Best alternative to the FL820S?

[ActualDinosaur]

I've been using the Motorcraft FL820S in my 3v Mustang for years, under the assumption that OEM was about as good as it got. Other questions led me to these forums, but imagine my surprise seeing all the recent posts here about the FL820S tearing and just generally having a poor reputation.

I'm due for my OCI, and literally had another 820 in my cart. What's the consensus on a high quality replacement?

 

[qdeezie]

Here is a thread I posted awhile back when I first bought my '06 King Ranch. This may help: https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/foru...filter-options-do-i-have.281309/#post-4615545

 

[CharBaby]

You'll get lots of recommended filters and all of them will be good ones with many of the filters coming from loyalist to those filters...I'm no exception. But there are good filters such as NAPA Platinum, FRAM Ultra, BOSCH Distance PLUS, MOBIL 1 and on & on.

It's not so much as which is better, it's that these are the high(er) quality line of oil filters for those brands. And there are better ones still.

 

[naterbomb]

51372 Wix
1372 Napa Gold
Hastings LF110
Baldwin B329

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

I've been using the Motorcraft FL820S in my 3v Mustang for years, under the assumption that OEM was about as good as it got. Other questions led me to these forums, but imagine my surprise seeing all the recent posts here about the FL820S tearing and just generally having a poor reputation.

I'm due for my OCI, and literally had another 820 in my cart. What's the consensus on a high quality replacement?

Do you believe everything you read on the internet?

 

[ZeeOSix]

Here we go again ... lol.

 

[jagdriver727]

I like the Bosch 3410/72227WS. They’re the same filter as the Purolator One/Classic, respectively, with a different sticker on them and can be had for less than $4 if you buy a pack of 12.

I’ve run these on my own and my customers’ vehicles for several hundred thousand miles cumulatively and NEVER seen one tear or otherwise fail, unlike the 820s.

 

[kschachn]

So “ActualDinosaur”? Where did you get that one from?

 

[Job]

Since you have been using the 820s for years, either cut the last one and see if it had the tear or use this one and next time check it for years. If no tear, carry on don’t fix what isn’t broke. Ford would use the 820s if you went to the dealer. One thing about the torn ones it could be some were counterfeits. Apparently Motorcraft parts are highly counterfeited. Your filter does have base end bypass, and every design aspect of it was designed by Ford to work with your car. You have lived millions of years so take it slow and don’t start to get radical at this age and go for a different oil filter until you are sure.

 

[Timmastertech]

You will be just fine with the 820s. I have sold thousands of them on customer cars. Every Ford we service gets a Motorcraft filter. I have never had an engine failure on a Ford that we serviced as scheduled.

 

[ZeeOSix]

One reason why torn filter media can be a bad thing, among other reasons. Video from Ford.

 

[RazorsEdge]

Amazing,you'd think after 16 years of using this filter and 360,000 miles later I would have had some issue, but wait I never did.

Are there better quality filters? Yes

 

[carguy1701]

Has anyone used the Ford Racing 820S? The description on the website mentions some sort of proprietary tech (that I forget the name of).

FORD RACING HIGH PERFORMANCE OIL FILTER

FORD RACING HIGH PERFORMANCE OIL FILTER|Ford Performance Parts

performanceparts.ford.com

 

[ActualDinosaur]

Here we go again ... lol.

Apologies!

Do you believe everything you read on the internet?

Hardly. But I would think a good place to do some reading might be... a forum about oil filters??

Thanks for the people who have been giving honest information and recommendations, I appreciate it. It'll largely come down to local availability, but I'm glad to have a few good options on the table. Been running the 820 since I've had the car, and never even gave a moment of consideration to other brands until seeing some of the problems posted on this forum. I'm not trying to dig up some crusade against FoMoCo products, I literally drive a Mustang.

 

[RazorsEdge]

Apologies!

Hardly. But I would think a good place to do some reading might be... a forum about oil filters??

Thanks for the people who have been giving honest information and recommendations, I appreciate it. It'll largely come down to local availability, but I'm glad to have a few good options on the table. Been running the 820 since I've had the car, and never even gave a moment of consideration to other brands until seeing some of the problems posted on this forum. I'm not trying to dig up some crusade against FoMoCo products, I literally drive a Mustang.

I've got a 1987 Mustang GT in the two stall garage. It's my show car / drag racing toy. ✌

 

[ZeeOSix]

Apologies!

No need ... that wasn't about what you posted. As far as alternative filters to use instead of the FL820S ... there are many to choose from. If you want to stay with Motorcraft products and cost isn't a deal breaker, then I'd go with the Ford Racing 820S filter. Your local dealer may stock them, or can order them in. High efficiency, flows very well, meaning it has a low delta-p across the filter at high flow rates.

 

[raburn2906]

I've been using the FL-820 since 2008 and haven't seen one tear yet. Granted I haven't cut open every one of them, but of the ones I have, everything looked good.

 

[alarmguy]

Yeah, I always liked the FL-820 on my 2008 v8 Dodge Durango. Just sold it, best darn engine I can remember in decades and flawless for 150,000 miles, still going strong. The rest of the vehicle started to be another story though ... *L*

 

[blupupher]

I've been using the FL-820 since 2008 and haven't seen one tear yet. Granted I haven't cut open every one of them, but of the ones I have, everything looked good.

So everything is fine, until it isn't.

Will a filter tear cause an engine failure, most likely not, as evidence by the number of torn filters we have seen here, and those being only a small sample, we know there are more unreported, yet we don't see engines failing left and right.

The fact is a filter is designed to, well, filter. If it is compromised, it is not filtering as it should, so not doing it's job.
Any product with a know common failure (regardless of outcome of that failure) is not a product I want.

I was shying away from Puro made products, and then when I had an actual failure on one (Pennzoil PX-37 (made by Purolator)), I decided then to never buy another Puro made filter.

As for alternatives to the 820, I am using the ST2 on my brother in laws F150 (even though I don't care for the combo valve on it), and currently have a M1-210a on my F150 (filter was free after oil/filter combo). I have a few TG2 in the stash for later.
Wix/NAPA Gold is a good go to as well.

 

[thastinger]

I've been using the Motorcraft FL820S in my 3v Mustang for years, under the assumption that OEM was about as good as it got. Other questions led me to these forums, but imagine my surprise seeing all the recent posts here about the FL820S tearing and just generally having a poor reputation.

I'm due for my OCI, and literally had another 820 in my cart. What's the consensus on a high quality replacement?

Been running 820s since 98 on my 150 and added the wife's escape to the mix back in 04. Several BS UOAs later, I haven't seen anything here that has me looking for other filters to try.