Larger Filters? Good or bad?

[razel]

It's not good or bad. It's just not worth it, unless you want to experiment.

If you are interested in getting more oil with a larger filter than in most cases you are better off ensuring your oil is always at max line.

If you are interested in more oil filter surface area, what a oil filter is actually used for, depending on how much larger filter you can get you could be better off buying a better oil filter.

Years ago I took apart many oil filters and measured their surface area. The oil filter for my car with the smallest can, a Nissan OEM, had double the surface area of a regular entry level oil filter.

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: 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.
The larger filter for the 2001 and later 4 cyl (Gen 5) will fit. Puro number is 14477. The Famous 400 will fit the V6.

 

[SHOZ]

Originally Posted By: razel
It's not good or bad. It's just not worth it, unless you want to experiment.

If you are interested in getting more oil with a larger filter than in most cases you are better off ensuring your oil is always at max line.

If you are interested in more oil filter surface area, what a oil filter is actually used for, depending on how much larger filter you can get you could be better off buying a better oil filter.

Years ago I took apart many oil filters and measured their surface area. The oil filter for my car with the smallest can, a Nissan OEM, had double the surface area of a regular entry level oil filter.


This site you can search by attribute, then do a cross reference to see what vehicles fit their filter.

https://dynamic.donaldson.com/WebStore/search/attribute.html?functionCode=WEBC_ATTRIBUTE

 

[HerrStig]

Car makers these days press filter companies to come up with smaller and lighter, and perhaps cheaper filters for packaging and weight reasons. FIlter companies struggle to meet the minimum specs for the ever smaller filters. THere's a lesson there.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: sipman

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


Yes it has ... I cringed when I just read the thread title! LoL

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
Usually going a little big is fine but if you get crazy big the efficiency usually drops for those 6+ inch filters.


Not sure about that. I think it's more like the bigger the filter the better the efficiency. That's why Purolator references it's gigantic filter, the PL30001, when they quote the ISO efficiency spec.

Also, Purolator's smallest filters (PL14610 size) are rated at 40 microns instead of 20 microns.

 

[3311]

If the specs are the same then no downside.
Logic dictates that it would be more beneficial to run a larger filter for many reasons like cooling, greater capacity, reduced delta p/bypass events etc... How much can be debated but not fully discounted.

But I'm sure the adequate is better crowd will be along soon to poopoo this.

 

[SHOZ]

When I go to a different filter I use one that has a lower bypass setting. 8-9 vs 18-20 lbs. I still don't know the ramifications of this.

 

[geeman789]

Originally Posted By: danthaman1980


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).


Wow, you NEVER need to add oil to a 10+ year old engine...?

I hate NOT having a partial quart (liter...) around.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: geeman789
Wow, you NEVER need to add oil to a 10+ year old engine...?

I hate NOT having a partial quart (liter...) around.

I never add oil to my 2000 E430 and 2004 S2000. Both engines didn't consume more than 1/2 quarts in an OCI up to 13k miles for E430 and 5k miles for S2000.

 

[SHOZ]

My Accent holds 3.5 qts and I buy 5 qt jugs. I am forever in a conundrum.

 

[sipman]

Thanks everyone!!!
I recently got a '06 saab 9-5 wagon with only 50k on it. I have no idea if the prior mechanic used the required synthetic, but I plan to.
My stock size would be a XG3614 Fram Ultra, and I have instead bought the XG3600 Fram Ultra. Same Diameter, TPI, and Pressure relief. I've confirmed it will fit, and the premium for the larger filter is about $0.50.
The stock is approx 3.5" while the 3600 is about 5".

This might start a new debate but are the Fram Ultra and the Napa Gold/Wix synthetic filters pretty similar? They seem to be showing similar filter rates.

But again, Thanks for all the replies!

 

[MrQuackers]

I believe the Wix/Gold is rated @95% @20 microns. Ultra 99%

If you mean the XP Wix, it is a rock catcher compared to the Ultra.

 

[Malo83]

I have been using the FRAM PH373 2 qt filter on my 83 Silverado 305, always liked having that extra qt of oil.

 

[DoubleWasp]

1. Nobody can give me a reason why I should run a smaller filter.

2. Extra oil capacity without exposing my engine to crank windage.

3. Oil pressure greater than stock.

4. The fact that a larger filter is frequently beneficial is beyond debate. Many times you'll find the exact same engine gets one filter in its car application, a larger filter in its truck application, and an even larger filter in its commercial/heavy duty application.

5. Can make the filter a LOT easier to change if it's tucked into a tight space. 4 colder engines with rear mounted filters come to mind.

 

[DoubleWasp]

1. Nobody can give me a reason why I should run a smaller filter.

2. Extra oil capacity without exposing my engine to crank windage.

3. Oil pressure greater than stock.

4. The fact that a larger filter is frequently beneficial is beyond debate. Many times you'll find the exact same engine gets one filter in its car application, a larger filter in its truck application, and an even larger filter in its commercial/heavy duty application.

5. Can make the filter a LOT easier to change if it's tucked into a tight space. 4 colder engines with rear mounted filters come to mind.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: DoubleWasp

3. Oil pressure greater than stock.


Not really possible unless the oiling system is pressure source and not a positive displacement oil pump (ie, volume source).

 

[DoubleWasp]

Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Originally Posted By: DoubleWasp

3. Oil pressure greater than stock.


Not really possible unless the oiling system is pressure source and not a positive displacement oil pump (ie, volume source).


It is possible if you remove your old oil pump and replace it with one that is engineered for greater volume and pressure. And if you do such a thing, a larger filter is highly recommended.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: DoubleWasp
Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Originally Posted By: DoubleWasp

3. Oil pressure greater than stock.


Not really possible unless the oiling system is pressure source and not a positive displacement oil pump (ie, volume source).


It is possible if you remove your old oil pump and replace it with one that is engineered for greater volume and pressure. And if you do such a thing, a larger filter is highly recommended.


True, if you make the oil pump put out more volume then you will obviously get higher oil pressure on the same engine.

But that's not the same as saying you got higher oil pressure by just changing the oil filter and nothing else. That was my point.

 

[SteveSRT8]

This is a feel good mod, no real reasons to do it. Just feelings and guesses. The above is a perfect illustration.

With our engines in demanding fleet use lasting 500k miles on that lil ole factory filter I can't see the benefits.

I really don't need engine life this long as it is, perhaps on specific engines that have shortcomings in their oiling setup this could help.

It's a solution in search of a problem...