Larger Filters? Good or bad?

[sipman]

I tried searching and figured I'd get a ton of answers but my search terms must be off.

Anyways, if I have a traditional screw on oil filter, and can fit a larger screw on with the same diameter, for the same price, does it make sense to do just that?

I'm sure this has been beaten to death but I can't find the dead bodies/posts to read the consensus.

If it makes sense to go larger, is there a cross reference chart anywhere?

 

[Boss302fan]

My opinion is that if you use a really good filter like a Fram Ultra, you can stay with the original size. If you want to have a slight increase amount of oil and want to have longer OCI's, then a larger filter may make sense.

 

[dlundblad]

What is your OEM filter?

Larger filters are nice, but they wont increase/ decrease your engine life whatsoever. It all boils down to personal preference.

Perhaps if the engine is full of sludge, but I have seen a few OEM sized filters here ran well over their intended use. The filter had sludge in the pleats, but wasn't "packed" IMO. I am one who thinks a sludged engine should have short OCIs anyways so filter size doesn't matter if changed frequently enough.

 

[redbone3]

If the bigger filter has the same specifications and fits without interference there is no downside.

 

[totegoat]

I use the larger size on my Jeep 4.0 just because.

 

[901Memphis]

Usually going a little big is fine but if you get crazy big the efficiency usually drops for those 6+ inch filters.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: sipman
I tried searching and figured I'd get a ton of answers but my search terms must be off.

Anyways, if I have a traditional screw on oil filter, and can fit a larger screw on with the same diameter, for the same price, does it make sense to do just that?

I'm sure this has been beaten to death but I can't find the dead bodies/posts to read the consensus.

If it makes sense to go larger, is there a cross reference chart anywhere?


Unless you really extend your OCI, the filter will not fill up. The % of extra oil in the sump because of a larger filter is very small.

There are cars with tiny filters (my 1994 Camry) but you will not get too much in the way of a larger filter on that engine.

 

[tomcat27]

I'm aware of the upsizes for some toyota's, nissan, and dodge. what are you looking for?

I have "upsized" out of principle, but realize that it likely makes no measurable difference. I have also done it to reduce the number of filter sizes that I need to stock

 

[SHOZ]

More surface area for cooling the oil.

 

[eljefino]

I run the longer (3600 vs 3614) because it's easier to grab on some apps (saturn.) I don't run the long dude on my neon in winter as it hangs down where snow mounds will grab it.

I also got a bunch of the longer ones on clearance. So, there's that. Keep your part numbers and potential oversizes and cross references in memory because you never know what a yard sale will bring.

 

[Bgallagher]

Originally Posted By: redbone3
If the bigger filter has the same specifications and fits without interference there is no downside.


+1 I have an oversized filter for my Equinox. Don't notice any difference but it makes me feel better. Same specs etc. versus the shorter version.

 

[Dyusik]

Mine gives me 0.2 qt (roughly) capacity in the Cherokee, for no extra cost. I run 12 mo. + oci in my jeep and bike, so it's a piece of mind. It also is nice the have extra media in case the some sludge breaking loose. Again only a as scenario that is true inside my head.

 

[440Magnum]

Larger is always better *IF* the bypass relief pressure and thread size/gasket diameter are all exactly the same. More media surface area may not really help a very clean, very new engine on a short OCI, but it never ever actually hurts anything and can defintely help over longer OCIs. More media area can also reduce the amount of time the bypass valve opens when the oil is cold, also.

But if the bigger filter doesn't fit without rubbing something, or has a different bypass pressure then obviously don't use it.

 

[Inspecktor]

I run oversized filters on my Dakota because I like the extra surface area of the filter and more capacity, as I do tow a fair amount. No evidence to back up my thoughts, but figure it drops the oil temp a few degrees.

 

[Kestas]

It may help if you run synthetic oil with extended OCI. If the engine doesn't specify synthetic, the filter may last the whole OCI, whereas a smaller one may reach its max loading sooner.

 

[tig1]

Originally Posted By: redbone3
If the bigger filter has the same specifications and fits without interference there is no downside.


Or upside.

 

[OneEyeJack]

I use a Mobil 1 M1-209 on my V8 4Runner, same bypass spec. It's a bit linger. So, for a bit more filter area, possibly slower movement of oil across the media and a few more ounces of oil all for the same price, what's not to like. My car care is the sum of a lot of things I do and since my time is my own and I enjoy taking care of my stuff I don't mind being a nit picker every now and then. My Honda is 30 years old. I purchased it new and absolutely everything works. It runs like new and I have no plans to ever sell it. It would also get an oversize filter but there's no room so I settle for a NAPA Gold 1392 and both cars get 0w-30 synthetic oil. Nit picking again.

 

[danthaman1980]

In theory, if you take two filters, a large filter and a small filter, with the same type of media; if the larger filter has more media than the smaller filter, then the larger filter will also be less restrictive than the smaller filter. Therefore the oil pump (again, in theory) will not have to work as hard to pump a given volume of oil through the larger filter. In most applications, the difference is probably negligible.

From a practical standpoint, the larger filters have a higher oil capacity, which can be beneficial. In my Chevy, the larger filter makes the oil capacity exactly 6 quarts (I hate keeping partial quarts around).

 

[wrcsixeight]

I run oversize just because the specified filter is so tiny for a 5.2 liter V8.

5 quarts and a fl-1a make my oil level to the top of the hatch marks.

No clearance issues, and no price difference for a bigger filter, same bypass specs, more filter media, more circulating oil, why not?

 

[SHOZ]

I went shorter and fat.