Microgard Select Virgin Oil Filter Cut Open & Inspection

I might rather buy one of these from my local O'Reilly's store rather than order a very similar Ecogard or Premium Guard filter product from Amazon. If they have the Subie Bypass Boogeyman spec I know a lot of people who will be lining up for their chance to buy one 👻
 
The part that really catches my eye is the center tube. Sturdy heavy duty smooth metal center tube with large precision-cut holes and no louvers. The end is also shrinkwrapped just like my Japanese Nissan oems. That perfectly uniform media looks great too!!

I think pbm is on to something about the quality of Asian made filters. From all my reading about filters, those are always the most desirable.

I went out and grabbed one for my Accord. Looks great!!
 
👍 Appreciate hearing your input on that. I think Purolator One blue and WIX both get 99% at 20 microns, but I'm not sure how much meaningful difference that really equates to. It's just kind of hard to turn my nose up at that construction.

The thing that surprised me the most was the media. Looked pretty substantial to my layman's eye.
Wix isn't 99% at 20 but 99%~25, unless this just changed recent.
 
Wix isn't 99% at 20 but 99%~25, unless this just changed recent.
Are you talking about the Wix synthetic blend media or the XP? I think those are indeed different.

EDIT: I realized what I said and what you're saying. Yeah, I think it's, what, 99% at 25 and 95% at 20?
 
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Are you talking about the Wix synthetic blend media or the XP? I think those are indeed different.
Most regular WIX are shown as 95% @ 20 microns on their website. The WIX XP efficiency is so "good" that WIX will tell you it's "propriatary" if you call them and ask. :D
 
Full disclosure: I'm a stickler for "Made in the USA" items, and will not buy a foreign made product if an American made alternative is available. BUT.... I must admit, this is a pretty good looking filter in my opinion. I may be wrong, but it looks kind of like a P1 clone. As others have said, the price does seem a bit steep, but overall, it looks pretty decent. If I was to find one for dirt cheap on clearance I'd probably try it out just for something new to cut open and check out.

As to your question about which filters have wire mesh backing, all of the Napa Platinum/Wix XP's that I have used have always had a wire mesh backing. It seems hard to get a clear answer on filtration numbers from Wix (I used to feel that they had great customer service, not so much these days, just generic textbook answers to questions), but as far as construction goes, I have always been impressed with the ones that I have cut open.
 
Only place I've been able to find Wix XP efficiency is on O'Reilly's website-99%@35 microns. Not very good for a full synthetic media filter!
I'm wondering where that efficiency info on O'Reilly's website came from if Wix won't show it or divulged it on the phone ? I haven't called Wix for quite awhile, maybe I'll call and ask again and see what they say now.
 
I'm wondering where that efficiency info on O'Reilly's website came from if Wix won't show it or divulged it on the phone ? I haven't called Wix for quite awhile, maybe I'll call and ask again and see what they say now.
Do it.
 
Only place I've been able to find Wix XP efficiency is on O'Reilly's website-99%@35 microns. Not very good for a full synthetic media filter!
I'm wondering where that efficiency info on O'Reilly's website came from if Wix won't show it or divulged it on the phone ? I haven't called Wix for quite awhile, maybe I'll call and ask again and see what they say now.
Ok, I called Wix Customer Service (704-869-3421) and mentioned that the Wix website doesn't show any beta/efficiency information for the Wix XP but it does for the regualar Wix filters (typically shown as 95% @ 20u), and asked if they had any information on the Wix XP efficiency they could share.

The gal I talked to said they are told to basically say: "The media configuration is proprietary, and that the efficiency is 99% @ 35u to anyone who asks about the efficiency". She didn't say on which Wix XP filter model that is based on, but it was probably on their largest filter size. She couldn't tell me why Wix chooses to not show the efficiency information on their website when they can give the info to people over the phone. 🤷‍♂️

When I look at all the Wix XP filters lilsted on O'Reilly's website today, I don't see any efficiency reference at all. Maybe it was there at one time, but not now it seems. But if it use to say "99% @ 35u" then that seems to match to what I was told on the phone today.

If you look at Andrew's ISO 4518-12 test data, the Wix XP came in at 62% @ 20u and 88% @ 35u. The filters he used in that test were for a 6.2L Chevy V8, so if it was smaller in size than what Wix bases its XP efficiency number on, then that could explain the difference.

 
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