Recommendation for filter for Alfa Romeo 4C?

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Hello all:

It is about time to change the oil/filter on my 4C. For those unfamiliar it runs a fairly crazy little boosted 4 cylinder that is 1.7L but makes over 300 HP in slightly modified guise such as I am in. I run either M1 or Castrol 0W-40. For the longest time the only filter available was the OEM Mann canister filter. It was/is an expensive POS and nothing is special about it aside from a high bypass pressure of 2.5 bar (35 psi). See https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/4156392/1. The pictures seem to be dead, you can find them here: https://www.4c-forums.com/16-engine-technical/32425-4c-oil-filter-problems.html.

Well, in 3 years time there are other options. Apparently the factory filter is now a Mopar unit which is a little bit sacrilegious for an Italian car but such is the global economy in which we now live. It is likely a rebadge of the Mann filter but could be something different entirely. Not much is known about it.

A number of other filters are now known to fit. Specifically, Royal Purple, M1 EP, and both a normal Wix and a Wix XP also fit. I wish that an Ultra fit this application but alas it isn't to be. Problem is that all of those filters to my knowledge use the usual 1 bar bypass pressure which is much lower than the OEM filter. Purolator makes a filter that will likely fit that uses a higher bypass pressure but it is my understanding that the Purolators have not been so hot as of late.

So, my question to the experts here are should I just bite the bullet and pay $25 for a crappy OEM filter that has a pretty high bypass pressure spec, run a better spec filter (M1, Royal Purple) that uses a lower bypass pressure, or take a chance on a Purolator that has a somewhat higher but still not OEM level bypass pressure spec? What would you do if this were your car?

Also, if anyone knows of another filter that has a fitment for this weird little car that would be better I would love to hear it. Let me know.

Thank you to everyone in advance.
 
Originally Posted by phaphaphooey
Hello all:

It is about time to change the oil/filter on my 4C. For those unfamiliar it runs a fairly crazy little boosted 4 cylinder that is 1.7L but makes over 300 HP in slightly modified guise such as I am in. I run either M1 or Castrol 0W-40. For the longest time the only filter available was the OEM Mann canister filter. It was/is an expensive POS and nothing is special about it aside from a high bypass pressure of 2.5 bar (35 psi). See https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/4156392/1. The pictures seem to be dead, you can find them here: https://www.4c-forums.com/16-engine-technical/32425-4c-oil-filter-problems.html.

Well, in 3 years time there are other options. Apparently the factory filter is now a Mopar unit which is a little bit sacrilegious for an Italian car but such is the global economy in which we now live. It is likely a rebadge of the Mann filter but could be something different entirely. Not much is known about it.

A number of other filters are now known to fit. Specifically, Royal Purple, M1 EP, and both a normal Wix and a Wix XP also fit. I wish that an Ultra fit this application but alas it isn't to be. Problem is that all of those filters to my knowledge use the usual 1 bar bypass pressure which is much lower than the OEM filter. Purolator makes a filter that will likely fit that uses a higher bypass pressure but it is my understanding that the Purolators have not been so hot as of late.

So, my question to the experts here are should I just bite the bullet and pay $25 for a crappy OEM filter that has a pretty high bypass pressure spec, run a better spec filter (M1, Royal Purple) that uses a lower bypass pressure, or take a chance on a Purolator that has a somewhat higher but still not OEM level bypass pressure spec? What would you do if this were your car?

Also, if anyone knows of another filter that has a fitment for this weird little car that would be better I would love to hear it. Let me know.

Thank you to everyone in advance.

I would use the filter with the right bypass pressure setting.
Since it's so expensive I would use it for as many miles/kilometers as it is rated for every time . Probably more really
 
Use a Subaru-spec filter like the Wix 57055XP (Napa Platinum 47055, on sale this month for $8.99)

The bypass is 27 psi
 
Originally Posted by Pinoak

I would use the filter with the right bypass pressure setting.


No, I would go with the highest quality synthetic filter media (Amsoil, Donaldson, Royal purple)

The synthetic media flows so much better, that the bypass valve is almost never needed.
 
Can you get the Mahle OC 1331 ? Could be worth against the original Mann (W 6014 ?).

With original specs there is apparently also a UFI 23.596.00, but considering most of them are (cheaply) made in China and the bad experience I had with them in the past, I'd stay away.
 
Originally Posted by phaphaphooey
What would you do if this were your car?
https://www.fram.com/media/1075/fram-racing-filter-sell-sheet.pdf which has a kinda high 22 psi bypass, flows very well, very ruggedly built, decent efficiency. "motorking" bitog member helped spec or design it, not sure what he did exactly for it. Great oil filter for high-performance engines.
HP17 is the one for the 4c. Amazon.com that puppy.
https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/4326934/New_Fram_racing_filters_cut_op
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by phaphaphooey


... It was/is an expensive POS and nothing is special about it aside from a high bypass pressure of 2.5 bar (35 psi).



Is there an engineering reason for the very high by-pass pressure ... ?

On Subaru's, the high by-pass was claimed to decrease the number of by-pass events to help possibly prevent clogging of a fine screen filter in the oil line going to the turbo. On non-turbo's, it was not deemed mission critical to the engine.
 
Originally Posted by geeman789
Is there an engineering reason for the very high by-pass pressure ... ? On Subaru's, the high by-pass was claimed to decrease the number of by-pass events to help possibly prevent clogging of a fine screen filter in the oil line going to the turbo. On non-turbo's, it was not deemed mission critical to the engine.

GM went to a higher bypass threshold pressure (about 23 psi) for most of it's engines from 2012 to the present. In a nutshell, it was because a pressure spike can occur on start-up which pops the valve too often and washes over the element, rinsing junk into the galleries for a moment. They explain it a bit:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forum...f48e-oil-filter-instead-of-pf64-pf48.pdf
 
Originally Posted by Linctex
Originally Posted by Pinoak

I would use the filter with the right bypass pressure setting.


No, I would go with the highest quality synthetic filter media (Amsoil, Donaldson, Royal purple)

The synthetic media flows so much better, that the bypass valve is almost never needed.

Are you sure? Is that true or are you just making it up? Repeating what you've be conditioned to believe?
D
 
I am indeed leaning towards the Fram filter although I wish the bypass were higher such that it met OEM spec. The high bypass pressure spec is beyond my paygrade as far as the reason/importance of it. It is interesting to consider whether a full synthetic filter such as, in this application, the Royal Purple would flow significantly better so that a higher bypass spec isn't necessary. I have read both sides of that argument and am not sure which is true.
 
Originally Posted by phaphaphooey
I am indeed leaning towards the Fram filter although I wish the bypass were higher such that it met OEM spec. The high bypass pressure spec is beyond my paygrade as far as the reason/importance of it. It is interesting to consider whether a full synthetic filter such as, in this application, the Royal Purple would flow significantly better so that a higher bypass spec isn't necessary. I have read both sides of that argument and am not sure which is true.
Your logic is correct. We discussed that very issue on bitog a while back, whether or not a synthetic media filter flows well enough to counter higher bypass pressure, and I never found hard evidence that it was enough better. I think there is about 1/3 less pressure drop for a syn media oil filter, a total guess, insufficient data to be sure.

That Alfa engine is a rev-monster. Looks to me like Alfa is concerned someone will start the engine on a cold day (thick oil) and rev the engine hard, creating too many bypass events. Or, maybe they are using a GM-like oil control system setup like the TSB above outlined.

In this Alfa case, I would use the Fram Racing oil filter and just not rev the engine above 1,800 rpm until it warms up on a cold day. If startup is above 40F, I wouldn't even think about it.
 
With a stable worth as much as that is, I would go to the dealer and buy what they supply. Mopar is only the word on the can, what's inside is correct for your special engine.
 
Stick with OEM... For $28 or whatever, why take the risk on such a car. Does FCP Euro or a similar parts place have them cheaper?

Also, having used and/or opened them, I would not really put Mobil1 or Royal Purple in the same category as European Mann, Hengst or Mahle filters.

Good luck, nice car and and nice fleet. Test drove an Evora 400 at the dealer over the weekend...must...resist...temptation..
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Thanks for all the input. I ended up ordering the Mopar OEM filter and will check it out to see if it is just a rebrand of the OEM German made Mann filter or whether they have cheaped out now that the Mann filter has been superseded in the USA for this application. I would've done the Fram racing filter or something else but I just couldn't use the lower bypass pressure. I figure it is specced for a reason. Unfortunately Alfa Romeo is still a very niche brand in the states so parts availability is quite limited. The best I could do was ordering from Which still saved $15 or so over dealer prices.

The Evora 400 is amazing. I didn't like the design at first as it is no longer cohesive like the original Evora design and it is quite obvious they just grafted on a more aggressive front and rear bumper and called it a day. However, it has grown on me and the additional power is sorely needed. Once you drop the 3rd cat that was fitted for the states it sounds amazing as well. I might revisit it someday as it is suffering from the usual Lotus depreciation at the moment.
 
Just to follow up and hopefully help someone in the future, I just received the "Mopar" oil filter and it is literally a Mann branded, German made filter in a Mopar box. There is no sign of Mopar anything on the filter.
 
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