KIA Rio GDI Engine Oil Filters Comparison after 3750 miles

Since Direct Injection engines produce more soot than regular injection engines, it is very important to remove as much as possible the contaminants from the motor oil. The first step is to use a good oil filter.
To learn more about it, I opened different oil filters to collect oil samples and inspect the components.
The main goal was to use 6 different oil filter models and visually evaluate how dirty the motor oil was after less than 3750 miles.
The Fram XG9688 and K&N HP-1004 were the best of this selection.
Note:
Blow-by is present with all combustion engines with pistons.
This condition is normally not a problem with multi-port injection systems, but it is problematic with simple direct injection systems.
During cold starts and fast acceleration, direct injection engines, generate too much soot particles because a portion of the fuel mixture is partially unburned.
Residual gasoline can mix with the film of oil on the cylinder walls and reduce the lubrication.
Next, it can damage the catalytic converter when some soot is mixed with the exhaust gases.
Then, during the blow-by conditions, the soot can accumulate behind piston rings and cause excessive wear.
Once in the crankcase, the particles mixes with the oil.
Under certain running conditions, the soot particles are mixed with the crankcase gases and the oil droplets and they are introduced in the crankcase ventilation system and the intake manifold.
When this mixture goes in the combustion chamber to be burned, some particles of soot and contaminants stick on the intake valves. Since there is no gasoline sprayed to wash or dilute the soot on the intake valves, the accumulation creates a carbon build up that cause more problems.
The oil contaminated with soot used to lubricate the engine can also damage the PCV system, the camshaft and crankshaft lobes , the high-pressure fuel pumps drive cam, the engine rod bearings, the VVT system and more.
Good oil filters and good oil cannot solve the problems but they can help to reduce the problems.
Oil catch cans can help in California but with cold Canadian winter it is not a good idea to have an oil catch can plugged with frozen sludge and dirty ice.

[@davidcampbell1899]

Very well done analysis. Liked the fact that you showed the oil contamination with a light, no one has ever done that! I use Fram Tough Guard "cartridge"filters on my 13 Camry and my oil (synthetic) and filters always look quite good after 10,000km. Keep up the good work!

[@davidcohen2682]

SO GOOD

[@jimhaines8370]

Those FRAM Ultra Synthetic filters are very well made and have quality components inside and don't cost too much also

[@Peppermint1]

The Hyundai Kia GDI engines cause more soot because they wash the combustion chamber at cold starts with unburnt gasoline which then leaks past the pistons and into the engine oil. This excess of gasoline is injected to coat the intake valves and prevent the infamous carbon build up. In other words, if you have a Kia Hyundai GDI engine from 2010-2020, you get engine oil dilution on all turbo and non turbo engines.

[@mtlcarguy]

The video was not about the root cause of contaminated oil, but, it is a good idea to describe it. I added more details in the video description section.