2 different Wix 10521 filters. Thoughts

[crashbandicoot]

Bought a Wix 1052 from a retail store here in Canada and some from Rockauto.
USA RockAuto Wix (right)have a copper crush washer, made in China filter and small filter housing plug
Canada Wix (left) has an aluminum crush washer, made in South Korea filter and wider filter housing plug.

Any thoughts why the difference? Filter is for my Daughter's new Kia and am curious if the drain plug will fit the same.

 

[zrxkawboy]

I would guess that Wix has contracts with multiple mfrs/plants, and you simply got filters from different ones.

 

[edyvw]

I would guess that Wix has contracts with multiple mfrs/plants, and you simply got filters from different ones.

They are all built in MANN facilities, as MANN-HUMMEL owns WIX.
But, local markets have different suppliers of components.

 

[vssjim]

What I see at work as we stock them is newer Wix would be China and older stock would be Korea. They seem to be more filters from China and Mexico and still some from Poland the later production the only Korea we see consistently is 51334 spin on for Hyundia Kia . US has been rapidly declining.

 

[crashbandicoot]

So I emailed Wix and asked. They said that there was an issue with the plastic drain plug that ships with the filter falling inside of it and then people not catching it before installing.
The newer filters have plugs that have been made larger so they can't fall inside the filter.