Oil Filter Comparison
 

What can I say? I'm just the messenger here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTNJLEV8CG8

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

I've always raced with Napa Gold or Wix standard filters.

Both motors are currently stored for the winter with 10w-30 and a cheapo Fram filter. One motor was only spun over with the starter, the other fired and driven about 100 feet into the trailer.

In the spring, both will get fresh 20w-50 Valvoline VR1 and a Wix 51060 filter.

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

A 51060 is rated at 21 microns. A 51060R is rated at 61 microns. System One has elements available from 30 to 75 I believe. That rating should be the first consideration as to which filter to use (along with being a quality manufacturer of course) IMHO.

I've been in the automotive business for over 40 years, and have seen and heard reasons to avoid Fram for most of them.

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

Have always used K&N, never a problem.

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

used Wix racing filters for decades, now K&P Engineering

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

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

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

don't know about the fram go-fast filters but I've sure fixed a lot of oil pressure issues with a different brand filter. the ones with the rhino coating are crap and collapse...

btw, doesn't this guy (on youtube) know there's filter cutting tools? ;)

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

I've always used the 51060 or 51061 interchangeably. The last time I ordered a case of filters, the 51060 (with anti-drainback valve) was $0.75 cheaper per filter, so I bought those.

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

I have always been led to believe that if you wanted to flow a lot of oil through a filter, to use a filter with a large micron number, otherwise oil gets by passed and is not filtered.

I've used Fram filters over the years and even though they were cheaply built, never had a problem.

I know that Wix and NAPA are excellent, but also know the marine people use Baldwin filters. Wal Mart even HAD a house brand that was also really well built.

Tried them all and never had one fail. O-ring gets loose, but that has been it.

Loren
:rolleyes:

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

If you change the oil REGULARLY( like every couple races) you can use a filter that does not filter out the tiniest particles known to man--- just keep an eye on what comes out of the engine in the drain pan and use good judgement--there are several good quality filters out there some are disposable and some are designed to be disassembled and cleaned-- for a few bucks don't be cheap and take a chance on an engine---FED 387

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

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 ??

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

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.

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

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.

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

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

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

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.

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

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

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

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

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

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.

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

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.

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

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.

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

I’ve been using the System One filters for quite some time and have it on all of our engines. Just makes no sense to use a stock filter on a Race Engine. I like the idea of being able to take it apart and inspect the filter element clean it and put it back in

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

Joe, an engineer at the Sunoco refinery lab a few miles from my shop, tested filters & posted the results he got on a local board. Wix flowed more, and stopped caught more crap than the others. He was a customer of mine. I gave him one of my System1 filters. I used them, instead of cutting & throwing away the AC filters I had been using. I only used one Fram. Stopped that after cutting the first Fram apart. I was not comfortable with what it looked like.

Anyway, the spare System1 I sent with him did not flow as much as the Wix filters. I did not feel like I needed a flow restriction in my engine's oil system. I was running a dirt track Sprint Car every Fri & Sat nights then. Cheaper than throwing away two cut up Wix filters a week. I was disappointed in the test results. Never hurt any bearings with the System1. May have flowed enough.

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

Ed do you remember the difference in flow? I also did not like the idea of cutting them apart and the mess I wonder if upping the pressure overcomes the restriction at some point and the effect that has on volume on volume I have never had any issue I always appreciate your comments Ed

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

Regardless the brand or type, I've always used the largest filter that I could get for an application. I also see guys using remote mounts with the large filters. Seems sensible to me that a filter with more media surface area will flow more oil over a set period of time at a specific pressure and be less of a restriction in the system.

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

Sorry, Joe. Too many years ago. Don't remember any numbers. I still have one of them. Have thought about putting it back on. I have a lower volume pump (my 410" Sprint car engine was a dry dump) and always use thinner oil now. May just go back to it.
I also put a 1/8" Allen pipe plug in the bypass valve in the factory oil filter mount. Everything always goes through the filter.

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

Bad experience with fram Junk Junk Juuuuuunk. BP

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

The K&P Engineering oil filter is the best engineered of all the oil filters in the market. They also spent a great amount of money to get FAA certification on the oil filter.

My former manager in my last job, spent 30+ years in NASCAR as the engine shop manager for Robert Yates and later Penske. They tested many oil filters and their preference was Wix, Baldwin and Hastings oil filters. On the dyno they ran Oberg oil filters.

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

I don't know if the problem has been fixed, but quite a few years ago there was several Cummins engines came in the shop with pistons burned up. The oilers were stopped up with tiny hair like stuff. The common thread was the Fram oil filter. I didn't read it, but was told that later there was some bulletins about the excess diesel pollution in the oil eating up the bonding of the paper in the filters. That was supposed to stop the oil spray that cooled the piston. At the time I had a 92 Dodge 3/4 ton shop truck with a Cummins. I used a Wix after that. It has about 250,000 on it now and no problems.

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

I use the K & N "Performance Gold Oil Filter"
Height: 5.719"
Diameter: 3.696"
Thread: 13/16"-16UNS

I also use the Wix 51060R filter.

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

I have seen lots of tests like this one and the Fram filters seem to always end up on the bottom.

However as many as they sell they must be "good enough" for many applications.

It does not matter if it is tires, batteries or oil filters, it does not matter as much as who makes them and to what specifications they were built.

Like many others that have posted I use the Wix filters and have been happy with them.

However I would like to see a comparison that included racing filters.

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

Just wondering if we are comparing apples to apples . The WIX filters I use which has the R after the number has a metal screen that backs up the filter media . I used to use the HP version of the Fram filter , which I never had a problem with . When I get out to the shop , I will cut apart a Fram HP filter and see how the filter media is attached to the bobbin . I know the can is thicker than the street version .

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

be a nice guy and post some pics?

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

Fram sells because of their strong marketing program.

Nevertheless, the problem with Fram oil filters has been the inconsistency of their product because it is manufactured all over the world without proper quality oversight.

In my past business travels I have drive by Fram oil filter manufacturing facilities from South America throughout Asia. They have also had a high number of oil filter recalls throughout the years, including their racing oil filters in 2007 as shown in the link below:

www.motorstate.com/pdf/FramRecall.pdf

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

wlile I agree that the fram street filters are junk I've used the fram hp filters for a long time and never had any problems. I cut every one open when I change them and their quality seems to me to be as good as the napa's or the wix. I know the frams are a lot easier to get than the others.

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

Looks like the construction is the same as the street version . End caps are cardboard , the bypass valve , under the screen looks well designed with a coil spring .

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

About 5 years ago I bought a 74 corvette that was running in stock. I had a motor built for it and decided to have a straight rear put in it along with some other changes. The motor was done before the corvette was finished. I wanted to race at Indy and put the motor in my brother's Camaro and went to Indy. We raced it a few more times and put it away for the winter. I put the motor In the corvette and went to a race the next year. Made a pass and only had 10 pounds oil pressure. After putting another gauge on dropping the oil pan and chasing other stuff someone suggested we change the oil filter after asking if it was a fram. Yup the racing filter. Changed the filter and bam 40 pounds preasure and a .10th in ET. Fram = Junk!!!!!!! BP

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

Me thinks you should have changed the oil filter first, would have saved you a lot of time and work.....Happy New Year.....MJ

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

I've been reading along and I'll voice my opinion (whatever that's worth).
An oil filter on a "drag car" is like following behind a baby with a paper towel that has no diapers on.
Screens and magnets will catch the iron, aluminum and babbitt usally won't hurt anything.
Change the oil often and inspect.
If the filter gets a little clogged it will bypasses the element, so non filtered oil gets thru.
I'll not run one (free hp) we'll see how it works.
Mike

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

Years ago while still in a dealership, we had a spat of issues with a particular 4 cylinder OHC engine seizing the cam in the head. The common thing between all of the failures was a Fram filter.

I've always used a System 1 type filter in a race application. I know the filter rating stays consistent since it is reused, I know what's normal and what's not, and I use the ability to look at it often at no cost to pay close attention to the engine. I have caught several issues before they became a major problem by doing so as a part of my weekly maintenance routine.

Re: Oil Filter Comparison
 

i agree with everyone about the regular fram oil filters , except there race filter i have ran them for years now and will put it up to any other oil filter on the market . and have dissected one compared to other brands of race filters and i was pleased.