2.78 micron Oil Filter?

[Ben]

Has anyone ever heard of the Filtration Solutions Oil Filter and had any experience with it. They claim it will keep your oil looking like it does after 300 miles even after driving 10,000+ miles and has the potential of doubling your engine life.

http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/001133.php ("http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/001133.php")

http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/oilfilter.jpg

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Ben,

I am not an expert on oil filters, but over the years I have seen any number of devices and filters offered as extending the life of engine oil. While I have nothing to suggest the claims are accurate or false I tend to apply the sniff test to them.

My first reaction is that Detroit Diesel (and Cat and Cummins) have a substantial interest in seeing their products last for a long time. They cut down on warranty claims, they get bragging rights, and they increase their number of customers. If there was a product they could hang on their engines they would be using it because major trucking companies (their customers) would want the savings from a reduction in the number of oil changes, or the increase in the life of the engine.

I know from in-depth techincal articles about oil for plane engines that oil does break down, and even though it may have less dirt or contaminents, the additives will have been consumed or rendered useless and molecular shear will damage the lubricating qualities of engine oil. It would be nice seeing clean looking oil, but when I see "dirty" oil I also know it is doing part of its job and that is to hold contaminents in suspension so when the oil is drained the contaminents are also, avoiding the build up of sludge.

From personal hands on experience I had an unexpected small crack in the head on my 8V92, necessitating a tear down. I had put about 200,000 plus miles on the engine which I changed oil and filter every 5000 miles. The eingine looked new. No sludge, no rust, no evidence of its age.

Others may disagree, but I think our coaches experience what would be described as severe duty due to the lack of constant use and that alone would be justification for frequent oil and filter changes, usually based on time rather than miles.

Perhaps someone with more technical knowledge can address this. I'm basing my opinions on gut feeling and limited knowledge.