This section provides an overview for oil filters as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 41 oil filter manufacturers and their company rankings.
Table of Contents
An Oil Filter is a filter that removes sludge, wear particles, and debris from engine oil, hydraulic oil, and other oils.
For automobiles, it is sometimes called an oil element, and is often used in automobiles and industrial machinery.
Oil gradually oxidizes and becomes dirty as the machine operates. Continued use of dirty oil can lead to machine breakdowns, so the oil must be filtered through an oil Filter.
As filtration causes dirt to accumulate in the filter, periodic replacement is necessary.
Oil Filters are widely used in various types of engines and other industrial machinery. Specifically, they are used in automobile engines, automatic transmissions, marine engines, generator engines, and gas turbines.
It is also used in vacuum pumps, agricultural machinery such as mowers and sprayers, hydraulic equipment operating oil, lubricating oil for various machines, and cutting oil for machine tools.
Oil contamination can be caused by the following three factors:
The first two can be prevented by the structure of the machine and the way it is handled. However, the third point is mainly caused by oxidation and cannot be prevented. Therefore, it is important to use oil filters to keep the oil clean.
In general, oil filters remove contaminants by allowing oil to pass through a porous filter material.
Other filtering methods include adsorption by magnets and centrifugal force by increasing the flow velocity. To remove contaminants, the pores in the filter media must be smaller than the contaminants, or the contaminants must be able to adhere to the filter media walls.
Oil filters can be divided into the following three types:
The Full-Flow type is used to filter all oil. A bypass valve is generally built in, and this type is widely used in passenger car engines today.
Oil is filtered by dividing the oil flow path into two separate paths, one with a full-flow filter and the other with a bypass filter. The bypass filter can remove smaller contaminants than normal. This type of filter is mainly used in diesel engines.
This type combines a full-flow filter and a bypass filter into one. Oil flowing in the flow path is divided into these two filters. This type is used for large diesel engines.
There are three main types of oil filters:
A very fine metal mesh is attached to the oil inlet in the oil pan for filtration. Most engines today use both a filter paper type oil filter and a screen type filter.
An oil filter made of filter paper is built into the engine or oil pan near the oil strainer. This type of filter is used in motorcycles of relatively old design. In addition, automatic transmissions and continuously variable transmissions for automobiles have a replaceable ATF filter built into the strainer.
The cartridge type installs a removable cartridge outside the engine. The cartridge is reused many times, and only the filter inside is replaced periodically. Compared to the built-in type, the cartridge type requires no opening of the oil pan or other parts of the engine, thus improving serviceability.
The spin-on type, which appeared in the 1950s, has a filter paper oil filter and various valves all built into the casing. It is installed by rotating it directly over the oil passageway on the engine side, and the filter media is discarded with the casing each time the oil filter is replaced. This type of oil filter is used in most automobiles today because it makes replacement work more efficient.
When dirt accumulates in the oil filter, the filter becomes clogged and the amount of oil circulating through it is reduced. In this case, the bypass valve opens and the oil barely circulates, but the oil that passes through the bypass valve is not filtered by the oil filter, which causes the filter to deteriorate.
Periodic replacement of the oil and oil filter is necessary because the oil degradation and clogging of the oil filter will cause damage to the equipment. Replacement times are clearly indicated in the manufacturer's instruction manual.
In the case of automobile engines, engine oil and oil filters must be replaced properly because the use of dirty engine oil can cause engine damage, reduced fuel efficiency, and loss of power. Many manufacturers clearly state when to change the oil and recommend changing the oil filter every two oil changes.
*Including some distributors, etc.
Sort by Features
Sort by Area
Jaxon Filtration was founded in 1984 and headquartered in Franklin, Georgia. The company is a manufacturer of products designed to extend the life of petrochemical, provide wastewater filtration, and clean exhaust vapor. All of the company’s products are made in the United States and used in petrochemicals, liquid filtration, cutting fluids, and phosphate ester oil. The company’s product capabilities include filter elements, filtration systems, bag filter elements, and replacement elements that use media including diatomaceous earth, activated carbon, molecular sieve, and selexsorb acid.
Hilliard Corporation was founded in 1905 and headquartered in Elmira, New York. The company is an engineer, manufacturer, and distributor of motion control, braking systems, and filtration products to industries such as power generation, oil & gas, refinery, and steel in their ISO 9001:2015 certified manufacturing facilities. The company provides direct contact between customers and engineers and has the manufacturing and design capabilities to customize orders to meet any challenge in the motion control and filtration industries, whether the end products are industrial clutches, engine starters, or braking systems.
Pearse Betram+ was founded in 1947 in Bloomfield, Connecticut. Today Pearse Bertram+ is an end-to-end solutions provider for the manufacturing industry. Pearse Bertram+ is ISO 9001:2015 certified and also UL508A (industrial control panels), IPC 620 (wire harness assemblies), and IPC-A-610, J-STD-001, and IPC-7711 certified for soldering. Pearse Bertram+ operates in both contract manufacturing and engineering support. The manufacturing segment includes electrical, pneumatic, robotic, hydraulic, and process systems. Engineering support includes support for operation of robotics, machinery design and usage, industrial automation, value engineering, and auditing.
Custom Filtration Inc. is a Corcoran, Minnesota-based manufacturer of custom filters primarily made from wire cloth using stainless steel, bronze, Monel, and other metals. The company’s products are used across almost all industries from agriculture and automotive to metalworking to textiles and utilities. Among the company’s wired cloth products, the company designs and manufactures custom-molded PVC, slit and stamped 304 stainless steel blanks, and custom cylindrical steel and copper screens using various weave types such as plain, plain Dutch, twilled, and twilled Dutch weaves.
Pargreen Process Technologies is an industrial equipment supplier based in Addison, Illinois. The company, founded in 1966, generates over $5 million in annual revenue as of 2023 through its filtration & separation and pure water solutions. Their filtration & separation solutions offerings include mixers, depth filter cartridges, and liquid shipping containers. Their pure water solutions include reverse osmosis water treatment systems, media filtration, and water deionization systems. Pargreen is an authorized distributor for industries such as biofuel, boiler feed water, grain processing, and Micro Electronics.
Heat Exchange and Transfer, Inc. was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Carnegie, Pennsylvania. The company is a designer and manufacturer of custom, made-to-order heat transfer systems, serving industries such as aerospace, automotive, textiles, pharmaceuticals, and packaging. The company’s two product divisions are Direct Heating and Indirect Heating of Process Equipment. Direct Heating includes open coil heaters, flanged immersion heaters, unitary storage tank heaters, and stand-alone circulation heaters. Indirect Heating of Process Equipment includes extruders, mixers, ovens, dryers, and other equipment and machinery.
The Kraissl Company was founded in 1926 and is headquartered in Hackensack, New Jersey. The company is a manufacturer of strainers, filters, valves, and pumps for industry and business. All company products are manufactured in the U.S.A. to ensure workmanship quality. The company’s capabilities include working with a wide range of materials such as cast iron, bronze, aluminum, steel, and other special alloys. The company offers international delivery through authorized sales and service representatives.
New Pig was established in 1985 in Tipton, Pennsylvania with offices across the globe. The company is a manufacturer and distributor of new and used interior and exterior equipment and supplies for individual, government, and corporate customers. The company’s product lines include absorbent mats, wipers, absorbents, spill kits & containment, and drain protection. Absorbent mats and drain protection are marketed toward corporate and industrial customers with the ability to absorb oil, water, coolants, and solvents. Products such as spill kits and wipers are marketed for both commercial and individual use.
SRI Supplies was originally founded in Concord, North Carolina in 1997. SRI stands for Supplies for Racing & Industry. SRI is a distributor and outsourcer to many top auto racing teams including Hendrick Motorsports and Team Penske as well as the NASCAR Technical Institute. However, SRI also sells to individuals. SRI supplies many types of products used in not just automotive, but other industrial uses as well as domestically. Product types include abrasives, adhesives, brushes, chemicals, fasteners, lubricants, cleaning systems, paint and related hardware, protective wear, towels, silicones, tapes, threadlockers, tools, and welding.
Milhous Company is a designer and manufacturer of electromagnetic fluid filtration systems, resistive and superconducting electromagnets, and coils. The company was established in 1976 and is based in Amherst, Virginia. Milhous Company's range of products includes the BallMatrix Electromagnetic Fluid Filtration System used mainly in the large boiler industry to filter magnetite out of condensate. The company also designs and manufactures magnet systems for high-energy physics, power generation, medical, and energy markets. Milhous Company has a complete CNC machining center for the fabrication of molds and component parts required for any project.
CiboWares is headquartered in Exton Pennsylvania as a distributor of wholesale food service disposables and restaurant supplies used by both large and small businesses in the hospitality and food services industries. The company’s product categories include Take-Out/Dine-In, Back of the House, Eco Friendly, POS, Cleaning & Safety, and Business Type. Eco-Friendly supplies include microwave-safe food containers made from molded fiber, bamboo, plant starch, and other renewable sources. Business Type supplies cater to specific markets such as hotels, food trucks, and delis.
Dust Collector Services, or DCS, is a family-owned business founded in 1994 and based in Anaheim, California. DCS designs manufactures and installs a wide range of materials serving woodworking, tooling, manufacturing, and other industries. DCS's new product line includes various types of dust collectors, mist collectors, high vacuum systems, explosion protection equipment, and ducting. DCS also has a range of used equipment. DCS provides services including baghouse inspection and regular maintenance of machinery.
SESCO, an Indiana-based company, designs and manufactures standard and custom industrial lubrication & oil purification systems. The company traces its roots back to 1885 when it began as an oil dispensing & purification provider, but was officially founded in 1969 after the acquisition. Initially, the company designed oil and fuel dispensing systems but expanded its portfolio to include custom-engineered lubrication, filtration, and hydraulic systems. SESCO primarily serves power transmission and generation industries but also offers its products and services in the compressor & petroleum, paper & pulp, and petrochemical industries.
Custom Gasket Manufacturing is based in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. Custom Gasket serves several industries such as power generation, lighting, transportation, water & air filtration, food processing, pump & valve, electronics, cryogenic equipment, oil & gas, construction, agriculture, pharmaceutical, pulp & paper, HVAC, as well as others including OEMs. Custom Gasket Manufacturing produces many types of custom products including rubber elbows, rubber diaphragms, insulators, seals, extrusions, and as per their namesake, gaskets. Custom Gasket also offers rubber extrusion, die cutting, rubber molding, water jet cutting, laser cutting, and flash cutting services.
Clean Liquid Systems is headquartered in Houston, Texas, and is a national supplier of clean air, water, and filtration systems used in human and pet food processing, liquid bottling, and oil and gas industries. The company’s product categories include liquid filters, natural gas, pollution control units, and hydroponic filters. Liquid and natural gas filters are designed for contaminant removal to increase efficiency and reduce pollution. Hydroponic filters serve hydroponic farming on both individual and commercial scales.
Koehler Rubber & Supply Co. (Koehler) was founded in 1917 and operates out of Independence, Ohio. Koehler is a distributor for specialty fluid application products. Product offerings include spray finishing equipment, fluid pumping and handling, lubrication, hoses, sealants, adhesives, meter mix, dispense systems, spray systems, hydraulic & pneumatic equipment such as adapters and fittings, and measuring devices such as gauges and thermometers. Koehler also offers value-added services such as system design, service & repair, maintenance training, operator training, and efficiency analysis.
Marcuse & Son was established in 1925 and operates out of Fort Worth, Texas. Marcuse & Son is a distributor of air compressors and air compressor parts and accessories. Air compressor offerings include reciprocating air compressors and rotary style air compressors. Marcuse & Son’s accessories include air receivers, alternators, belt guards, block heaters, brass valves and fittings, breather vents, compressor lubricants, exhaust mufflers, filters, regulators & lubes, refrigerated air dryers, and water separators.
Plastixs, LLC was founded in 1999 and operates out of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. Plastixs is a distributor for industrial, plastics processors, process companies, and equipment manufacturers as well as a producer of custom water manifold assemblies and accessories to equipment such as plastic processors, semiconductor equipment, x-ray machines computer servers. Plastixs’s offerings include AIRTECT plastic leak alarm aystem, ATI quick-change robotic automatic tool changers, Bunting magnets, Crizaf conveyors, and Moditec low speed granulators among many more.
Circle Valve was founded in 1986 and headquartered in Harleysville, Pennsylvania. Circle Valve is a value-added distributor and manufacture rep of industrial valves, fittings, filters, and measurement control devices for a variety of industries and applications. Among Circle Valve’s product listings are check valves, relief valves, vacuum & high purity fittings, circle seal solenoid valves, Jefferson solenoid valves, Atkomatic solenoid valves GO regulators, cryogenic valves & equipment, hoke valves, Gyrolok Tube Fittings, Circle Seal Control Valves, and various measurement devices.
Oil-Air Products began in 1983 and is based in Plymouth, Minnesota. OAP is a distributor of fluid power systems and offers other services. Product listings include measurement instrumentation, pneumatics, custom manifolds, power units, lubrication, pumps, motors, valves, planetary gearboxes, accumulators, flow meters, and pumps. Other services include custom system design, hose assembly fabrication, troubleshooting, and component selection, as well as machine and part inspection and either on-site or inhouse repair options.
Diamond Needle Corp is the North American distributor for Organ Needle Co., LTD of Japan. Diamond Needle Corp is a supplier of sewing supplies and materials. Individuals and industries served include apparel, automotive, bag closing, bookbinding, embroidery, filters, furniture, home fashions, industrial textiles, mattresses, non-woven, quilting, and other special applications. Diamond Needle has over 100,000 parts and supplies available including needles, replacement parts, scissors, lubricants, chemicals for cleaning and adhesive use, specialized tools, drive belts, crayons, markers, safety aids such as gloves and needle protection, and electric busways.
Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History