Oil Filters

[SantaFe66]

All I know is the research that others have done indicates that the "Wal-Mart" and cheapo filters aren't what we should be using. That includes Fram, and those made by Fram, and just generally those you pay $5 or less for. Of course, you can pay more and get less too. For example, the filter evaluator guy (http://www.knizefamily.net/minimopar...lterstudy.html) disassembled the various NAPA filters and found they were the same inside, but the prices weren't. Filters must be a lucrative business to have the number of scammers in it.

Here are his opinions based on disassembly and evaluation thereof:

http://www.knizefamily.net/minimopar.../opinions.html

[427sharpe]

All I know is the research that others have done indicates that the "Wal-Mart" and cheapo filters aren't what we should be using.
Of course not! Who would build anything they had pride in and use junk to maintain it?
That includes Fram, and those made by Fram, and just generally those you pay $5 or less for.
The FL-1a (spec'd by the same guys that engineered the engines) sells for $4.29 retail hereabouts. Of course, the fact that they have been used since the 50's, cover millions of cars and can be ordered/sold in pallet quantities may have something to do with it. (Knize) disassembled the various NAPA filters and found they were the same inside, but the prices weren't.
Somebody will certainly make a fortune off of this one....IF this is true, NAPA is guilty of fraud, and since they are a nationwide co., throw the feds in the mix. I would imagine that the filters may LOOK the same to the uneducated eye (like mine), but are very different in actuality. Different micron filtering maybe? Number of folds? Boils down to trusting NAPA or a guy in his basement with a well designed website and a thesaurus.

Here are his opinions based on disassembly and evaluation thereof:

http://www.knizefamily.net/minimopar.../opinions.html

EXACTLY: His OPINIONS! What is his backround? Is he qualified to make his comparisons? I don't mean to sound the way this probably does, but
I take the web with a large dose of salt....including the various experts lurking about (like the 'oil guy'). I tried to make the point that I think most of us 'overkill' our cars, and than look for the justifications later.
I see full tilt competition cars using the FL-1a (including the Rotella standards of yore on Cobras, GT350's and GT40's) and somehow we talk ourselves into assuming that it isn't good enough for a suburban blaster? Makes me wonder, thats all....

[DAVID GAGNARD]

I'm certainly not an oil/oil filter expert,so I'll just state my real world expeirences................

Sometime ago, there was a similar thread and the Fram filter was supposed to be junk, they touted the AC Delco filter as one of the best....So, being a little worried, cause I use only Fram filters from Wal Mart in all my stuff, I went out and bought some AC Delco filters...
Here's what I found: In my Toyota company car which at the time had about 300,000 miles on it and nothing but Rotella T 15/40 oil and a Fram filter in it from it's first oil change since new......when I changed my oil at the next interval I used the same oil and then the AC Delco filter and the next morning on startup, the motor "knocked" for at least 10 seconds, I revved it to maybe 1500 rpms and it went away, after that it was o-k.... after sitting overninght it did the same thing for three days in a row, so I took off the the Delco and put a new Fram filter on, never has done it since....The car will hit 400,000 miles in a few months and the only thing done on the engine was to change the valve cover gasket..... That's the third company car with over 250,000 miles with Fram filters and Rotella oil and none have ever had the engines worked on, so I guess I'll keep using those cheap, no-good Frams from Wal Mart.......

On my race car I use the Fram HP series filter and cut them open to check them out and the motor at the oil changes, never seen anything unusual or anything to make me switch brands.......

Nothing scientific here, just my real world results..........

David

[STEVE POTTS]

I was looking at the wix racing filter...part 51515R and it flows 28 gpm but the micron rating is 61. The standard wix street filter ...part 51515 flows 7-9 gpm but the micron rating is 19. 61 microns seems too large for a street motor.