- 1) Backpressure is minimal because of the large filtering area. This is important because if backpressure is too high because of sludge buildup, high flow rate or whatever, the engine routes the oil directly to the engine bypassing the oil filter. I have been told this by someone who has a lot of experience. Formerly, I thought the bypass was in the filter. It may be in both places. I'm trying to find out more about this.
- 2) The filter media is extremely stable being housed in a steel cage to which I attach a couple of neodymium magnets;
- 3) It has the highest quality viton seals;
- It captures contamination particles down to 8 microns.
Since you have been using high quality oils, sludge build-up should not be a problem. If that were an issue, I would use Mobil 1 for one OCI to be sure there were no problems.
If you aren't burning any oil and the engine seals are OK, you should be able to use SynLube without problem. When one converts to SynLube, you buy the kit that includes a high quality filter. The exact change interval depends upon the filter size. Smaller filters need to be replaced more often because even if there's nothing for the filter to trap, the passage of oil through the media over time causes it to wear out. This is a problem because the extreme life of the oil requires a filter that is of much higher quality than ones intended for conventional lubricants. If you used a conventional filter, I would replace it yearly but it would have no impact on SynLube's service life that I can see. Any savings you would realize would be negated by the amount of SynLube trapped in the filter you are replacing which would probably be 2-4 oz. in a larger filter. I think the Focus filters are smaller though.
I would always recommend using SynLube's filter because the price differential is small.
It is important to remember that there is a substantial difference between filters at the auto parts store and the ones available from SynLube or from CM. Cheaper filters have a cellulose media that doesn't pass oil as quickly as the synthetic fibers in SynLube and CM filters. This makes a bigger and bigger difference as the temperature drops. And it makes a difference in gas mileage too since the harder the engine has to work to circulate oil, the higher the fuel requirement.
If you decide to proceed with your inquiries further, contact Miro Kefurt and see what he has to add. He's very nice but also a very cost-conscious guy who will be concerned about how much longer you'll keep the car. He tends to recommend against installation if trading the car in in the next couple of years is contemplated. I could be wrong though. Of course, I'll be glad to answer any additional question you have too.