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I’ll be watching for your findings good sir
*47* RAM TRX / HELLCAT OIL FILTERS CUT & COMPARED
- Thread starter OnTheReel
- Start date
While waiting for your findings on the Micro Pure , I am seeing SRT filters getting pricey ($17.90 @ Walmart is the cheapest - most are $24ish). Looks like Amsoil @ $18.43 preferred price would be a good choice now?
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Jeez, stop buying the returned ones from Amazon.
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How can you tell a fake filter from the real thing? I just bought 2 MO-899's on Amazon, so I'm curious if they're genuine OEM.
The fake SRTs I bought from there (on purpose of course) were pretty low effort to be honest. Came in plain white boxes. One had the Mopar part number printed on it but no other branding. Both had very different base plate designs from the OEM part. I was hoping to see something a little more elaborate, but it wound up not even being worth posting here. I don’t think many would have been fooled. Listings for those particular ones vanished from Amazon eventually but it’s like whack-a-mole and there are always new ones getting posted.
The MO-899 seems like it would be even harder to make a convincing knock off since it has the unique baseplate-end bypass design. So as long as it looks like the one I posted it should be legit.
Particle count test results for the big honking oil filter (PPE) run ~2300 miles. We can use this as a proxy for filtration efficiency.
The particle count is presented in ISO 4406 coding. The first number is the range of particles 4 µm or larger. Second 6 µm or larger, and finally 14 µm or larger. I won’t get into the convoluted process of what those numbers actually represent or how we get there, but lower is better. And for every increase by “1” in the code, the actual particle count (and thus contamination) can be doubled. Handy chart for reference:
These are some prior results using other filters at similar intervals:
We see the PPE (15/14/12) outperformed the Purolator Boss (18/17/13) and SRT (17/15/12). But lagged WAY behind the Fram Ultra and Amsoil, the latter of which posted my best result to date (13/11/7).
So I have found that the main thing this PPE brings to the table is its size and the inherent advantages that go along with that.
It talks a big game on efficiency but wound up being not as great as I hoped. The filter media appears to be very “average” in performance. There just happens to be a LOT of it in there.
The particle count is presented in ISO 4406 coding. The first number is the range of particles 4 µm or larger. Second 6 µm or larger, and finally 14 µm or larger. I won’t get into the convoluted process of what those numbers actually represent or how we get there, but lower is better. And for every increase by “1” in the code, the actual particle count (and thus contamination) can be doubled. Handy chart for reference:
These are some prior results using other filters at similar intervals:
We see the PPE (15/14/12) outperformed the Purolator Boss (18/17/13) and SRT (17/15/12). But lagged WAY behind the Fram Ultra and Amsoil, the latter of which posted my best result to date (13/11/7).
So I have found that the main thing this PPE brings to the table is its size and the inherent advantages that go along with that.
It talks a big game on efficiency but wound up being not as great as I hoped. The filter media appears to be very “average” in performance. There just happens to be a LOT of it in there.
I’ve ran k&N on all my hemis , I’ve been running it on the TRX no problems at all
I have a question would you run stock oil from the dealer or would you run royal purple oil ?
Personally…neither. The Pennzoil can’t stay in grade and the RP doesn’t do much better than anything else at Walmart. Unfortunately all of these retail API oils suffer from the same issues. Primarily…low HTHS to chase fuel efficiency, and cheap VIIs. They do not use 0-5 SSI polymers like Red Line or Amsoil, so your 0w40 typically shears to an SAE30 in as little as a few hundred miles. Not at all ideal for a 700hp truck especially if you’re towing or bouncing around in the desert with 200, 210, 220+ degree oil temps.
Long term cleanliness is also a concern. Most of these consumer oils have very little in the way of solvency and the oil change intervals today are pushed much further than they should be.
None of this is to say that Pennzoil or Royal Purple can’t be made to work OK. You just have to change it more frequently than you’d think, avoid scenarios that would lead to fuel dilution, and really watch those oil temps. Unfortunately most people don’t so it’s no surprise that modern engines are sticking rings, drinking oil and eating cams.
Probably more than you asked for…I know…
Bummer but great write-up! And thanks to you, now we know bigger isnt always better haha!
What oil do you run on the truck bro I been running the penzoil and changing every 3k
He runs Redline fully syn. 5w-50 now if memory serves.
Going up to 5-50w is better than running 0-40 what the truck recalls?
He'd be best to opine on that. I plan on switching to the thicker oil since it doesnt get colder than 30s here in winter and we're pretty rough on our rig
Pretty hot in Vegas, I would. Hell, I went up to 5w50 up here in WI. I’m tuned so my only goal is optimal protection. And viscosity is paramount in that regard. I’ll be posting a used oil sample with the Red Line 5w50 this week.
I’m pretty rough on the truck too lol but how much thicker can you go ? Or what
What would you go on stock TRX how thick ?
Im trying to go a little thicker but not too much
Like on the hemi 5.7 I went 5w30 instead of 5w20 what it recalls for
Good call on the Hemi. 5w30 should be the minimum. I typically run 0w40-5w40 in anything calling for 5w20 or 0w20.
For the TRX I climbed the viscosity ladder gradually and measured improvements each step. Top rung for me is 5w50.
It’s just as critical to get a product that actually represents its grade and maintains it. For instance most off the shelf 0w40s are at the very thin edge of an SAE40 new. This lower initial viscosity (and the outrageous level of shear) is baked into most oils at the behest of manufacturers for fuel economy. That is, save for some Euro spec oils with higher HTHS minimums. Porsche Cxx, etc.
Anyway, something like a Red Line 0w40 will start higher and simply not shear. So your operating viscosity will be MUCH higher even at the “same” grade as the OEM oil. Start there or even 5w40 if you’re comfortable with it. But I obviously have no issues going higher myself.
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