Interesting Oil Filter Discovery (OT)

[JerseyHarold]

I stopped at Pep Boys today for their $12.99 DIY oil and filter special, five quarts of Quaker State oil and a Pro-Line (Pep Boys brand) oil filter. When I worked there in the late nineties, Pro-Line oil filters were made by Purolator and the same as the regular Purolator line, with only the prefix on the part number being different.

It seems that things have changed. The numbering system is still the same, but when I compared the Pro-Line filter to the regular Purolator, it was physically smaller. To me, this translates to less effective filtration. I compared the filters for my Caravan, Taurus, and Villager and only the Villager filter was the same in both brands.

In a way, I'm not surprised about the change, but this discovery means I'll have to be more careful in the future about buying products based on the way they used to be.

[Big_John]

In a related story, they have found a use for Fram filters.

[Oldguy48]

Years ago, the only brand of oil filter I would purchase was Fram. At the time, they seemed to have a good reputation, and I thought I was doing right by buying them. Was I wrong way back then, or has their quality taken a nosedive in just the last few years? I suppose they are being manufactured in China now.

[Big_John]

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

I think that's the first comprehensive online oil filter study, although there's been others.

I don't know when Fram turned to junk.... For all I know they might have been junk since day one.... But I'll bet that somewhere after the time that Fram was bought up by Allied-Signal.

[old stovebolt]

That is a great study on oil filters. Very interesting.

[rustyzman]

Cut a few brands open sometime and you will be suprized at the differences. I did this at work for a customer display. Big differences inside (less filter material, bypass valve construction, etc...) Best filter for my money is WIX. Professionally, that is what I used. Personally, sometimes the orange ones end up on my car (occasionally price wins out). They are inferior, though.

My opinion, FWIW.

[Captain Neon]

If not that same study, I read one very similar in 2002, and haven't boughten a Fram filter since. Nothing but Wix since. Before Wix made filters for MoPar, I some times received MoPar filters as gifts from a MoPar parts guy I knew. I traded them for Wix filters. Now that MoPar filters are Wix filters in different clothes, I will buy MoPar filters @ Wal*Mart if I find my self needing to change oil and I don't know where a NAPA or O'Reilly's can be located.