Defective??? Wix WL10332 with closed/nearly closed louvers

[ZeeOSix]

Good vs bad ... on the same filter model.

How about just some "bumps" with hair width slits in the center tube.

This is what all louvers should look like, but apparently it really is rocket science for some companies to figure out, lol.

 

[ZeeOSix]

If you just say you wouldn't use it, fine.

I've shown examples of many choked down louvers I wouldn't use - like those in the post above. If they don't look visually well opened for my liking, it's a no-go. I don't need to put each one on a flow vs dP test machine before deciding to use them or not.

 

[Urshurak776]

Send them back and get a Premium Guard made filter. If 5K or under will be your OCI, even a standard PG will be fine. Anything higher, get the EX/LX version.

 

[xmanjeff]

Good vs bad ... on the same filter model.

View attachment 253457

How about just some "bumps" with hair width slits in the center tube.

View attachment 253458

This is what all louvers should look like, but apparently it really is rocket science for some companies to figure out, lol.

View attachment 253459

very nice comparison , thanks for sharing , basically , if the louvers in your filter do not look like the last pic , you could potensionally be doing harm to your engine

 

[Fair enough]

The centre tube louvers are pressed in a continuous rolling action from flat coils of steel, the tubes then are cut to length and formed into a circle to make the tubes. I suspect, based on years of stamping experience that the tool steel form that makes the louvers is badly worn and needs replacement. Usually die maintenance is 5-7% of the cost of the part, so me thinks someone is trying to stretch out the maintenance of the stamping die way too long. That QC didn't catch this is pathetic because it didn't just start happening, it has been going on for a while and nobody was inspecting these tubes after the stamping & circle forming.

It almost seems obvious that this process is open to tool wear on a volume production line. Or debris on the rollers, costs money to keep things clean. The holes weren’t causing any complaints.

 

[gfh77665]

Nobody claimed "ALL the oil" bypasses the media through a small gap at the leaf spring. It was calculated to be around 10 to 15% bypassing.

Correct, they didn't technically claim "all the oil". They just reacted as if it was "all the oil" going through a flashlight ID'ed gap.

 

[Lawnman23]

Dang, with all the reports about FRAM and now WIX filters, I’m not sure which one to choose for my LS3 6.2.

Check out Carquest Premium’s from Advance Auto Parts or MicroGuard Select’s from O’Reilly Auto. Both are made by Premium Guard and have nice big holes on the tube, no louvre. Both are on sale occasionally, otherwise $10 normal price. Plenty of posts on here showing their excellent construction.

I used to use Wix/Fram/Purolator filters on my vehicles and lawn tractor. Will be switching everything over to a PG-based filter this spring at annual oil change time.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Correct, they didn't technically claim "all the oil". They just reacted as if it was "all the oil" going through a flashlight ID'ed gap.

Obviously the people that don't like an oil filter continuously bypassing some of the oil around the media may react more than someone who doesn't care. When Purolator media tears were being posted almost every day on this forum when they were tearing like mad, there where actually some people here that didn't seem to care, and tried to justify that the media tears "weren't anything to be concerned about". Same type of people try to justify continuous leaks bypassing the media, regardless if it's through torn media or a leaky gap at the leaf spring. Every person will decide what makes them decide to use a product or not.

 

[ZeeOSix]

very nice comparison , thanks for sharing , basically , if the louvers in your filter do not look like the last pic , you could potensionally be doing harm to your engine

The last photo is ideal, but louvers should not be choked down to just very narrow slits like the 2nd and 3rd photo - at least they can't be choked down like that to make me comfortable using them. The first photo also shows very well formed louvers.

 

[Glenda W.]

If paying a premium price for a premium filter I expect premium craftsmanship.

 

[FlyNavyP3]

I asked my friend who has a Napa Auto Care Center to take a look at his Napa Gold inventory to see if his look the same, more as a cautionary tale to him. However his are well defined and well formed. So it is possible for them to be made appropriately on this line, these just weren't.

 

[FlyNavyP3]

Send them back and get a Premium Guard made filter. If 5K or under will be your OCI, even a standard PG will be fine. Anything higher, get the EX/LX version.

I just can't bring myself to run a China made filter if there is any other option. After the stock of OE is gone, it'll probably get an AMSOIL filter, which I believe to be made in the USA by Champion Labs.

 

[BrendanC]

I just can't bring myself to run a China made filter if there is any other option. After the stock of OE is gone, it'll probably get an AMSOIL filter, which I believe to be made in the USA by Champion Labs.

source a vietnam model then. i have posted a massive amount of PG C&P’s and have yet to see any issues.

 

[Glenda W.]

I just can't bring myself to run a China made filter if there is any other option. After the stock of OE is gone, it'll probably get an AMSOIL filter, which I believe to be made in the USA by Champion Labs.

You can also purchase the Vietnam made PG’s. Another option is the Pentius filters made in South Korea. Champ Labs and Fram unfortunately have a leaf spring stamping problem causing leaks between the end cap and leaf spring.

 

[Lawnman23]

I just can't bring myself to run a China made filter if there is any other option. After the stock of OE is gone, it'll probably get an AMSOIL filter, which I believe to be made in the USA by Champion Labs.

Which also makes Royal Purple’s filter as well as the Fram Endurance…all three are virtually the same filter. Buyer beware.

As other mentioned, most of the PG filters are made in Vietnam. Buying USA is great and all if quality was on par or better than other offerings. Unfortunately as seen repeatedly on here, the quality is crap thanks to cost cutting and penny pinching. Paying top dollar for subpar quality is foolish, regardless of country of origin.

 

[drtyler]

Which also makes Royal Purple’s filter as well as the Fram Endurance…all three are virtually the same filter. Buyer beware.

As other mentioned, most of the PG filters are made in Vietnam. Buying USA is great and all if quality was on par or better than other offerings. Unfortunately as seen repeatedly on here, the quality is crap thanks to cost cutting and penny pinching. Paying top dollar for subpar quality is foolish, regardless of country of origin.

How are Baldwin / Hastings and Fleetguard filters?

 

[Sayjac]

I'd add here, for those feeling comfortable with OEM, WCW recently flashlight tested two Toyota Denso OEM, N1 and D3 suffix. Both showed light coming from the seal area. If interested, easily found on WhipCityWrencher youtube channel.

 

[Lawnman23]

How are Baldwin / Hastings and Fleetguard filters?

From what I have seen/read on here, I believe both are regarded well. I am no expert on either though, so perhaps someone else can speak more to their offerings.

 

[Hootbro]

How are Baldwin / Hastings and Fleetguard filters?

I am currently running two Hastings filters in my Ranger and wife's Bronco Sport. Build quality seems generally good with decent openings on the center tub louvers. Filter efficiency is on the lower side for many of their applications but you can look up the particular application on their website to get current numbers.

 

[jeff78]

I bought a Purolator Boss off Amazon a few weeks back. It had a bunch of poorly formed louvers, not as many as the Wix here, but I didn't feel comfortable running it so I returned it.
Got a replacement Boss, this one also had a few poorly formed louvers (not as many as the first), but to make up for it, it had a number of very noticeable rust spots inside.
Returned that one for a refund.
Maybe I just got unlucky, but it doesn't exactly instill confidence.
I still have a bunch of OG Fram Ultras (they're 11 years old at this point), but eventually I'll have to find a replacement for them.