By-Pass Oil Filters

Oil does not wear out.  However, due to inadequate filtration it becomes contaminated to the point that it needs to be drained. The additives in oil become depleted due to this contamination. The actual base stock oil never wears out.

None whatsoever. Detergent oil will turn a dark blue-black after it is heated. Non-detergent oil will turn a reddish-brown.  Most diesel engines will turn oil black in the first few minutes of running time.

The only accurate way to determine the lubricating value of oil or its contamination level is through a regular oil analysis program. Gulf Coast Filters offers you a world class oil analysis program.  Our FAP (Fluid Analysis Program*) provides you with state-of-the-art analysis and data interpretation services.  We diagnose and offer predictive fixes for all sorts of engine problems.

Factory full flow filters use surface filtration.  These surface filters remove particles of a given size allowing smaller particles to pass through by design.  For example, many factory spin-on oil filters remove particles down to 10 microns in size.  However, most of the wear in diesel engines is caused by particles 5 microns or smaller.

Depth filtration consists of a fixed matrix of fibers arranged in random fashion.  They provide many flow passages through which particles must find their way.  The result of this arrangement is a broad pore distribution with the ability to remove much smaller sized particles.  Gulf Coast Filters, Inc. employs depth filtration. GCF filter elements consist primarily of cellulose media, which efficiently traps microscopic particles below 1 micron in size.

Furthermore, surface filtration does very little to remove moisture which results in acid build up.  GCF’s depth filtration also chemically dries the oil by absorbing moisture thus fully protecting your engine and maintaining the chemistry of your oil.

Fuel dilution is excessive fuel contamination in an engine. It can occur when injectors and/or fuel lines are leaking.

The only way that fuel dilution can build up in a healthy engine is if there is enough solid contamination for the fuel molecules to adhere to. If this solid contamination is not present, raw fuel is evaporated by the internal heat of the engine.

Fuel dilution cannot be eliminated by filtration. If a critical level is reached, an oil drain must be performed.

Every liquid-fueled engine will have a certain amount of raw fuel in its normal blow-by. However, by reducing the amount of solid contamination in the engine, your GCF By-Pass Oil Filter will keep blow-by to a minimum thereby protecting your engine from the damaging effects of fuel dilution.

Solid contamination, in diesel engines, is primarily fuel soot (carbon particles) resulting from incompletely burned fuel blowing by rings and valve guides. Some solids are normal and are the cause of routine oil blackening as the additives hold minutely sized particles in suspension and carry these particles to the factory full flow filters for removal.

Factory full flow filters are only effective in the range of 10 microns and larger. Most of these particles combine with themselves (agglutinate) to form larger particles which a factory filter can remove.

The GCF By-Pass Oil Filter effectively removes this solid contamination before agglutination can occur, thus, greatly reducing wear rates in your engine. The GCF efficiently removes these wear-causing abrasive carbon particles in the 1 – 5 micron range and smaller.

Corrosive acid is formed primarily from sulfur blow-by in the combustion process. When sulfur particles combine with moisture in the crankcase, acid is formed.  This in turn reduces the TBN (Total Base Number), or the amount of alkaline material in the oil.  If one of the two products needed to form this acid (sulfur particles or moisture) is removed from the oil, excessive acid formation cannot take place. 

The GCF By-Pass Oil Filter helps maintain a high and acceptable TBN level by removing the moisture in the lube oil. By regularly servicing the GCF (replacing filter elements and adding 2.5 gallons of oil) you combat the non-sulfuric acids that may form due to atmospheric oxidation and replenish the alkaline reserve.

Lubrication oil consists of two major parts: Base Stock (or base oil) and Additives. The base stock is the primary lubricant and can be petroleum or synthetic.

There are three basic types of additives:

Detergents – reduce deposits and hold solids in suspension.

         Anti-Corrosives – neutralize acids.  

Anti-Wear Additives – plate or coat metal surfaces

Additives are designed to work in these three major areas and when levels of contamination rise in these areas additive depletion occurs.

The GCF By-Pass Oil Filter effectively keeps contamination levels far below that which would cause additive depletion in a healthy engine. With the GCF the additive package of your engine’s oil is maintained at a much higher level than the engine manufacturers’ requirements.

The GCF By-Pass Oil Filter does not negatively affect oil additives or detergents in any way. Your GCF is constantly keeping your engine’s oil clean, preserving and protecting your additives. Additives such as anti-scuffing agents, are replaced when normal make-up oil is added to the engine at the time you service your GCF.

Additives are an integral part of lube oil and are blended at the refinery. Your GCF will not remove any additives from your engine oil.

In many cases, the GCF By-Pass Oil Filter will be serviced at the same interval that you would have normally changed all your oil.  In the trucking industry the typical service interval for your GCF will be between 10,000 to 15,000 miles.

For other industries we make hourly recommendations.  

EXAMPLE: 8V71 DT at 250 hours. 398 CATS at 500 hours.

On some engines, such as EMDs that have large sumps and require large amounts of makeup oil, the oil drain interval may be several thousand hours. In these engines we suggest that complete oil analysis be used to determine filter change intervals.  On EMD engines, however, the normal GCF service interval should be between 500 and 750 hours.

 Gulf Coast Filters offers you a world class fluid analysis program.  Our FAP (Fluid Analysis Program*) provides you with state-of-the-art analysis and data interpretation services.  We diagnose and offer predictive fixes for all sorts of engine problems.

GCF oil filters are typically not rated by oil capacity.  Our filters are rated based on horsepower.

The amount of contamination that enters your lube oil is determined by the horsepower of your engine, therefore, horsepower ratings are more accurate.

The smallest filter manufactured by GCF is the GCF Model O-1, which will handle up to 250 HP.  Our largest filter, the GCF Model O-2, will handle up to 500 HP. Your engine may require just one of our filters or it may require several, depending on horsepower.

Engine oil change intervals are often only recommended and not required by manufacturers for warranty purposes.  

 

When oil changes are mandatory, we recommend following their requirements and having the GCF By-Pass Oil Filter additionally. 

 

With your GCF By-Pass Oil Filter, regularly serviced and your oil condition regularly monitored by the GCF Fluid Analysis Program* (FAP), you can maintain an oil quality which will far exceed any manufacturer’s requirements.

Gulf Coast Filters offers you a world class GCF Fluid Analysis Program* (FAP).  Our FAP provides you with state-of-the-art analysis and data interpretations services.  We diagnose and offer predictive fixes for all sorts of engine problems.

Specific acknowledgment has been received from most major engine manufacturers that the installation of aftermarket devices such as the GCF By-Pass Oil Filter will not affect their warranties.

There are two basic reasons:

First, by adding after-market products as factory equipment, they would drive up the price of their products. Taking away from their competitive pricing advantage.

Secondly, the manufacturers have planned obsolescence built into their engines which enables them to keep selling replacement parts and engines to the consumer.

Gulf Coast Filters, Inc. (GCF) warrants each GCF product to be free from defects in workmanship and materials for 1 (one) year from the purchase date for the original purchaser/user. During this time, GCF will at its sole discretion repair or replace any GCF product proven to be defective in either workmanship or materials. GCF products claimed to be defective must be returned to GCF’s manufacturer, S & B Machine Co. at 820 Blackburn Dr, Mobile, AL 36608 USA. The original purchaser/user must provide proof of purchase along with written reason(s) for the return and a request for a replacement. 

This limited warranty shall remain in effect provided the purchaser/user uses only GCF parts and/or products and follows GCF recommended guidelines. The purchaser/user must use GCF Fluid Analysis programs, including use of GCF Elements, for this warranty to apply. 

Loss of lubrication for any reason whatsoever is the sole responsibility of the owner and/or operator of the equipment. GCF specifically disclaims any other express or implied warranties. GCF shall have no liability whatsoever for any compensatory or consequential damages arising directly or indirectly from the use or misuse of any defective product or by reason of failure of any GCF product. 

This limited warranty sets forth the total liability and responsibility of GCF. 

Hydraulic oil filters must effectively remove particulates down to one micron in size and must be capable of removing moisture.  In the typical application the cycle of heat = condensation = more heat = more condensation … continues until the component fails. 

Clean, dry oil is mandatory for a hydraulic system to achieve long term life. Gulf Coast Filters, Inc. offers a Hydraulic Oil Filter that controls and removes particulates down to one micron.  Additionally, the moisture is removed as it passes through the GCF super-absorbent filter element.

GULF COAST FILTERS, INC. offers the industry leading Fuel Filter/Water Separator. Model F-1

The GCF F-1 fuel filter also has the capability of sub-micronic filtration. This allows the GCF F-1 fuel filter to remove the asphaltene particles that are in all diesel fuels. Fuel centrifuges, factory fuel filters or other after-market filters cannot remove most of this contamination. Asphaltene particles are made up of abrasive carbon particles. These particles sandpaper away at the injectors and injection pumps.

By using the GCF F-1, you can extend the factory fuel filter change intervals 4-5 times. (Providing the filter is installed on a reasonably healthy engine and maintained in accordance with GCF recommendations.)

While the GCF fuel filter removes these carbon particles it also reduces the amount of valve deposits formed on the head and valve area during the combustion process.

As a true world class Fuel Filter, the GCF F-1 is in service around the world in military applications, yachting applications, other marine applications, facility management applications and just about any other application you might imagine. 

* This analysis is intended as an aid in predicting mechanical wear. No guarantee, expressed or implied, is made against failure of this component.