Why not just use the HD filter?

 

I have no HD dealerships in the immediate area, that's why. JUST in case if I were to buy an oil filter "local" I would want one that was compatable with the HD.
sambo42xa

 

Ok, found info I was looking for..........."30 micron is designed to work best for your Evolution style engine". "10 micron filter was developed for use with the Twin Cam style engine, which has a different system that allows oil to be forced through a more restrictive oil filter". The reason for the tighter filtration by the manufacture as necessary to assure all of the smaller passages, in the Twin Cam style engine.
Anyway, I bought my Oil filter last night, shop stocked HD filters which I paid $12. (chrome) and Amsoil at $8. a qut.
thnx.,
sambo42xa

 

I don't know if you guys have come across this or not, but from my research, a HD oil filter as used on, say, a 1986 big twin or a 1987 Sporty, is _exactly_ the same as the filter used on a Toyota 22R motor, such as a 1986 or 1992 4-cylinder Toyota Truck (among others). Same size, threads, pressure release spec, anti-drain valve, etc. I've been using these for 20 years and 120K miles on the two above mentioned bikes. You can look up a RN Toyota Truck in the cross ref books at wally world and get the filter for that in whatever your favorite brand is or go to a Toyota dealer and for about $5 get about the best filter you can buy, and it's black too. And, half of them are made in the US.

 

I use a Napa Gold 1348 made by Wix on my 94 Evo.

 

Here is a post from an oil filter discussion on the VTwin forum I found. After reading it you will find out why anyone with a twin cam HD engine should be using a HD five micron oil filter and NOT any other aftermarket filter. And yes, you are protected by the Magnussen Moss act, but if you use a non HD five micron oil filter and the dealer thinks the engine failure was caused by that filter, it will cost you thousands to hire an attorney to fight them. Is it worth it to save $3.00 on an oil filter. I think not!

HI all.

A few weeks back, there was a post asking about using Baldwin filters.
Wile it would seem that the whole post is now gone, this was the catalyst that started me down this path, and what I have found has quite shaken what I thought to be true, and I feel I need to pass this on to all of you here.

I will state plainly that I have no dog in the fight, I do not, nor have I ever worked for Harley Davidson, I do not even own stock in it.
My hope is to have a discussion, and though I am sure I will bend a couple noises out of joint, it is not what I am trying to do, I am only passing this on to you with the hope it will save you down the road.

I was always told by filter companies and in school, you use a filter that is made and designed for the engine and vehicle.
As we all know, or should know about our Twin cams is that the first factory oil filter is that the first design was the standard 30 Micron type, the same ones they used for the EVO and sportster engines, but they found out quickly that this cause issues in the engine, mainly, the oil feed holes to the cam tensioners would clog up, and the oil pumps could not maintain pressure.
The problems only got worse with more dirt and soot.
So the company made a new filter, a 10 Micro that solved or slowed down these Issues, until the "B" and the 06 Dyna. These Engines needed the filtration taken to the 5 Micro level, and now that the all the 07's used this, they have replaced the 10 with the new super 5 filter.

The Issue with the new tensioner design is this, the oil feed holes to the tensioners get restricted and clogged if you do not use a 5 Micron filter, is this is the reason why the company went to the new Super 5 filter.

With this all said, if you use the factory filter, you should be just fine, the problem is this, the aftermarket filters have not ben following Harley on this.
When the guy with the Baldwin question challenged my answer, I made a call to Baldwin on the tech line, what i learned in the call got me calling other filter manufactures, and well, I was dismayed.

You have to understand form a manufactures point of view, Harley's are a very small market, compared to say a Toyota or a Chevy or Dodge, but it cost the same amount of capital to gear up to make a filter and test and so on, so most filters you see listed in the Aftermarket, are in fact, filters made for cars that they feel will work. They based there estimate on the first design 30 micron filter, and found filters that had a similar flow and filtration characteristics, you know, close to, but not the same.
The way they measure filtration is by what is the largest size the media will capture, the smaller the number, the smalled the particle. anything smaller then the number will pass through the filter.

Here are some that I have checked on....

Baldwin B1413 18 Micron

Wix 51215 24 Micron
Wi

 

Fram filters. Top of filteringmediais held together with glued cardboard. The check vale can can stuck with cardboard Take one apart. No good!
Wix filters have a very good rating.As do Hasting in you can find them.

Ran the fram on VW diesel Rabbit, 1978 blew apart 3 filters. Have not bought a fram since.

 

Does anyone know if theK&N oil filters are as good as the HD filters?

 

I used k&n 171c but wnet to puter one pr10241 great filter cheap price

 

Harley Black. If you need to pinch pennies I would do it on something other than oil filters. I am a marine mechanic and you can't tell me if a filter fits it will work, I've seen engines taken out by oil and filters. Mainly performance engines but aren't these performance engines.