Oil filter question.

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1968 Dart 270

1968 Dart 270

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I was wondering what the general consensus here is about which oil filter is best? I went to the local napa and was looking at the different filters. In the past all their filters were made by Wix. Apparently Mann + Hummell bought out Wix. They have a proselect 51515 made by Mann + Hummell and the filter actually says made in USA on the housing which surprised me,but there are no specs as to how many microns it filters too. The box says made for commerical use,metal core,etc but nothing detailed. I like how it lists "filter media" along with metal core and steel coil spring. I sure hope it would contain "filter media"...wouldnt be much of a filter if it didnt.
their website they don't even show the proselect anymore its been replaced by a ProFormer model,which is made in Vietnam so I'm not sure the specs posted on that would apply to the older filter.
Oreilly has MicroGuard brand,and AutoZone has Stp and Fram.
I'm running conventional vr1 in my dart.
Anyway,just thought I'd see what the general opinion is on which filter offers the best protection for the price.

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My OReilly carries Wix.
Honestly, if you can tolerate Ford parts on your Mopar, Motorcraft has some really good filters. I forget the number off the top of my head, but it should be easy enough to look up. Buy a can of cheap orange or black spray paint if it bothers you too much.
 
Napa gold 1515 (not the wix 51515)is still a proper spring and now the new filters are coming with a silicon seal. Still quality. I just cut one open today.
 
NAPA Gold filters are Wix filters, according to the manager at my local NAPA. That's all I use and never had a problem with them. I've used Motorcraft FL1A's in the past on my small block Mopars and never had a problem out of them either. ANYTHING but a Fram! :realcrazy:
 
I run Motorcraft filters. They are one of the few still made in USA and they have more filter media part number for part number than most other filters. I run the FL299, but you probably don't have room for that. It's a 2 quart filter. The standard 1 quart filter that fits is the FL1A.
 
Used to, you could get FL1A's at Wal Mart dirt cheap. They never have them anymore. If they haven't changed in the last little bit, Mann & Hummel still makes Wix filters in Gastonia, NC.
 
JDMopar said:
Used to, you could get FL1A's at Wal Mart dirt cheap. They never have them anymore. If they haven't changed in the last little bit, Mann & Hummel still makes Wix filters in Gastonia, NC.
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WIX went global several years ago, before I left O'Reilly in 2019. Now, you might get one made in USA, Belgium, China, Indonesia and Lord knows where else. Sad, really.
 
In the fall of 2023 I bought a wix filter and a napa gold filter for the wife's car (a honda, sorry). The filters were bought 2 weeks apart and from 2 different stores. Both filters had off centered threads and would not snug up to the oil filter plate on the engine straight enough, causing a small leak.
I wound up buying a purolator brand filter from Menard's and haven't had a problem since.
I agree motorcraft is a darn good filter,
and that wal-mart never seems to have them
 
grey mule said:
In the fall of 2023 I bought a wix filter and a napa gold filter for the wife's car (a honda, sorry). The filters were bought 2 weeks apart and from 2 different stores. Both filters had off centered threads and would not snug up to the oil filter plate on the engine straight enough, causing a small leak.
I wound up buying a purolator brand filter from Menard's and haven't had a problem since.
I agree motorcraft is a darn good filter,
and that wal-mart never seems to have them
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WIX makes the NAPA gold filters. Evidently, they had a bad run. I've seen that same thing before.
 
JDMopar said:
Used to, you could get FL1A's at Wal Mart dirt cheap. They never have them anymore. If they haven't changed in the last little bit, Mann & Hummel still makes Wix filters in Gastonia, NC.
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My daughter works at that M&H plant in Gastonia and is very proud of their quality!
 
Ricks70Duster340 said:
My daughter works at that M&H plant in Gastonia and is very proud of their quality!
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I just wish they were all still made here. Our choices are becoming limited. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised to see Baldwin go overseas.
 
RustyRatRod said:
WIX went global several years ago, before I left O'Reilly in 2019. Now, you might get one made in USA, Belgium, China, Indonesia and Lord knows where else. Sad, really.
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Exactly. I was told that Wix got bought out by Mann and Hummel and the quality went downhill. Many of the filters are now made in china,vietnam,gaum,Mexico,etc.
I used to always buy the Napa branded Wix filters. Our auto parts stores have a piss poor selection out here. And,yes,I stay away from Fram. AutoZone does offer the Motorcraft filter,but they want $16 for it. That's right up there with the most expensive filters.
They have an STP extended life filter that's supposedly made by Premium Gaurd,has silicone gasket and valve and claims to filter down to 20 microns for $9.99. They have good cut open reviews

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Ricks70Duster340 said:
My daughter works at that M&H plant in Gastonia and is very proud of their quality!
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The problem is they aren't all made out here anymore. It's a crapshoot where the filter will actually be made. The one I saw yesterday which is a proselect said it's made in USA. Another one I looked at was made in china. Both the same filter,box had mann and hummell on the side. One was old stock,one was new.
 
RustyRatRod said:
I just wish they were all still made here. Our choices are becoming limited. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised to see Baldwin go overseas.
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I agree. I can't find Baldwin or Hastings filters anymore out here at any of the parts houses. Strictly online only. It sucks if you don't plan ahead and want to do an oil change.
 
abodyjoe said:
according to engine masters the K&N HP filter captures the smallest microns.
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Unlike K & N air filters which let more.dirt through than even the cheapest fram. Never tried their oil filters but they are the same cost as the Motorcraft. Are they any good?
 
1968 Dart 270 said:
Unlike K & N air filters which let more.dirt through than even the cheapest fram. Never tried their oil filters but they are the same cost as the Motorcraft. Are they any good?
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the HP is supposed to have a thicker metal for the canister and is a smaller micron filter then most others. I've been using napa gold for years but have wanted to try the K&N.
 
One thing I do like is that some of the manufacturers are now putting cellophane over the bottom opening to keep dirt out. The local Napa keeps their damn filters in the back behind the counter on a rack where there's a large roll up door that's always open. The filters get coated in a layer of dust and dirt that blows in each day because they leave the back open. Some of the filters had grit and dust in the bottom of the box.
 
Online it lists the Motorcraft Fl1a as being made in china. Say it ain't so!

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WIX and Purolator are both owned by Mann and Hummel.

Unless something changed, the Motocraft filters were Purolators -> essentially a custom case and a filter somewhere between a standard Purolator and a PurolatorOne.

I would use any WIX or Purolator oil filter or any house branded one. I also like Hengst but I don't know if they make one for this car, I usually use them for cartridge type.

I checked my stock and the 51085 short filters I have are made in USA and the one for my 2004 Colorado is made in Mexico.

I buy filters anytime I'm low and have to order something from Rockauto. $4.88 Each for the 51085s as of when I write this. It's especially cheap if it's shipping from the same location as another part you are buying.
 
so i had motortrend on this morning and the oil filter episode was on.

they like the K&N gold. they say its 10 micron. I can't find the gold anywhere. the HP looks like it and is what comes up in a search. the HP says its 30 micron though.

they did cut them all apart and showed the difference inside. the fram racing looked much better then the other frams inside. wix looked good and performed well too.. the K&N gold was the smallest micron, was built out of thicker metal and preformed well too..

anyway here are their results.

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I gotta be honest, there are some holes in that test or the results.

Pressure and flow should have an inverse relationship because with only one variable, the flow should be lower with a higher oil pressure.

It's quite possible that it could be a 10 micron filter, the higher pressure would make sense, but the flow should be lower. I seriously doubt that anything like the endcap has any real effect on this.

The other part is if the pump relief spring is active in all of this the pressure numbers are basically useless.

Frankly it continues to show the WIX as a solid choice...
 
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