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Did my oil filter cause this?

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Old Jun 30, 2008 | 09:44 PM
  #1  
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Default Did my oil filter cause this?

Last saturday I did an oil change and decided to try a NAPA filter #1348 (WIX makes NAPA) to try and save a buck. Sunday we went out for a ride along the coast. The air temp was cool low 70's and when I looked at my oil temp gauge, it was pushing 230*.&nbsp\\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;[:@] My speed was 30mph and the motor was not lugging. I would never go much over 180-200* under those conditions ever! This got my attention.

After stopping for lunch we made our way home making frequent stops so my oil temps never got up to the 230* again. Riding the scoot to work during the following week I was never able to repeat the high temp reading but I had to refuel sooner than I normally would. I found this to be very odd too. After calculating my mpg's it came out to 37mpg's[:@]. I have NEVER gotten 37mpg's before, I get a constant 43. That&nbsp\\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\; was enough for me. I pulled the filter and replaced it with a MoCo filter. I ran&nbsp\\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\; 250 miles today in 85* temps, oil temp at 210-220 and got 43 mpg's.

I don't know for certain if the filter had anything to do with the issues I had but I won't risk using any aftermarket filter on my scoot again. I know this wasn't very scientific but I didn't like my numbers.&nbsp\\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\; I don't know what other applications the HD filter can be used on but the NAPA filter fits:
Various GM, Saturn (85-07), Lexus (90-08), Saab (67-08), Suzuki (86-02), Toyota (88-08), Yugo (86-89), Harley-Davidson, Various Lawn&amp\\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;Garden, Farm Equip.
 
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Old Jun 30, 2008 | 09:53 PM
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Default RE: Did my oil filter cause this?

SOOS, Sort of makes you think the engine was sumping?&nbsp\\; Lower fuel milage and higher temps.&nbsp\\; Did your oil pressure seem less or higher when you was riding??&nbsp\\; You got me thinking.
 
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Old Jun 30, 2008 | 10:01 PM
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Default RE: Did my oil filter cause this?

I neglected to include the oil pressure. It was normal at about 30-32#. It might have dropped or spiked and I could have missed it. To tell the truth, my focus was more on my temps and my gauges are on either side of the dash. Note to self: Swap gauges so that oil gauges are clustered together.
 
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Old Jun 30, 2008 | 10:17 PM
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Default RE: Did my oil filter cause this?

I have been running NAPA or Wix filters on my Evo Softail for about 100,000 miles.
You did not tell which filter you were using.
I run 1215 or 51215.
They are about 19 micron filters, which is less restrictive than the stock HD filter.
Unless the filter you used was faulty, I doubt the problem was caused by it.
In my experience when oil flow is too low, or pressure and flow are too low, the first thing you will notice will be your rockers/pushrods rattling and sounding like they are coming apart.
The noise would be even more noticable on a barge with a windshield or fairing.
And the noise would happen well before any temperature increase was noticed.
 
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Old Jun 30, 2008 | 10:23 PM
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Default RE: Did my oil filter cause this?

NAPA 1348
 
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Old Jun 30, 2008 | 10:39 PM
  #6  
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Default RE: Did my oil filter cause this?

ORIGINAL: soos

NAPA 1348
I think I remember running a 1348 on my Sloptail a couple times.
It worked OK.
Here is the link to the 1348 filter specs.
http://www.wixfilters.com/filterlook...asp?Part=51348
It is a 19 micron filter.
Otherwise it is very similar to the 1215 filter.
I remembered wrongly on the 1215 rating, it is 24 microns.

At any rate, since the HD filter is a 5 micron filter, the 19 micron would be less likely to cause a flow problem.
And there is the possibility of a bad filter, though unlikely given you heard no top end noise.
 
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Old Jun 30, 2008 | 10:44 PM
  #7  
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Default RE: Did my oil filter cause this?

i agree with pococj must have been a defective filter
 
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Old Jul 1, 2008 | 01:59 AM
  #8  
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Default RE: Did my oil filter cause this?

ORIGINAL: soos

Last saturday I did an oil change and decided to try a NAPA filter #1348 (WIX makes NAPA) to try and save a buck. Sunday we went out for a ride along the coast. The air temp was cool low 70's and when I looked at my oil temp gauge, it was pushing 230*.&nbsp\\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;[:@] My speed was 30mph and the motor was not lugging. I would never go much over 180-200* under those conditions ever! This got my attention.

After stopping for lunch we made our way home making frequent stops so my oil temps never got up to the 230* again. Riding the scoot to work during the following week I was never able to repeat the high temp reading but I had to refuel sooner than I normally would. I found this to be very odd too. After calculating my mpg's it came out to 37mpg's[:@]. I have NEVER gotten 37mpg's before, I get a constant 43. That&nbsp\\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\; was enough for me. I pulled the filter and replaced it with a MoCo filter. I ran&nbsp\\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\\; 250 miles today in 85* temps, oil temp at 210-220 and got 43 mpg's.

I don't know for certain if the filter had anything to do with the issues I had but I won't risk using any aftermarket filter on my scoot again. I know this wasn't very scientific but I didn't like my numbers.&nbsp\\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\; I don't know what other applications the HD filter can be used on but the NAPA filter fits:
Various GM, Saturn (85-07), Lexus (90-08), Saab (67-08), Suzuki (86-02), Toyota (88-08), Yugo (86-89), Harley-Davidson, Various Lawn&amp\\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\\;Garden, Farm Equip.
&nbsp\\;
I see another possibility here....could be the fuel you had put in there???&nbsp\\; I've heard of a few instances where the fuel delivery driver puts the wrong blend in the wrong tank...maybe you didn't get what you thought you were.&nbsp\\; Not all pre-ignition causes an audible ping, if it's not severe, but would cause negative torque from too much of the burn happening before top dead center....ruining gas mileage and raising engine temps like a bike with the advance timing too high.&nbsp\\; Just another possibility.&nbsp\\; You didn't specify how long you ran that filter.
 
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Old Jul 1, 2008 | 02:01 AM
  #9  
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Default RE: Did my oil filter cause this?

BTW:&nbsp\\; while 230* may have been out of the ordinary for your bike, its certainly not pushing any dangerous levels for your bike or oil.&nbsp\\; 230* is considered normal operating temps for a twin cam.
 
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Old Jul 1, 2008 | 03:11 AM
  #10  
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Default RE: Did my oil filter cause this?

Similar experience\\; picked up my 08 Sg in NYC and rode it back to Fl for a nice break in ride.&nbsp\\; Took the ferry out of NJ to Lewes and down thru Va. bch to Myrtle Bch where I stopped at the Dealer to change the oil\\; temps running around 190/200 all the way (late Oct).&nbsp\\; Back on the road and noticed the temp creeping up above 230 and continuing to rise like it would 'peg' the guage.&nbsp\\; I'd stop and in about 30 min it'd cool down but within 10/15 miles it'd be right up again.&nbsp\\; Stopped in Savanah Ga, where we all looked at it and scratched our heads (me too).&nbsp\\; Changed oil/filter again and 4600 miles later the hottest it's gotten is about 230 stuck in traffic.&nbsp\\; Pressure was good all the while.&nbsp\\; All I can figure was a bad filter\\; first one I've ever had so I guess they doo exist!
 
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