Oil Filter Comparison

[MR DERBY CITY]

Nice info Mark, I think most racers have heard the FRAM filter horror stories...Just one question, anyone know who makes the filters for K and N ??

[Tim H]

There is a lot of re-branding in the oil filter business. A handful of primary mfrs producing for big box stores, parts jobbers, quickie lubes etc ... Sometimes they are made to lesser standards and some times they are the same filter in terms of quality and materials. The trick is having insider info to be able to acquire great filters at bargain pricing. I worked in the auto parts industry for about 35 years. In Canada AcDelco filters have been made by different mfrs over the years. The Napa / Wix relationship has gone on for a very long time. There was a time when Fram was a better quality product but seems to have lowered their standards to get into bed with Canadian Tire, Walmart etc ... Luberfiner was always top notch. K&N top line is a much better filter than their price fighter series. Products like Champ, Purolator , Fram etc will never make their way onto anything our family owns. I can't recall who used to make the Royal Purple filters, however a few years ago ( 5 or so) they seemed to be a cheaper product getting marketing mileage out of the good reputation their oil has with many racers / consumers.
As stated in an earlier post that it isn't worth cutting corners on good oil or filters.
We have always owned, built and raced Chevys and the only problem we ever encountered was with a Fram oil filter about 25 years ago.A friend and fellow racer had a similar issue that same summer.

[Eman]

I had to laugh at the video, he's got an oil filter cutter sitting there and he's using a grinder. great tool to have is an oil filter cutter. When the blade wears out a good hardware store will have a quality pipe cutter blade and it will last forever. I cut a lot of filters apart, not just my own but a lot of brands off of cars that came in for oil changes when I had my shop. No question about Wix and NAPA and the Fram were just like the video. For a decent filter for a daily driver Purolator and Carquest were very good. AC Delco used to be very good, but they cheaped out years back so I stay away from them.
The best protection I've used on a race motor is neodymium high temp magnets. Stick a couple on the filter, a few in the heads at the drain backs and a couple in the oil pan. I use them in the trans and diff too.
I buy my Wix from Filter 1, good price and free shipping on $50 or more order.

[Bob Mulry]

Originally Posted by Eman

Why do people use a filter with an anti-drainback valve if their filter isn't mounted sideways or upside down?

Hi,

If the filter is located higher than the level of the oil in the pan, it will seek its own level..

This is called the siphon effect and will empty the filter, oil galleries, lifters and everything else in the oil circuit and drain it to the oil pan..

Bob

[Mark Yacavone]

I wish I saw this about two weeks ago.
I never used Fram..Always AC, since I worked at a Pontiac dealer, many moons ago. They used to have AC at Walmart, as well as Fram.

Anyway, I went to W/M to get some oil and filter for the ol' 460 motor home. I grabbed a Fram filter to replace the one on there from last year. That's pretty much all they have now.

The 460 filter sticks out in the front, as some of you know. I still put about a half qt. in it , before tipping it up into place. I spilled some oil on top of the anti- drain back valve. I tried to push the valve open with a little pick, and it was real hard and would barely open. It seemed like plastic or some kind of compressed garbage.
Now I know why...It is!
Never again.

[FED 387]

Just remember regardless whose oil filter you purchase basically only 4 large companies make all of the oil filters in the WORLD for everybody--The Rank Group ---Mann-Hummel------Kuefner Filters----Parker Hannifin corporation--FED 387

[SSGN]

Interested in more info on these K&P filters. I remember the system 1 but never tried them .I have always used the Wix/Napa Gold series .
Thanks

[carl hinkson]

Have used the NAPA/Wix non R filters for years with no bypass, Have seen the difference between using a filter with a 61 Micron and using a filter with 21 micron rating.

[Signman]

Did some research on oil filters a few years ago.

Micron rating on filter paper is an "average" opening size meaning there are larger and smaller openings.

Higher quality = tighter range of size of openings.

Screen filters offer a tighter range in opening size particularly those of medical grade stainless steel plus can actually flow more oil with less restriction.

There's a few HP there.

[Mike Pearson]

I have been using the System 1 filter for years with good results. I lost one engine due to an AC Delco filter collapsing. No more passenger car filters for me.