter at the ready... or at least accelerate your next oil change interval, and inspect it then...

Now that I am aware of the potential problem, even though I don't use HD filters, you can bet I will be looking inside any oil filter, for any vehicle I maintain, before installing it on the engine...

Thanks to the OP and others who chimed in bringing this issue to our attention...

 

Not to continue beating this horse, but I went to my HD dealer for some oil today. While I was there I looked at 2 M8 filters on the shelf. One was perfect and the other was far from it.

 

Did you point it out to the Parts guy? Just curious if he had any comment........

 

He thought it was interesting too. I didn't press him, it's not his circus and he's a super good guy.

 

This has me wondering if these filters could of been part of the sumping problems some were having ? Didn"t some twin cam bikes have the issue too,? Kinda makes you wonder how this would effect the oil pressure.

 

I was wondering the same thing. Just look how random the condition of new filters have been. Some guys here have 2-3 filters and only one is bad. Guys looks at filters at the dealer and some are good and some are bad. Totally random. Correct me if I’m wrong but it seems to me the sumping issues have been random too. Some people have never had a problem, other have. How about some of the weird noises some people hear on start up and then it goes away. They take it to the dealer and the dealer says that there’s nothing wrong. Could it be filter related? Beats me. One thing I do know is that I won’t be riding my Tri Glide until I get a new good filter and remove the old filter & look at it. I bought my Tri Glide this past spring from the original owner who had just had the oil changed at the local dealership. I went out today and measures it and it’s 4” long, so I know it’s one of the “new” M8 filters. I just don’t know if it’s good or not and I’m just not willing to take that chance.

 

I changed my oil last week and since then I have a rattling lifter or something on start up that I didn't have before. I guess I will be picking up a new filter so I can check the one I just put on. I will report back with my findings.