You might be wondering why we're talking about Pure Power's metal-mesh oil filters again, given that we ran a similar story just last year. For those of you who missed it, we tested one of these innovative products in our August '05 issue and found favorable results. A year later, Pure Power is hitting the streets again with an update on its original design.
As you may remember, Pure Power's filter relies on a metal mesh that will trap debris 30 microns and smaller. For reference, a human hair is 100 microns in diameter, while a 10-micron particle is the smallest object still visible to the human eye. And whereas most regular filters allow the oil to simply pass over their paper elements, oil is continuously cycled through Pure Power's metal mesh, trapping "trash" inside the canister-not inside your engine.
Cleaning the Pure Power filter is easy: simply unscrew the canister, pop off the element, and rinse it with soap and water. You can also use a parts washer. Should you decide to wash the entire filter, take care to keep those Viton rings in the base away from harsh chemicals. Like all gaskets, they can be affected by the caustic nature of cleaning liquids.
As you can see, there is a little difference between the old L98 edition (left) and the new LT1 element. The metal-mesh screen is now surrounded by a wire "fence" for protection and reinforcement.
So, what's new for 2006? Tested here on Editor Jay's '96 LT1, Pure Power's newest offering comes with a metal screen around the filter element for reinforcement during cleaning. This also means a reduced risk of damage should you accidentally drop the screen while handling it.
Also new is an optional ceramic magnet. Made from strontium carbonate and iron oxide, this thin disk sits at the bottom of the element to trap even more sludge as it works its way through your system.
And finally, hot off the assembly line is a finned outer canister that purportedly helps reduce oil temperatures. Pure Power wasn't able to provide us with one of these new finned units in time for this issue, but we hope to try one in the near future when we break in the Zombie's ZZ4 crate engine. Until then, enjoy this update and "Save the Wave."
Installation is simple, as is removal. Just unscrew the canister and pop off the element. The base stays attached to the car. | 
Inside this element is Pure Power's optional ceramic magnet. As you can see, it did its job well. | 
Meanwhile, inside the canister, a fair amount of sludge can be found. This gunk was previously inside Editor Jay's 75,000-mile '96 LT1. |
Cleanup requires little more than mild soap (or a parts washer)... | 
...a quick rinse... | 
...and either shop air or a little drying time in the sun. |