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From: junk@ur-tut.UUCP (Jan Vandenbrande)
Newsgroups: net.auto,net.auto.tech
Subject: Oil filters - Summary
Message-ID: <29@ur-tut.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 6-Mar-86 15:50:57 EST
Article-I.D.: ur-tut.29
Posted: Thu Mar  6 15:50:57 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 10-Mar-86 08:24:07 EST
Distribution: net
Organization: Univ. of Rochester Computing Center
Lines: 32
Xref: watmath net.auto:9713 net.auto.tech:876

....
	First of all I want to thank everybody for the helpfull responces
about this subject. The question initially asked was whether there was
a difference between the various oil filters on the market. Some
filters (namely those that are supplied by the VW-Audi & Honda (?)
dealers) seem to have some springloaded mechanism, while other brands
do not. Well here is a brief summary on the responces:

1] The springloaded mechanism is a bypass valve. In case the filter gets
   clogged the filter will be bypassed. Better to have dirty oil circulating
   than no oil at all. Another person suggested that the valve serves to
   keep the oil in the circuits after shut off. At start-up the oil would
   be immediatly available.

2] There is a general distrust for filters sold by Sears etc. The only filter
   that kind off stood out were the filters made by FRAM. One claimed that
   they too have such a relief valve for the VW & Honda models. One person
   complained that the non-brand name filters (including FRAM) are not build
   as sturdily, and that he has to retorque them soon after an oil change.

Conclusion: I am going to wait until FRAM filters are on sale, and disect
one. I am also going to disect a regular VW filter and see how they differ.
I guess when you don't think that your filter gets clogged, that bypass
valve is not doing much. So normally it seems that there should not be
much harm to use a non-dealer filter if you change your oil frequently.
However, what are a few dollars compared to the potential engine damage?
How about "hidden" guarantees. If something breaks, and you haven't used
their stuff (even though unrelated issues) they might just void your
"hidden" warantee.
In the mean time I am going to stick to the dealer's oil filters.
Thanks for your replies,
Jan.