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Technical Who makes the best oil filter?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Rusty O'Toole, Oct 31, 2016.

  1. We don't have NAPA in Canada??? Funny how I spend 20 grand a month there.
     
    acadian_carguy likes this.
  2. NAPA Gold/Wix, Baldwin
     
  3. acadian_carguy
    Joined: Apr 23, 2008
    Posts: 795

    acadian_carguy
    Member

    On advice from a mechanic friend I only use Wix/Napa Gold filters on both cars I own.
     
  4. Blues4U
    Joined: Oct 1, 2015
    Posts: 7,589

    Blues4U
    Member
    from So Cal

    FYI, Wix makes several different performance level of filter, not all are the same. You would do well do check out the differences. See the attached pdf for a list of Wix filters for Chevy engines, if you have a different engine you need to do your own research.

    Sorry they aren't in any particular order, this is just the order that they were on the Wix web site. This to look for:

    1. Size: the spin on filters all fit the same base and have the same thread size/pitch and the same outer diameter and gasket diameter, where they differ is the height. This might be important for your application if you have clearance problems and need a short filter to fit the space in your engine compartment. All things being equal a taller filter should have additional flow capacity, and it should have additional dirt holding capacity. You can design a filter to filter down to very fine particles, but then you can have limits on flow capacity. So by making it a little taller there is additional surface area to flow more oil across it. And the physically larger case should provide added holding capacity.
    2. Media type: Cellulose media is made of a bunch of different size fibers, with different size openings, which mean the media may capture a particular particle, or it may not, depending on the size of the opening between fibers where the particle flows past. Synthetic media is much more consistent in size, so it is also traps particles much more consistently. Enhanced cellulose? I assume that means the cellulose is enhanced with fiber glass to improve the dirt holding performance, it could be a cross of synthetic and cellulose fibers. I couldn't find a good explanation on their site.
    3. Beta Ratio: This is an efficiency rating of the filter, how well it captures particles of a certain size. Unfortunately this is not provided for all of the filters, and the ones that it is supplied for are all the same, indicating some pencil whipping is going on here and we're not being given accurate numbers. In any case, the 2/20=6/20 means: the filter will capture 50% of particles 6 microns in size, and it will capture 95% of particles 20 microns in size. This is pretty good performance. Not exceptional, but good.
    4. Burst Pressure: self explanatory.
    5. Max Flow Rate: the rate in Gallons Per Minute that the filter will flow. This is nice info, but it begs the question, at what viscosity? It would be nice if they provided that. In any case, you can use the data to compare filters against each other. Max flow rate is mostly important to racing conditions and high RPM operation. If you're spinning an engine at very high speeds with very high viscosty oil, like a lot of racers do, then you need a filter that can handle the flow. Check the first spin on filter on page 1, #51069, rated at 9 - 11 gpm. Now look at 51794R on page 3, 28 gpm! But what is the Beta Ratio of 51794R? They don't even give it, I'll assume because it's not very good and for the intended application they don't care, all they want is a filter that will catch the really big stuff and live for a couple of 1/4 mile passes. Different filters for different applications.
    6. Nominal Micron Rating: This is a somewhat subjective rating, a better rating is the Absolute rating, but Nominal is all they give us, and they don't give it for every filter. But, it supposed to indicate the largest size of particle that will not pass through the filter, so supposedly all particles larger than the Nominal rating will be stopped by the filter. Note, a micron is 1 millionth of a meter. The limit of human eyesight is about 40 microns, a human hair is about 70 - 80 microns.

    With regards to Napa filters, I believe the Wix 51620, 51086, 51046, & 51072, are the equivalent of NAPA Silver filters; Wix 51069, 51061, 51060 & 57099 are the equivalent of NAPA Gold filters and Wix 51060XP is the equivalent of NAPA Platinum.

    I'm working on getting all the data like this for other filters too, what ever they make available on their websites.
     

    Attached Files:

    HemiDeuce likes this.
  5. acadian_carguy
    Joined: Apr 23, 2008
    Posts: 795

    acadian_carguy
    Member

    Yea...somehow I get my Napa Gold oil filters there.
     
  6. trollst
    Joined: Jan 27, 2012
    Posts: 2,108

    trollst
    Member

    I use wix or Donaldson, I live in a logging town, they're used on every logging truck here, good enough for them, good enough for me. I buy from the local parts guy, rarely ever set foot in lordco.......every customer gets a different price in that place.
     
  7. falcongeorge
    Joined: Aug 26, 2010
    Posts: 18,341

    falcongeorge
    Member
    from BC

    True. I have been friends with the manager of the Pitt Meadows store since the seventies, so I get a good deal through him. Most Lordco countermen are a ROYAL PITA.
     
  8. falcongeorge
    Joined: Aug 26, 2010
    Posts: 18,341

    falcongeorge
    Member
    from BC

    see post #119
     
  9. silent rick
    Joined: Nov 7, 2002
    Posts: 5,207

    silent rick
    Member

    i used fram for 40 years. never had a problem. now you guys have got me worried.
     
  10. gimpyshotrods
    Joined: May 20, 2009
    Posts: 23,263

    gimpyshotrods
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Statistically speaking, you are about to have a catastrophic failure.
     
    6-bangertim likes this.
  11. HiHelix
    Joined: Dec 20, 2015
    Posts: 381

    HiHelix
    Member

    I use a soup can and a Kotex...
     
  12. autobilly
    Joined: May 23, 2007
    Posts: 3,123

    autobilly
    Member

    I use AC Delco. Although it's a remote bypass system.
     
  13. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,933

    squirrel
    Member

    Picked up a Wix transmission filter for my go fast car....hmmm.....only the finest!

    filter.jpg
     
    firstinsteele likes this.
  14. theHIGHLANDER
    Joined: Jun 3, 2005
    Posts: 10,244

    theHIGHLANDER
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Want to buy it once, wash it and forget it? Oberg. Twist and toss? Wix. And yes I've cut many apart including Fram. Fram's "...pay me now..." ad campaign, well you were really paying them now, FOR ADVERTISING. They market harder than anyone I think. I have a new Oberg that I'm waiting to put on something. We ran one on the A/FC which I thought was odd but it did trap a little shit now n then.
     
  15. DEEPNHOCK
    Joined: Jan 3, 2005
    Posts: 315

    DEEPNHOCK
    Member

    Wix was just sold to the German company Mann & Hummel...
     
  16. DEEPNHOCK
    Joined: Jan 3, 2005
    Posts: 315

    DEEPNHOCK
    Member

    Fram RACING filters are very good.
     
  17. jimmy six
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 14,795

    jimmy six
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Every gear nut doing his own work especially oil changes should spend a few bucks on a filter cutting tool. I cut every one open even my wife's Hondas. Our 1/2 mile dirt car engine filter is changed after 3 races and oil every 6. We buy racing Wix by the case on Amazon. Just good insurance.
     
  18. Oilguy
    Joined: Jun 28, 2011
    Posts: 663

    Oilguy
    Member

    Imagine a wad of steel wool; that is similar to cellulose media. The nominal rating, as mentioned above, is the average pore size. Inexpensive to produce but it can pass particles larger than the nominal rating, but at the same time trap some particles smaller than that. Synthetic media is more like the webbing for a screen door; all pore sizes are of the same precise size. These filters also exhibit a lower pressure drop, or resistance to flow. The synthetic filters are the preferred design for high pressure industrial and mobile hydraulic systems, even though the cost is often 4 times that of the cellulose style. These are Beta tested for efficiency, as previously mentioned, whereas the cellulose units are not. The Beta test is basically dumping X amount of crap into the oil stream and then measuring how much the filter will remove. The absolute rating means the filter will remove 99 % of the dirt introduced. The filter will trap a minimum of 99 per cent of the particles larger than the micron rating of the element. Note that some manufacturers will claim efficiency numbers greater than 99 per cent. Industrial and mobile hydraulic systems generally use 10 micron absolute filtration. Now if this level of filtration efficiency is really required for an automobile engine is beyond me. We drive thousands of miles with cheap filters, and have for years.
     
  19. I am currently using a 1944 farmall M. it was converted to LP in 1953. At that time it got a M&P add power piston and sleeve kit. That increased the cubic inches from 248 to 264. And that engine hasn't been touched except for oil & filter changes and plugs and points since 1953. Still going strong. and I use it hard. bailing hay, Brushogging, skidding logs ect. It now has a Frantz and a adapter I made from the aluminum filter adapter from a 350 Pontiac .So it now has a spin on filter. I wasn't gonna pay twenty dollars for a cartridge like it originally came with. I fully intend to use that tractor for the remainder of my days and let one of my grandsons have it. A engine rebuild isn't part of my agenda.
     

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