Oil Filter Study

[Scott "Elder" Harrison]

This is a dated article (updated 1/08) comparing oil filters.

http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/oilfilters/opinions.html

Bottom line..stay away from Fram

Motorcraft & Purolator Premium Plus are best buys at $3

WIX and Purolator Pure One for $5-$6

Mobil 1 is excellent but much more expensive. $10 8O

 

[Rob Burton]

Thanks for the info Scott. I knew about the problems with Fram filters back when we used to race stock cars. They were known to blow engines through oil starvation. I strictly use Amsoil synthetic oil and their filters.

 

[Scott "Elder" Harrison]

IMHO, Amsoil products aren't worth the extra $$$ unless you are going beyond the normal service intervals and have high mileage applications. Neither seem to apply to our Cobras.

 

[Rob Burton]

I think it's a small investment when you're talking about replacing a $12,000-$15,000 engine.

 

[Wade Chamberlain]

The $2 Supertech filters at Walmart are excellent filters too, believe it or not. They're made by Champion Labs. I usually use a good ol' Motorcraft FL1A for the Cobra. The other heaps get either Supertech or Purolator Pure One depending on what I can find.

 

[InProcess]

Just cut open a Fram and Purolator and can confirm results.

But I love the grip on the Fram, but engine health is more important.

 

[Jon96cobra]

Can't go wrong with factory filters. I use the Mann filters for the German cars and they are much better then what you can find in the stores. I usually get them here in bulk http://www.germanfilters.com/

 

[edhunter]

FWIW, I had some issues with low oil pressure on the track car, esp when hot. My engine is a 347, was running royal purple 10-30 and a wix oil filter. Hot oil pressure at idle would be below 20psi, usually in the 17-18 range - just a bit low for my liking. On track it would run mid-40's... I run an oil cooler in the nose, with AN10 lines. The cooler has 1/2"NPT fittings, it was rated to handle 500hp, more than my engine produces. I thought I'd swap filters, see if that helped the oil pressure, and it did. I went to a K&N filter, and saw about a 7-10psi jump across the board - hot idle around 25, on track pressures around 50. Same oil, etc... This may indicate the K&N doesn't filter quite as well, but it's apparently not as restrictive.

 

[CoryB]

This may indicate the K&N doesn't filter quite as well, but it's apparently not as restrictive.

<thread hijack>
Sounds just like their air filters too...

On the street it may not be too much of an issue but I came from the Jeep world and saw many, many examples of copious dust in the intake tract on vehicles that used K&N air filters - mine included. I went back to a factory air filter after that.
</thread hijack>