Pro Select...or not?

[gfh77665]

After doing the search, and reading much, I am now totally confused. Is a Napa Pro Select a decent, useable choice, or something to be avoided like a Fram orange?

Will use for 5000 miles OCI on an older 2000 Chevy Silverado, 5.3L V8. Thanks.

 

[Herz]

pro selects are fine for 5k miles

 

[postjeeprcr]

ProSelect will be fine, a Fram will even be fine for that mileage but I think you could get the ProSelect for less money.

 

[labman]

Been reports here of made in China. That is no reason not to buy one if they aren't. If they are, I would go with an ST or other Champ brand.

 

[river_rat]

Originally Posted By: gfh77665
After doing the search, and reading much, I am now totally confused. Is a Napa Pro Select a decent, useable choice, or something to be avoided like a Fram orange?

They're OK. I'd spend another $2 and get the NAPA Gold/Wix.
= Better and thicker media on the examples I've cut open, and not ever Chinese, AFAIK.

As close up as I could get a focus on these two while holding them right in front of a 100W light bulb...
Top ProSelect 21342, bottom Wix 51516. The white specks in the top photo is light coming through.

 

[sw99]

The Proselect I have sitting here is made in Mexico.

I wonder what the ST filter media would look compared to NAPA media pictures you posted.

 

[EagleFTE]

Pro Selects at my NAPA are made in Mexico as well. At least the one or two part numbers I've looked at.

 

[Herz]

if the case is they are mainly mexican and chinese I would use a supertech (2.50) or a puro (3.50) both are good filters and are made here.

 

[Jimmy9190]

It's interesting. The Proselects I have for my truck (Dodge Dakota with a 3.9 liter V6) do not say made in Mexico or China. On the side of the box it says Gastonia, NC and that is all the indication of country of origin there is. There is nothing about country of origin written on the filter itself. I alwaya took this to mean they are made by Americans at the Wix factory in Gastonia, NC.

Now I bought 4 Carquest Red oil filters for my truck this past Monday. They have a good sale on CQ oil and Red filters for $11.99. On the side of the filter it says in large red letters "Made in U.S.A.". I think these CQ filters are made at the Wix factory in Dillon, SC. Either way, the Proselect and CQ Red are exactly alike in a side-by-side comparison. They even have the same number cast into the base plates, "15515" I think it says. I thought this might be a casting number or stamping ID for the base plate.

Makes me wonder why the Napa filter says nothing at all about origin yet CQ puts it right there on the filter? I wonder if it's a quirk of Napa's marketing. Maybe there is some kind of deal going between Wix, Napa and CQ on who can say what about the origin of the filters.

Maybe Pete C. will let us know.

 

[Herz]

The proselects I have used in the past also stated Gastonia, NC and not USA or china or anything. The NAPA gold in my garage is the same way.

 

[gfh77665]

The reason I asked is because I have one "left over", and didn't know if its safe to use it or not (I can't return it). Maybe using PS just one time won't hurt too much?

 

[sw99]

I have no doubts that is a good filter. I would use it before a FRAM any day.

 

[river_rat]

I'll bet you could use them all the time for years with no issues. Just not as good a filter as a Gold or Wix.

 

[labman]

+1 With so little to show for Fram being the most popular filter, why worry about which alternative is the best?

 

[Jimmy9190]

I use Proselects all the time. They do fine on my 3000 mile OCI. I ran one OCI to 3400 miles once when I just did not have time to change my oil on schedule and had no problems then either. I have heard and read not to use them for an OCI longer than 3500 miles, but there are others here who use them to 5000 and haven't had any problems. I just follow a strict 3000 mile OCI.

I think Proselects and Carquest Reds are the best filters you can buy in the $3.00 to $3.50 price range. They are very well made with a really good balance of flow and filtration. As far as I know they are made here in the USA. I have been using them for a couple of years now and have had no problems at all with them. I can not justify spending 6 or 7 bucks on an expensive oil filter when the $3.00 Proselect will work fine for my truck and OCI. I know 6 or 7 dollar oil filters and even the more expensive ones are great and have their place in extended drain OCI's with synthetic or syn blend oil, but I just don't need them.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[gfh77665]

Thank you all. I'll use it.

 

[ThirdeYe]

I've used them a number of times on my mom's Malibu and the Daewoo I maintain with no problems. When I cut them open, the media was slightly distorted and was kind of brittle, but I was told this was due to the process of making the media that's used in the filters and the brittleness won't affect it's use-ability because it won't come apart during use.

 

[fdcg27]

I don't think you can buy an oil filter that won't be okay for a 5K interval.
I used Frams for years, based upon the old 'eighties CU oil filter test.
The engines I used them on (some of which I still have) lived long lives with no problems related to oil or the filtration thereof.
I learned that Frams were nothing special years back when I started lurking here.
Anyway, use the Pro Select without worry.
It will do just fine for 5K.

 

[Gary Allan]

Originally Posted By: defektes
if the case is they are mainly mexican and chinese I would use a supertech (2.50) or a puro (3.50) both are good filters and are made here.


I would say that the Ecore is assured to be made here. At least for the time being.

Keep it in the hemisphere.

 

[river_rat]

Originally Posted By: Gary Allan
I would say that the Ecore is assured to be made here. At least for the time being.

True of everything I guess. It changes month to month...