F150 oil filter comparo - Supertech v Bosch v Ford

[tj90]

All: I dissected the last 3 oil filters on my 1997 4.6 F150. Im going to compare the Supertech ST2 from walmart versus Motorcraft FL-820S versus Bosch 3410. Im not an expert on oil filters, but I will attempt to summarize what I found in regards to the amount of filter element, construction and materials. Here we go -

First up - Motorcraft FL-820S. The filter element measured 61mm wide, 17mm width, 50 flaps = 61*17*2*50=103700mm2 (1037cm2) surface area. It actually has the lowest media surface area of all the filters tested. Metal caps top and bottom, silicone valve and rubber o-ring.

Second up - Walmart supertech ST2 - The filter element measured 62mm wide, 17.5 mm width, 56 flaps = 56*17.5*2*62=121653mm2 (1217cm2) surface area. Note the number of flaps increased by 6 on this over the motorcraft giving it an advantage in media surface area. Metal caps top and bottom, rubber o-ring and (probably rubber valve - may be black silicone?) [censored] spring versus leaf spring design as on the other filters.

Third up - Bosch 3410 Premium - The filter element is 63mm wide, 18mm width, 69 flaps = 63*18*2*69=156,492mm2 (1564cm2) surface area. Thats 50% more filtering than the Motorcraft & 25% more filtering than supertech. Metal caps top and bottom, silicone o-ring and valve. Leaf spring.

The bosch looked to be the best of the 3. No compromise silicone seals and valves, high surface area and solid spring design. The Bosch comes at a price - it was $9-11 at walmart when the supertech and motorcraft were around $3-4.

Supertech -


Motorcraft -


Bosch premium (black can) -

 

[tj90]

I misspoke above - the Bosch premium has a rubber (black) oring. You get silicone on the distance plus.

 

[Oregoonian]

You get what you pay for......If your going to pay $9 to $10 for a premium filter....buy the Fram Ultra at WalMart....which IMO is superior to all the above.

 

[blupupher]

I am guessing that is a Bosch Distance + filter (dark blue can)?
I just put one of those on my brother-in-laws '04 3v 5.4 F150, and have a few more I got on clearance for $5.
I have a ST2 on my truck now, cut open a Motorcraft 820S because I don't trust Purolator made filters anymore.

Surprised at the wavy pleats on the ST.
Not a normal thing for a Wix made filter, not that wavy pleats really mean anything.
ST will be my got to filter for my vehicles from now on (unless a good sale or clearance happens).

How many miles on the filters?

Thanks for the C&P.

edit:
Originally Posted By: tj90
I misspoke above - the Bosch premium has a rubber (black) oring. You get silicone on the distance plus.

Oh, OK. That one should not be a $9 filter? I know the D+ was around $11 full price @ Walmart.

Originally Posted By: Oregoonian
You get what you pay for......If your going to pay $9 to $10 for a premium filter....buy the Fram Ultra at WalMart....which IMO is superior to all the above.

If it was a D+, it is as good as the Ultra, but the Ultra normal price is cheaper than the D+ normal price (not sure where you can even get the D+ anymore).

 

[KingCake]

Quote:
If it was a D+, it is as good as the Ultra,


Wrong.

 

[Linctex]

Originally Posted By: KingCake

Wrong.


Maybe.

But.... still very close.

 

[SR5]

Thanks OP

 

[Motorking]

Originally Posted By: tj90
All: I dissected the last 3 oil filters on my 1997 4.6 F150. Im going to compare the Supertech ST2 from walmart versus Motorcraft FL-820S versus Bosch 3410. Im not an expert on oil filters, but I will attempt to summarize what I found in regards to the amount of filter element, construction and materials. Here we go -

First up - Motorcraft FL-820S. The filter element measured 61mm wide, 17mm width, 50 flaps = 61*17*2*50=103700mm2 (1037cm2) surface area. It actually has the lowest media surface area of all the filters tested. Metal caps top and bottom, silicone valve and rubber o-ring.

Second up - Walmart supertech ST2 - The filter element measured 62mm wide, 17.5 mm width, 56 flaps = 56*17.5*2*62=121653mm2 (1217cm2) surface area. Note the number of flaps increased by 6 on this over the motorcraft giving it an advantage in media surface area. Metal caps top and bottom, rubber o-ring and (probably rubber valve - may be black silicone?) [censored] spring versus leaf spring design as on the other filters.

Third up - Bosch 3410 Premium - The filter element is 63mm wide, 18mm width, 69 flaps = 63*18*2*69=156,492mm2 (1564cm2) surface area. Thats 50% more filtering than the Motorcraft & 25% more filtering than supertech. Metal caps top and bottom, silicone o-ring and valve. Leaf spring.

The bosch looked to be the best of the 3. No compromise silicone seals and valves, high surface area and solid spring design. The Bosch comes at a price - it was $9-11 at walmart when the supertech and motorcraft were around $3-4.

Supertech -


Motorcraft -


Bosch premium (black can) -





What do you feel is gained by measuring filter media area in filters and comparing the numbers? That would only matter if all filters used the exact same quality media. There is so much science and engineering in media fiber technology, a layperson is only comparing apples to watermelons measuring media. You also missed the SuperTech (WIX) combination rubber valve that combines the bypass valve and ADBV. See the 8 big openings around it? That is the filter bypass and those filters are pretty much in constant bypass due the huge openings that let dirty unfiltered oil straight back into the engine. The MC filter is a purolator classic (red) with a silicone adbv.

 

[blupupher]

Originally Posted By: Motorking
What do you feel is gained by measuring filter media area in filters and comparing the numbers? That would only matter if all filters used the exact same quality media. There is so much science and engineering in media fiber technology, a layperson is only comparing apples to watermelons measuring media.

While I agree it is just incidental measuring the amount of media without knowing the exact properties and abilities of the media, it is still interesting to see.

Originally Posted By: Motorking
You also missed the SuperTech (WIX) combination rubber valve that combines the bypass valve and ADBV. See the 8 big openings around it? That is the filter bypass and those filters are pretty much in constant bypass due the huge openings that let dirty unfiltered oil straight back into the engine. ...

Just curious, what testing/proof do you (or Fram) have to show that the combo valve allows a filter to be in constant bypass?
I am sure you have friends/associates that work for Wix, would you seriously say it to their face? Have they told you something about this design?
I don't see this comment any different than the "Fram uses cardboard end caps that are junk" that you are constantly having to defend.

The last filter I cut open with a Wix style combo valve was not in "constant bypass", as is evidenced by the amount of debris in the media.

And the Champ made filter with a combo valve I cut open (from the same truck) looks like it was not allowing constant bypass either.

I would also rather have a filter with a combo valve instead of a filter that is missing 1/4 of its media.
See, I can make blanket statements with no proof as well.
If you have proof to back up the statement, then I will reconsider my use of combo valve filters.
As you said with filter media, there is a lot of science and engineering that goes into filter design (as you well know), I am sure Wix did their testing on this design before putting it into millions of filters.
While I agree it is not the ideal design, it seems to work well enough from the "evidence" above.

 

[goodtimes]

Originally Posted By: tj90
I misspoke above - the Bosch premium has a rubber (black) oring. You get silicone on the distance plus.


The Bosch D+ has a red PTFE coated base gasket but it isn't silicone. Very nice filters. Good write up. I was glad to see measurements of the media area, takes some work but gave facts. I am not sure though about counting the flaps as you call them. Wouldn't one flap mean two sections of pleat going inwards, doubling your numbers? Ford specs base end bypass valves for a lot of their filters. The Wix combo valve on the ST is a very sophisticated design due to it's simplicity and effective rubber sealing. As long as it stays pliable. Most other filter designs use metal on metal or nylon/plastic type material on metal which isn't going to seal as well as rubber. Another filter like a D+ is the Purolator Boss. It has the Mann full synthetic media.

 

[Sayjac]

Thanks for the c&p and taking the time to measure and post the media area, if nothing else as a point of interest and/or reference. I certainly wouldn't be deterred by any naysayer(s) if I chose to do it. In fact I have done it several times myself in the past, as have others here. One personal example of that is a Bosch D+ posted here.

One suggestion would be to list the FCI in miles and time. That gives some reference while looking at the filter condition, such as waviness of pleating as an example. Not that other than aesthetics waviness by itself means much.

As for the filters, the ST is a value/jobber tier filter selling for ~$2.85 and intended for ~5k mile ocis. This specific ST application happens to use a combo valve, though not all ST applications use one. Some/many use a standard coil spring dome end bypass. The latter are preferable to me if I was using an ST. That said, I do not believe that those specing a combo valve are pretty much in constant bypass as purchased and in a new installation. As designed the channels (not holes) are the part of the combo valve that function to bypass at a given psi. Again not my first choice design, but I don't believe they are all defective ie., in bypass out of the box.

As for the FL 820S, I wouldn't describe it a Purolator Classic/Red with a silicone adbv. The 820S like other MC for FoMoCo vehicles, is a M&H Purolator 'made for' MC design. The 820S as noted uses a silicone adbv, but also uses thread end bypass (unlike red dome end) and based on available efficiency data points a different media than the Purolator red. So as noted, best described as an M&H Puro made specifically for Motorcraft design.

And the BD+, finished running the last in my stash not long ago, the first linked above. With over 28k miles on three of them on Honda, been a good filter IME. But now being discontinued, basically they have become too expensive for what they are. With other similar tier filters some full synthetic for less money, not a good value.

Thanks again for your efforts.

 

[Motorking]

Anything I publish is only from our lab, if you want the real deal that is undisbutable, ask WIX to provide the efficiecny of the filters with that rubber combo valve to you. bet they will not but who knows

 

[blupupher]

I would guess they would say what is on the box (95% @ 29 microns I believe), or just no reply at all.

If that is the case, then it is not always in bypass. Not the best filtration numbers, but from what I have read, better than many OEM filters.

 

[Linctex]

Originally Posted By: Motorking
.... combination rubber valve that combines the bypass valve and ADBV. See the 8 big openings around it? That is the filter bypass and those filters are pretty much in constant bypass ... that let dirty unfiltered oil straight back into the engine.



I don't think I have seen any evidence that would show this happens.


I have always thought the design lends itself into not going into bypass very easily.

This article by Jim Allen proves oil filters (specifically these, in the FL820 style family) don't go into bypass unless under extreme (cold oil, full throttle) conditions. : https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3197094/Differential_Pressure_Data,_Pu#Post3197094