Globally, diesel-powered equipment is indispensable in the daily operations of many industries. From semi-trailer trucks and large agricultural machinery used for long-haul transportation to various engineering vehicles and industrial equipment, diesel-powered equipment plays a vital role in production and transportation. For equipment operators and maintenance personnel, ensuring the long-term stable operation of equipment and extending its service life as much as possible is always a top priority, and a highly efficient and reliable filtration system is a crucial guarantee for achieving this goal.
Various filters in diesel equipment, such as oil filters, air filters, and fuel filters, play a vital role in protecting the engine and critical components. These filters effectively remove impurities and contaminants from the air, fuel, and lubrication systems, thereby maintaining stable engine performance and reducing wear. Therefore, understanding the types of filters currently used in the equipment, selecting suitable filter products, and mastering the basic working principles of different filters are all important for improving equipment reliability and extending its service life. Therefore, in this blog, we will explore the relevant knowledge points of oil filters in diesel equipment. We will describe the following aspects:
(1) Types of oil filters
(2) Classification of oil filters
(3) How to know which filter to use?
(4) Which brands of diesel lubricating oil filters are the best?
How are oil filters classified?
Oil filters, also commonly referred to as lubricating oil filters, can be classified according to various standards. Two common classification methods are based on filtration method and structure. We will introduce these two methods in detail below.
Filtration Types
Depending on the filtration method, oil filters are generally divided into three types: full-flow, split-flow, and combined.
Full-flow filtration: This filtration method works by filtering all the oil output from the oil pump before it reaches the engine. This means that contaminants are removed between the engine and the oil pump, effectively protecting the engine's main oil passages.
Splitter filtration: This filtration method extracts a portion of the oil for more refined filtration than a full-flow system, and then returns the filtered oil.
Composite Filtration: This method combines full-flow and split-flow functions, using synthetic fiber filter media. It not only meets flow requirements but also filters extremely small impurities.
Structural Types
Common filter structures include rotary, cartridge, and centrifugal.
Rotary Filters: The filter element and housing are integrated, screwing directly onto the engine interface for easy disassembly and good sealing.
Cartridge Filters: Composed of replaceable filter elements and a fixed housing. Replacement only requires replacing the internal filter element, while the housing can be reused. This design is more environmentally friendly and lower in cost.
Centrifugal Filters: Utilize centrifugal force generated by high-speed rotation to separate impurities and tiny particles from the oil. Compared to traditional filtration methods, it effectively removes finer contaminants and is typically used as an auxiliary filtration device in diesel engine lubrication systems to improve oil cleanliness and extend engine life.
Filter Media
Filter media are mainly used to remove metal shavings, carbon deposits, and soot particles from the oil. There are many types of filter media, with varying prices and filtration effects. Filter media primarily consist of materials such as cellulose (paper), synthetic fibers, microfiber, and composite fibers.
Generally, low-end disposable lubricating oil filters use cellulose filter media. High-quality diesel filters, however, tend to use superior, innovative synthetic filter media. For example, Fleetguard oil filters typically use highly efficient synthetic fiber filter media, which can capture 98.7% of particles as small as 4 microns, far exceeding ordinary filter paper. This effectively reduces engine wear and meets stringent environmental and long maintenance interval requirements.
Now that we've discussed the classification of oil filters, let's look at some frequently asked questions about diesel lubricating oil filters from operators and service providers.
How to choose the right oil filter? Does the size of the oil filter matter?
In short, you should use a filter specifically designed for your machinery. While a larger capacity oil filter may generally be better, best practice is to use a filter designed to ensure compatibility, effectiveness, and performance. Therefore, using a reliable filter is crucial. This leads to our final question.
Which brand of oil filter is the best?
We believe Fleetguard offers the best comprehensive diesel filtration solutions. However, simply saying "Fleetguard filters are the best filter brand" doesn't truly answer this question. This is because Fleetguard also manufactures many products sold and distributed under the names of partners or subsidiaries. Therefore, it's important to focus on the quality of Fleetguard filter elements, not just the Fleetguard logo. So, how good is Fleetguard's quality? Let's find out!
Fleetguard Filters - Dedicated and Original Equipment Brand for Cummins Powertrains
Fleetguard filters use proprietary synthetic filter media that is more efficient and has a larger capacity compared to standard disposable cellulose filters. Their proprietary multi-layer Stratapore™ filter media, composed of multiple layers of synthetic fibers, filters metal shavings, dust, carbon deposits, and colloidal sediments with extremely low flow resistance. This material significantly reduces wear on engine parts, protects the engine, and extends the filter's lifespan. In addition, Fleetguard filters offer the following features:
- Meets or exceeds all original equipment manufacturer (OEM) quality and performance standards
- Undergoes rigorous testing in both laboratory and real-world environments
- Designed with compatibility and effectiveness in mind
- Offers longer maintenance intervals than traditional alternatives
- Uses only the highest quality materials
- Reduces total cost of ownership
In conclusion, it's no wonder that the Fleetguard brand has become synonymous with trust and quality. As a supplier of Fleetguard filters, we are committed to working with our customers to understand their engine needs and providing customized solutions that meet those needs. If you require a complete solution for your Cummins engine maintenance, or if you have any questions about our products and services, please feel free to contact us for procurement and further discussion. We are dedicated to helping you keep your engine running smoothly and efficiently.
