Oil Filter Selection

[MMiskoe]

Curious to see opinions of oil filter brands that people use and why.

This is for both IT cars & street cars so I am not so interested in remote mounted stuff (not that those aren't worth talking about). I ask because I see lots of different brands in the stores all w/ claims of supriority and prices all over the map.

Give people something to do while Speed TV spins in circles these days & its colder than, well, you can make up your own expression.

Thanks
Matt

[AntonioGG]

Anything made by Wix. Mazda, CarQuest and others.

I definitely stay away from Fram.

You can search online for tests of different air and oil filters to see the performance. The most worrisome thing is bypass failure or bypass triggering too early.

[pgipson]

For the RX7 I use the Mazda filter. I get them 6 at a time from a local dealer at the same price as Mazda Motorsports.

For more discussions about filters and oil than you could ever want go to Bob is the oil guy

[JamesB]

I stick with the man filters for the VW. Since thats what I use for the 2001 jetta I have, and the same filter is used in my 8v I get them a case at a time and its cheaper and easier.

[Greg Amy]

NAPA Gold.

[dave parker]

I stick with the man filters for the VW. Since thats what I use for the 2001 jetta I have, and the same filter is used in my 8v I get them a case at a time and its cheaper and easier.
[/b]

I used to agree with JamesB that Mann filters were the top notch for the VW/Audi/Porsche cars. Then while I worked at a NAPA store (one of my more interesting career moves) I got to be pretty friendly with the NAPA filter rep. NAPA uses Wix filters (reboxed) in the own label boxes. Steve the filter guy (as we called him) came by one day with a filter cutter and we cut open several filters. We went to Walmart and got a Fram filter, the local Auto Zone and got a Lee filter, one of our NAPA filters, and one of my Mann VW filters. We cut each one of them open and examined the internal compenents. The two most important parts of an oil filter are the filtration media (this is just what it sounds like and traps the junk in the oil), and the bypass spring (the bypass spring keeps the filter "closed" until the oil pressure comes into the nominal range. When one is looking at filtration media you want to see a pleated paper type of media with a very tight weave that will catch small particulates. When one is looking at the bypass spring you want to see a coil spring that can hold the bypass plate in place firmly, you do not want to see a flat piece of metal that has been bent (creased) to provide tension because it is difficult maintain accuracy of tension between samples.

When we cut open the Fram and Lee filters the filtration media looked like toilet paper wound around a metal spool, and the bypass spring was a flat strip of metal about 1/2 inch wide with a crease in the center peak. The Mann filter had a very nice pleated paper filtration media and a the same flat strip of metal as the bypass spring. The NAPA filter had the very nice pleated paper filtration media and a coil spring type bypass spring. I have used NAPA Gold filters in all of my vehicles (street and race) ever since. I also learned from Steve the filter guy how important it is to examine the oil filter media on a race car when you take an old filter off. It has saved us problems down the road because you can see the metal bits trapped in the oil filter.

Since we have four VW street cars and three VW race cars I wait until the local NAPA store has the "Farm Days" sale (I live in an area that actually still has farms) and by the filters by the case when they are on sale. They usually do that sale in February.

The difference between the NAPA Gold and the NAPA Silver filters is the quality of the filtration media, stick with the NAPA Gold, it is worth the extra money.

Just my opinion, and worth exactly what it just cost you ($0.00)

cheers
"dangerous" dave parker

[924Guy]

Probably not the best thing to be saying about my race motor (2.0L 924), but I switched off of the FRAM HP1 filter to the Mann Diesel Rabbit filter in the middle of last season (I use the diesel filter for the extra capacity on my external mount) - likewise happy with Mahle. The reason why is that I'd see sparkly oil when changing it after a race weekend when using the Fram - tiny metal bits in suspension. With the Mann filter, as suggested above - that was all captured in the filter, and my oil looked normal.

Now, of course, there's the reason WHY the bits are there; seems that they're not from the bearings, as I checked (pulled the pan and was ready to do the bearings mid-season), so I'm guessing it's from the new rings seating. I'm scheduled to do a tear-down this spring before we get going and find out the answer, probably put at least new rod bearings in it...

[tbtapper]

If you want to stick with "commercial" filters I would concur that for quality and filtering ability there is nothing better than a WIX filter. I have at least satisfied my self on this opinion with the old cut em open analysis.

However, for really best available filtering and longevity I use the Canton Mecca spin on unit on my race car.

I use the larger of the two units available and replace the insert filter twice a year. I forget the specs but it's basically more effective AFTER 20k miles on the street than a brand new Fram HP racing filter.

Sometimes I have trouble seeing the oil on the dip stick it's so clear.

Travers
ITS 19

[joeg]

I use Purolator "Pureones" because of the drainback valve. The guy at Racer Wholesale parts recommended it years ago for when you use an Accusump

[Racerlinn]

NAPA Gold.
[/b]

Really Greg?
This seems opposite the widely held belief that the OEM Nissan filter is best for the SR20.
What did you base your decision on?

[Bill Miller]

If you want to stick with "commercial" filters I would concur that for quality and filtering ability there is nothing better than a WIX filter. I have at least satisfied my self on this opinion with the old cut em open analysis.

However, for really best available filtering and longevity I use the Canton Mecca spin on unit on my race car.

I use the larger of the two units available and replace the insert filter twice a year. I forget the specs but it's basically more effective AFTER 20k miles on the street than a brand new Fram HP racing filter.

Sometimes I have trouble seeing the oil on the dip stick it's so clear.

Travers
ITS 19
[/b]

I'm surprised that only one person has mentioned the Canton / Mecca filters. That's what I've used for years.

[Greg Amy]

What did you base your decision on?
[/b]

Quality, availability, experience, price. Besides, I've generally found that anything the Nissan "community" says is best usually turns out to not be...

http://www.kakashiracing.com/team.html

Also don't forget also that I use Mobil 1 Synthetic exclusively and change the oil and filter each and every race weekend, without fail, another item that the "community" claims is not necessary...in fact, on test/school/race weekends I'll even change it before the race.

So, why pay extra and give that money to a dealer when there's no reason to? NAPA's Gold filter is a good product. - GA

[DavidM]

Anybody ever compare one of the K&N filters with other ones? I usually subscribe to the you get what you pay for philosophy, but wonder if you're paying extra for the name. Anyways, my picks are K&N (get 'em at AutoZone), Nissan OEM, or NAPA Gold depending on what store I happen to be going by that day.

David

[Racerlinn]

So, why pay extra and give that money to a dealer when there's no reason to? NAPA's Gold filter is a good product. - GA
[/b]

Hmmmm.....checking locally, I can get the OEM Nissan at the same price as the NAPA Gold....
I had avoided the major commercial brands due to concerns about the bypass.

[Daryl DeArman]

One thing to consider about OEM filters is that someone is making that filter for them. That same someone is making that same filter for others as well--figure out who it is/what options you have may save you some money. Also open the box (whether OEM or your clone) to ensure that the OEM has not changed suppliers to a lesser filter or Brand X hasn't changed to another manufacturer.

Another thing worth considering is that all filters by manufacturer "x" won't be the same design/quality for every application.

[vwmann1]

I'm surprised that only one person has mentioned the Canton / Mecca filters. That's what I've used for years.
[/b]

Ditto, and it takes the whole bypass worry out of the picture.

[mowog]

I used the Canton canister filter in a racecar (GT-5, but that doesn't really matter) and had more oiling related problem than I've ever had with any other car/motor. This included high bearing wear, spun bearings (one resulting in a fire when the oil pan failed to retain the connecting rod), and other very expensive things. Adding additional screen filters between the pan and oil pump seemed to help, which tells me this filter wasn't as good as it should have been. I've switched to the K&N filter, and have been very happy with the results. As always, YMMV

Edit/Note: I take every motor apart at least once a year, more often if something isn't right. I judge filters by what I see regarding bearing appearance and wear, crankshaft journal wear, bore appearance and wear, ring wear, etc. I don't just look at the contents of the filter, as I feel the end results are more important.

[ITC Racer]

OEM Honda on the ITC car based on a recommendation from the engine builder. Yes, it is made by someone (fram perhaps) but I believe that the Honda one may be slightly better than the equivalent non-OEM branded filter... There is something to say for OEM engine engineers and the testing they do.

I also buy in bulk to save some money.

I also run OEM filters on my street cars for the same reasoning.

[charrbq]

Fram on every vehicle I've ever owned or raced.

[philstireservice]

Canton oil filters, because I have a canister set up on my E Prod car.....and of course the best oil...Amsoil.