Non-Mann Filter Causes Excess Oil Pressure/Engine Blown!!
 

I have heard from multiple people that using a non-Mann (factory) oil filter in the Audi A6 can cause excess oil pressure (causing seals to burst/blown head gaskets/blown engines) or can create a lapse in oil pressure causing a vacumm in the system which can lead to similar problems.

Has anyone heard anything like this?

YOU DONT HAVE TO READ THIS BUT IT WILL GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND
Heres the story - I have a '99 A6 Quattro 2.8. I needed an oil change, so I went to buy an oil filter and some synthetic oil. I got lazy (instead of driving to the dealer 30 miles away) and called a "European Automotive Specialist's" shop and asked him for a filter. He said he had a factory filter for my car in stock and told me to come in. I went to the place and the filter he brough out a Bosch filter. I told him it didnt look to be quite as long as my factory Mann filter but he didn't make any comments about it. When I started to change my oil, I noticed that it was smaller in length but had the same threading and hole structure as my filter that was on there. I called him, he said it was totally fine and normal and not to worry about it.

Today (the next day) I was driving down the freeway and after driving my car a total of 9 miles after the oil change I noticed a massive ammount of smoke coming from the back of my car. I pulled over and oil was EVERYWHERE. I think that dude cause my shit to blow, but well see after I take it to the mechanic.

Bosch filter is good for our cars. I really doubt that the filter itself had anything to do with your oil leak. Perhaps the work may have been related, such as filter not seating correctly or missing the drain plug and etc... (BTW, if you personally know someone telling you that an oil filter was the cause of the head gasket blowing, then don't let him/her touch your car.)

I believe your motor is ATQ. Anyways, these motors are notorious for blowing seals due to clogged suction pump and PCV system. This will raise crank case pressure for sure and eventually lead to failed seals. It happened to me, and I can easily say that most of us had that issue. To resolve it, I would either clean or replace your suction pump. Then make sure to check proper operation of the the PCV system and throw in an updated vented oil cap for a good measure.

Sorry it happened, but shit also happens.

I think its the Mann and the Mahle filters have some sort of "high pressure bypass" feature. Auditech79 posted something about it a while back. A few other filters have it also but I'm not positive which ones do and which ones do not.

We only buy OEM oil filters by original manufacturer for our Audi. They are made for 100% output on euro cars.
Quoted text from other site:
The Germans appear to like filters with reinforced media and a relatively high (30lb+/-) filter bypass valve.

Just because it says it can go on our Audi doesn't mean it was meant to. Some require large capacity filters.

All oil filters have a high pressure bypass. Every one.

The difference in oil filters has to do with the filtration material. The better the filter, the better the material. If you change oil every 3000 miles any filter will do. If you stretch your oil change interval (by running Amsoil or RP) you will want a better filter.

Bob

by-pass valve tutorial
 

The Bypass Valve

Under ideal conditions, the bypass valve will never open. When it opens, the oil by passes the filter and goes on through to the motor, obviously unfiltered. It is a safety valve. However, in real operation, it opens often.

One example is when you start the motor when cold. The oil is thick and does not pass easily through the filtration medium, thus building up to a high pressure drop. So, the bypass valve opens to prevent oil-starvation of the motor. How long it stays open is dependent on how cold the oil is and how long it takes to get near operating temperature. When the pressure drop across the filtration medium drops below the bypass valve setting, it closes once again.

Another example can occur when the motor is fully warmed. At idle, the oil pressure is about 15 to 20 psi, and the pressure drop across the filter is about 1 or 2 psi. You take off towards the redline, and quickly build oil pressure. During that full-throttle acceleration the pressure drop across the filter will exceed the bypass setting, and send unfiltered oil to the motor, until the pressure across the filter has time to equalize. During a drag race, shifting through the gears, the bypass will open several times.

A third example, which you should never experience with frequent oil and filter changes, is when a filter becomes clogged. A spin-on filter can commonly hold 10 to 20 grams of trash before it becomes fully clogged. The bypass valve opening is the only way to keep the motor from becoming oil-starved if the filter becomes clogged.

According to Purolator, the Honda OEM filter bypass setting is 12 to 14 psi. WIX (NAPA Gold) builds their oil filters with a bypass setting of 8 to 11 psi, while AC Delco builds theirs to a setting of 11 to 17 psi. How much do these differences matter? I don't think anyone knows, even the engineers, and each has its own set of advantages and disadvantages.
Hope this helped!