Picking oil filter for severe service

[TwoC400s]

My son's new-to-him 2016 Mazda 3i with 2.0L engine will see probably the worst conditions any passenger sedan can be subjected to over the next few years.

Idling in hot, humid weather for hours, stop and go grind driving for hours, and then doing all of the that in moderate winter temps (we usually don't see anything below 15-20deg F).

That being said it will be on a pretty short OCI.

What should I prioritize here?

Cheap, since they'll be replaced often (or could we leave a high quality filter in and only change every other oil dump?)

Filtration?

Build quality?

How should I think about this?

Current filter is a Purolator Boss.

 

[BrendanC]

Valvoline EP HM 5w-30 and a carquest premium oil filter (or any PG XL based filter, Microgard select, Certain STPXL’s etc)

 

[Hall]

That being said it will be on a pretty short OCI.

Any name-brand (or store brand) filter will be perfectly fine.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Anything that's not Purolator or Wix should be fine

The Boss is known for slits in the ADBV, while the lesser Puros are known for torn media. Wix has consolidated to the Purolator design since the Mann takeover

The Fram orange cans are good. Ecogard and clones are good. Full is good.

 

[john_pifer]

A Carquest Premium is only $10 at AAP.

Similarly, a Fram Ultra is about $9 at Walmart and a Mobil 1 is around $11.

Those are pretty good prices for 3 oil filters that are 99% efficient at 20 microns and which I wouldn’t hesitate to use.

I’d run some VRP 5W-30 at 5000 mile OCIs and cut open the old oil filters to see what kind of gunk gets cleaned out of it by the VRP.

 

[TwoC400s]

A Carquest Premium is only $10 at AAP.

Similarly, a Fram Ultra is about $9 at Walmart and a Mobil 1 is around $11.

Those are pretty good prices for 3 oil filters that are 99% efficient at 20 microns and which I wouldn’t hesitate to use.

I’d run some VRP 5W-30 at 5000 mile OCIs and cut open the old oil filters to see what kind of gunk gets cleaned out of it by the VRP.

I've already got the VRP 5w30 in the garage (for use in the duaghter's 08 Prius). The current fill is Castrol Euro 5w30.

I'm almost scared to put VRP into the Mazda. It loaded the Prius filter with so much crud I almost didn't catch it in time.

 

[walterjay]

I would ask @Zee09 for his advice. He has been studying a lot about filters recently.

 

[Ronsant]

Why not Supertech? They seem like a decent filter for the price, so you can change every OCI.

 

[RobbS]

Try a Mobil1 EP filter and cut it open afterwards. Its a good filter in the "long-range" (20k mile rating) division of filters.

 

[dubber09]

If the engine is dirty on the inside then VRP will load filter up, just change filter 1-2k miles after oil change, cut, assess, change filter again before changing oil if need be. I'd probably go with a good but cheaper money wise filter thou and replace it more often. When cleaning is done then I'd switch to another oil and do shorter OCIs, at least at first.

 

[TwoC400s]

If the engine is dirty on the inside then VRP will load filter up, just change filter 1-2k miles after oil change, cut, assess, change filter again before changing oil if need be. I'd probably go with a good but cheaper money wise filter thou and replace it more often. When cleaning is done then I'd switch to another oil and do shorter OCIs, at least at first.

yeah the only issue is access. My son works like 60 hours a week and then goes out of state to see his girlfriend on the weekends. If he's not here (where the tools are) for me to bug him about changing it, it won't get changed.

Realistically, he'll be around with time to change it once every 3-4 months.

 

[TwoC400s]

Why not Supertech? They seem like a decent filter for the price, so you can change every OCI.

I was pretty impressed with the overall quality of the Supertechs I used on my daughter's car, with the exception of the glue on the end caps.

After 3.5 months it got REALLY brittle, and was noticeably weaker than at 1 month.

 

[TwoC400s]

I would ask @Zee09 for his advice. He has been studying a lot about filters recently.

I'd love to see what he has to say.

 

[ZeeOSix]

A Carquest Premium is only $10 at AAP.

You can typically get 15% to 20% off with a purchase code if you buy it on-line and you can go pick it up at the local store.

 

[ZeeOSix]

If the engine is dirty on the inside then VRP will load filter up, just change filter 1-2k miles after oil change, cut, assess, change filter again before changing oil if need be. I'd probably go with a good but cheaper money wise filter thou and replace it more often. When cleaning is done then I'd switch to another oil and do shorter OCIs, at least at first.

^^^ Yes, but I wouldn't go with too low efficiency filter, as the cleaning process will put lots of debris in the oil for the filter to catch.

 

[TwoC400s]

What about Wix?

I can get 10 of the 57002 for $75

 

[BrendanC]

What about Wix?

I can get 10 of the 57002 for $75

m+h standard filters now…. there are better options. look on RA for premium guards. they can be had around that price.

 

[MetalSlug]

Fram ultra still recommend even with the leaky leaf spring ?

 

[TwoC400s]

m+h standard filters now…. there are better options. look on RA for premium guards. they can be had around that price.

what does "m+h" mean?

 

[BrendanC]

what does "m+h" mean?

mann and hummel. between them and First brands they have ruined US filter manufacturing minus fleetguard and donaldson.