Since our oil filters don't have an inlet for oil to from from the center and on out through the media like a spin-on filter, how does it work?

I know there's the upper and lower holes in the filter housing, so does oil just pour down over and around the filter? Seems like you'd end up with some oil that isn't getting filtered during every pass that way though, because the filter doesn't fit tight enough into the housing.

 

I am pretty sure the oil filter chamber fills and forces the oil through the oil filter, outside in.. If you look at a used oil filter any debris will be in the outside of the folds. Oil is pushed through and then into the filter pin to the engine. The pin is sealed by the rubber seals on the oil filter.

Anybody know different?

 

I'm trying to visualize what you mean. The rubber seal just secures the filter to the housing cover, no? There's no hole in the cover except for the two screw holes to fasten it to the filter housing/chamber. And then inside the chamber itself where the coil spring and four prongs are, there's no hole there either. That's why to me it looks like the oil just washes over the outside of the filter media, but that just seems strange.

 

Isn't it precisely how canister filters work too, but you just aren't buying the outpart (it is part of the bike)?

 

Our KLX filters don't have a hole in-line with the center of the media to flow oil through it the way that a canister filter does.

 

I don't have one in my hand, but the Internet shows a hole, no?

 

They certainly do have an inlet positioned in the center of the filter.

https://www.knfilters.com/oil-filters/kawasaki/klx250

 

That hole/grommet is to hold it onto the filter housing cover.

 

For a refresher on what the housing looks like, here are photos. Notice how on the inside of the housing, where the four prongs are that hold the coil spring in place, there is no hole to correspond to the center tube of the filter. And on the cover, there is also no hole to go with the center tube. That rubber piece in the filter just securely holds the filter itself to the cover on a cylindrical pin.

https://www.partzilla.com/blog/kawas...-change-how-to

Look carefully and you'll see two holes in the housing that, one at the bottom and one around the top left, that face the outside diameter of the filter.

 

The oil is pumped from the sump into the outer housing of the filter, passes through the element, and discharges through the center into the filter cover. That cover has a passage that leads directly into the main oil gallery for the engine.