"High end" oil filters

[CarbonSteel]

Originally Posted By: Paul_Bell
I believe you that the Fram website says that. I've read what the Fram website says.

The one I have is a single layer.

Let's compare the photo of the one I opened for examination to the photo from Fram's website. See any difference?

I found the Fram Ultra post where I dissected the XG2, but I did not cut the media apart; I guess I should have and since I tossed it about a week ago...oh well.

 

[Paul_Bell]

Pajamarama, if I see one I'll buy it and open it up.

Green box, blue filter.

 

[donnyj08]

Originally Posted By: oilpsi2high
That Fram Ultra Guard looks awful.


I agree, however i know several people with 200+k miles on their vehicles that use nothing but orange cans and conventional oil. The OCOD may be of "lower" quality, but they do work, and they work pretty well regardless of internet hysteria. People get bent out of shape over the fiber endcaps, but fail to realize that most filters they use also use some form of fiber media. Fiber endcaps are really a non-issue IMO.

 

[seekingbuddha]

This thread came at a good time for me, so i will add my findings.....The efficiency rating on the WIX/XP (Napa Premium) seem to be not good, from what i see today using google search. Napa premium costs $11.25 from NAPA store local. Fram Ultra is the cheapest at $7.62 for my car at amazon. Mobil Extended is $10 at amazon, but it is not pure synthetic media. Royal purple costs $12.7 for honda civic at amazon and my search reveals good efficiency rating for it, similar to Amsoil (which is the most expensive at $20 at their website).

 

[Paul_Bell]

Originally Posted By: seekingbuddha
This thread came at a good time for me, so i will add my findings.....


Thank you for that.

Was the NAPA filter their Platinum version?

Has anybody examined the efficiency ratings of a Fleetguard with the Stratapore media?

 

[901Memphis]

Originally Posted By: oilpsi2high
That Fram Ultra Guard looks awful.


It's just a Fram Ultra.

Ultra guard is a name for an ac delco filter no longer in production.


Extra guard, high mileage, tough guard, Ultra

Those are the models in the Common Fram lineup.

Also opinions don't change the fact that the Fram Ultra is the highest efficiency filter in this or any lineup at 99%+ efficient at 20 microns and 80% efficient at 5 microns. Also boasts a pretty impressive holding capacity too.

 

[901Memphis]

Also do you have any better pictures of the Wix XP media? The data I have indicates it's most likely a single layer media.

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: Pajamarama
So the Purolator Synthetic filter doesn't count as high-end? I'm a little disappointed it wasn't included for whatever reason.



I opened a used one recently. Its made as well as a Wix but with a better filtration rating. I'd put it right up there around the Ultra, just a tick below the RP and Amsoil offerings. I like the Purolator bypass valve best of all, but it has the thinnest shell of all. Probably a negative if your filter hangs down where road debris could hit it, but not otherwise.

 

[k1rod]

Thank you Paul. I appreciate your willingness to cut up some expensive filters, take the time to take pictures of them and post them here with your thoughts. Very helpful.

 

[donnyj08]

Originally Posted By: k1rod
Thank you Paul. I appreciate your willingness to cut up some expensive filters, take the time to take pictures of them and post them here with your thoughts. Very helpful.



^ i agree, great pictures. Thanks for the investment.

 

[Paul_Bell]

No prob, I did it to answer my own questions and thought it'd be a shame to not show others interested in cars & things like us all.

I kinda expected a bit of criticizing, we all have our opinions and experiences. I know very well that's how it is on internet forums.

I've done my share of oil changes as well as building Chevy Gen 1, 2, 3 and MkIV engines and I know the importance of good lubrication and filtration.

 

[Sayjac]

Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Originally Posted By: Pajamarama
So the Purolator Synthetic filter doesn't count as high-end? I'm a little disappointed it wasn't included for whatever reason.



I opened a used one recently. Its made as well as a Wix but with a better filtration rating. I'd put it right up there around the Ultra, just a tick below the RP and Amsoil offerings. I like the Purolator bypass valve best of all, but it has the thinnest shell of all. Probably a negative if your filter hangs down where road debris could hit it, but not otherwise.

That's solid looking PSL. And obviously a good result. Unfortunately no AAP's in this area carry them in stores so I could give one a shot using the codes. Not one in a 50 mi radius carries them in stock.

 

[CarbonSteel]

Originally Posted By: oilpsi2high
That Fram Ultra Guard looks awful.

Assume you mean Fram ExtraGuard (Orange) and not the Fram Ultra (Gold).

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: sayjac
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Originally Posted By: Pajamarama
So the Purolator Synthetic filter doesn't count as high-end? I'm a little disappointed it wasn't included for whatever reason.



I opened a used one recently. Its made as well as a Wix but with a better filtration rating. I'd put it right up there around the Ultra, just a tick below the RP and Amsoil offerings. I like the Purolator bypass valve best of all, but it has the thinnest shell of all. Probably a negative if your filter hangs down where road debris could hit it, but not otherwise.

That's solid looking PSL. And obviously a good result. Unfortunately no AAP's in this area carry them in stores so I could give one a shot using the codes. Not one in a 50 mi radius carries them in stock.

Its a bummer that a lot of auto parts stores have a limited selection of synthetic-media filters. Even the Fram Ultra has limited shelf space when you find it, and its got about the best market penetration thanks to Fram's juggernaut of marketing.

I'm fortunate that my local Pep Boys stocks the Fram Ultra, PSL, Royal Purple, and K&N synthetic media models in all the sizes I need (except the cartridge for the Pentastar- no synthetic media cartridges at all that I can find, yet!). And the A-line down the street carries the Wix, though I wouldn't use it with its current "stops the bigger rocks" kind of filtration rating.

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: k1rod
Thank you Paul. I appreciate your willingness to cut up some expensive filters, take the time to take pictures of them and post them here with your thoughts. Very helpful.


Same here, Paul, I appreciate when anyone shares any findings. I've gotten to where I open every used filter I pull off, and almost always link the results here.

Don't read too much into those of us who disagreed with your ranking- all these filters (except the Wix) are pretty much equal and interchangeable with only minor differences in filtration. Each one has features I like better than the others, and my "perfect" filter would be a Royal Purple with Fram Ultra price and a Purolator-type bypass valve. I don't now why Wix is rated so much worse, its been an ongoing debate here for a while. Are they actually being more honest? Or do they simply believe that 20 um and smaller particles don't cause significant wear and design their media accordingly, favoring flow rate over fine particle capture? I'd love to know.

 

[SilverC6]

Originally Posted By: 2010_FX4
Originally Posted By: oilpsi2high
That Fram Ultra Guard looks awful.

Assume you mean Fram ExtraGuard (Orange) and not the Fram Ultra (Gold).


+1

The FRAM ExtraGuard (OCOD) looks like it is being held together by a squirt of glue and a prayer.

It's like your grandma, it looks better with its can on.

 

[zpinch]

Pretty pointless comparison, but thanks for opening them up. Like others have said, they will all serve the average extended OCI very well. For me, I use Amsoil EAO 15 filters with my bypass setup, I have looked into using something else for the full flow unit, but then I think, why?

Nice pics, but it's a shame someone didn't have the time and resources to do a very controlled filter test, a long term and real world (ish) filter test method. With particle counts.

 

[ThirdeYe]

Originally Posted By: Paul_Bell
No prob, I did it to answer my own questions and thought it'd be a shame to not show others interested in cars & things like us all.

I kinda expected a bit of criticizing, we all have our opinions and experiences. I know very well that's how it is on internet forums.

I've done my share of oil changes as well as building Chevy Gen 1, 2, 3 and MkIV engines and I know the importance of good lubrication and filtration.

Love that color. I remember checking out a Firebird in that color before a few years back for my girlfriend. I'd prefer that over the black paint on mine. Black is too difficult to keep clean and the clear coat is starting to fade a bit.

 

[seekingbuddha]

Originally Posted By: seekingbuddha
This thread came at a good time for me, so i will add my findings.....The efficiency rating on the WIX/XP (Napa Premium) seem to be not good, from what i see today using google search. Napa premium costs $11.25 from NAPA store local. Fram Ultra is the cheapest at $7.62 for my car at amazon. Mobil Extended is $10 at amazon, but it is not pure synthetic media. Royal purple costs $12.7 for honda civic at amazon and my search reveals good efficiency rating for it, similar to Amsoil (which is the most expensive at $20 at their website).


UPDATE (and answer to Paul Bell's question to me):
I spent time, calling some companies regarding air filters and checking into effiency related articles for air/oil filters. A correction to my previous post is needed based on Multi-pass test efficiency (the standard among all), quoted in a pdf doc i found at Mobil website for extended performance. Even though it is a blend of synthetic + cellulose, it seems to have higher efficiency of 99.6%, compared to 99% of Royal Purple. Both are measured at 25 microns but Amsoil is the best with 98.7% efficiency quoted at 20 microns. I need to update my above post, with the price on Amsoil, to include shipping (which i can avoid for other products, through amazon). For 2008 honda civic Amsoil Ea is $27 including shipping. It is $30 for 1996 Nissan Altima (25k mile filter). If you order multiple products from Amsoil website (or become a preferred customer for $10), the shipping/price comes down a bit.

Paul - yes, the Napa filter is the Premium version for 2008 Honda Civic. I searched Donaldson website to find passenger car filters; their website is is not easy to navigate/search for "transportation" applications. If anyone finds more details on Donaldson please post. BTW, does Fleetguard make passenger car oil+air filters ? They got lot of good info on their website regarding filteration, and have high tech products.

I ruled out Purolator PureOne, due to recent reports of tears. From what i hear, Purolator is aware of this problem, and they are working on it. The company seems to be in chaos due to recent acquisition, including the telephone operator at front end. But, their customer service is still great, and i will be considering PureOne next year, due to their price point.

So, for this time around, i am going with Mobil Extended due to their efficiency + price combination is the best among the oil filters referenced in this thread; and my last UOA reveals that i can easily take it to 15,000+ miles, as guaranteed. I do like Royal Purple for their construction, but i am not sure why their efficiency is lower than Mobil, even though they seem to use purely synthetic material. I will post my findings on air filters at a later date, in another thread.

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: zpinch


Nice pics, but it's a shame someone didn't have the time and resources to do a very controlled filter test, a long term and real world (ish) filter test method. With particle counts.



Every time someone attempts a test like that, the whole interweb goes crazy pointing out every little flaw and shortcoming in their methodology.

Personally, I think the test the guy on GM Truck Central did a few years ago is about as good as anyone without a lot of resources could do. In fact, he devoted a lot more to it than 90% of us would. RP, Amsoil, and Fram XG (predecessor of the Ultra which actually did have 2 separate medial layers) came out at the top- no surprise really.

http://www.gmtruckcentral.com/articles/oilfilterstudy.html