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Thu Nov 12, 2020 11:24 am

disclaimer- this is not a "what brand is best, blah blah blah" thread

In my never ending quest to pay attention and overthink literally everything in my current engine build, I've already started second guessing my choice in oil filter.

I initially decided to use the Wix Racing (Napa gold) 51515r filter after lots of recommendations from some members here as well as local guys. Upon further research I ended up looking at the micron ratings of other filters and saw that the 51515r is only rated at 61 microns, whereas the 1515 Napa gold or 41515 Napa Platinum version is at 21 microns. These other filters are close to half the price of the 51515r, but seem to offer better filtration. What would be considered the minimum acceptable micron rating for a street car when wanting to maximise longevity?

Why is the 51515r such a highly recommended filter? is it because of burst rating? High flow rating? Napa says I can bring in my 51515r and swap it no problem so I'm thinking of bringing it in and grabbing a pair of the 41515 Platinum filters instead. They are currently on sale so a buck cheaper than the gold anyways.

I have a Fram HP1 on hand too, but not too hot on using it.

For background info this will be for a 1776, 26mm oil pump, 10W30 oil in California all-weather driving. Not a racecar, not a high revving screamer. I'm concerned about longevity primarily. I think based on the reading I've done that the finer filtering capability of the 1515 or 41515 would be a better choice for my application.

Would running something with looser filtration be better at engine/cam break in time, and then run the tighter filtration for the actual driving after? Or just go tighter all around? My gut tells me go tighter from the beginning and ditch the 51515r for the 41515 and not look back.

Thu Nov 12, 2020 11:27 am

You may be overthinking it slightly :wink: but I got this one.

WIX 51342

Or if you go to napa get the gold one. The platinum one is the same one you have.... gold = regular. platinum= racing

I went down that rabbit hole too

The most popular filters are 51515R and the 51515, which are the two different filters in question I'm gathering... the racing one might filter less stuff out but flows more or something like that. Napa has there own part numbers but the filters they sell are just WiX relabeled. The 51342 has the same filtering specs as the 51515 but has a better backflow valve and also is more robust, can handle more PSI before ballooning or bursting. That's why I chose it.

I tried to understand the ratings and efficency percentages. One is 90% at 21 and one is 95% at 61.... who knows what any of it means.... I think they made it hard to compare on purpose

General consensus from my own investigation and reading online... the GOLD is better than the PLATINUM and napa. And the regular wix filters are better at filtering than the racing ones... its probabaly all very negligible... but if you start looking it into, that's what you will likely come up with.

Thu Nov 12, 2020 11:34 am

Looks like there are a ton of similar filters that all hover within a half an inch or so of the same dimensions in that size range. I honestly think that any will work ~fine~ for me, so long as they have tight enough micron media in them.

Is there a database of the bypass PSI of these things?

Thu Nov 12, 2020 11:39 am

Ya sort of. If you look up the filter numbers on rockauto, sometimes rockauto is hard to search but if you search google for " rockauto wix 51515" then it comes up. Anyway they have the ratings and specs for the products written out pretty clear on a chart.

Wix 51342 has burst pressure of 350psi. Bypass setting listed as 16

I think wix 51515 is something like 290. Bypass setting listed as 8-11

Thu Nov 12, 2020 11:55 am

Hmmmm :)

I think I'll grab a couple of the 41515 filters when I grab oil for the GF's Ford (2007 Five Hundred, funky car but surprisingly comfy) and use them. No sense using the racing filter when I don't get as good of filtration out of it.

Thu Nov 12, 2020 12:01 pm

There is also a filter that wix makes called the 51515XP, same size as the 51515 but I remember people were not thrilled with that one for some reason

Thu Nov 12, 2020 1:20 pm

Before you get too deep into oil filters you must know that there are only 4-5 paper mills in the world that actually make the paper filtering media used inside all disposable oil filters.

Don't overthink this.

Thu Nov 12, 2020 1:47 pm

I'm tryin', I swear!

I just want to make sure I'm getting the right protection. 61 microns seems a little loose compared to 21 :)

Thu Nov 12, 2020 2:07 pm

Buy any national brand and sleep easy. A National brand such as Wix puts their reputation on the line with their product. $5-$6 is all you need to spend on a disposable oil filter. Stay away from the $3 discount brands and leave the $12-$15 filters are for the $50,000 racing engines.

Thu Nov 12, 2020 2:12 pm

Thu Nov 12, 2020 2:13 pm

Mobil 1.
worst? The Fram orange can of death. (which I used exclusively for 30 years.....and all my cars ran forever)

Thu Nov 12, 2020 2:42 pm

vwracerdave wrote: Buy any national brand and sleep easy. A National brand such as Wix puts their reputation on the line with their product. $5-$6 is all you need to spend on a disposable oil filter. Stay away from the $3 discount brands and leave the $12-$15 filters are for the $50,000 racing engines.

The Napa house brand Oil filters are manufactured by Wix, and I've been very happy with Wix. $8 each and good quality. That's why I was looking at the different Wix filters I listed. There's a few decent videos and discussions around showing them cut open and how the construction on them is.

Splitdog wrote: Mobil 1.

any favorite part numbers?

Quote:
worst? The Fram orange can of death. (which I used exclusively for 30 years.....)

I have one on hand (HP1) and it is very light in the hand compared to the Wix. I've seen a few cut open and they're pitiful. I'll likely give this one away, it's new in box and I don't remember where I even got it from.

Thu Nov 12, 2020 2:50 pm

I feel like PPM and flow numbers for oil/fuel filters are one of those things where if you are driving a car with a high enough performance engine and driving it in such a way (serious drags, autocross, etc) that it's really going to make a difference, then this information is going to be very basic to you..

If you are asking these questions, you are probably not part of that category and will be just fine using whichever filter is your preference..

Maybe i'm totally off base, I just don't see the average driver going to the grocery store worrying about anything smaller than whatever micron is the "average" or trying to get every last PSI of oil flow.. Pushing a pro-street car on the strip, yeah, worry about it, cruising around town with the family or friends, you're creating an unnecessary worry.. Just my opinion..

Thu Nov 12, 2020 2:51 pm

most of the time I used the motor craft filters. they flow ok and filter ok. some filter ok but are restrictive. in the past 10 years the holes in the tops of the filters seems to be shrinking on many filter brands some down to 1/8" size or smaller. also many times you can open the filter box and put your finger in the center threaded hole carfuly and get slivers,in your finger, or see a curl of steel thread hanging off. or just bring back a dirty finger if your luckey. sofar the motorcraft seems to be consistant in being a clean, burr free, big hole filter. I have never had any issues with the motorcraft filters.

Thu Nov 12, 2020 2:59 pm

The part number would be the replacement for the Fram PH8A.
There is a HUGE thread about this on 'Bob the oil guy.com'. I read 3 hrs worth of tests, etc. Informative as hell.
I found that the infamous PH8A would fit everything I had practically. Ford, Toyota, Plymouth, and my VW.

Thu Nov 12, 2020 3:30 pm

I use the Ford motorcraft FL-1A. It’s been around forever and can be found at all parts stores

I have used the Napa 1515 before, but will stick with the FL-1A

Thu Nov 12, 2020 4:05 pm

Fram is only good for my parts washer...

Thu Nov 12, 2020 8:05 pm

Depends what you want.

The "r" is for racing and therefore the flow and micron filtration is not as tight.

You are correct Wix makes Napas. The difference between the golds and the platinum's are that the platinum's filter media is fully synthetic. The Fram Ultra have full synthetic media and so do Royal Purples and Puralator Boss and Amsoil.

Napa usually as a sale and I pick up three or four of their filters for my oil changes and save a few dollars. Walmart has the Fram Ultras at a good price if you want to give those a try for a full synthetic filter media.

Thu Nov 12, 2020 11:33 pm

I have quite a bit of agreement with VWracerdave.....as I have actually manufactured paper. for a living.....and currently have clients that manufacture paper and filtration media......so I know a bit about it.

That being said....61 microns sucks.

Understand that 0.001" = 25.4 microns. For reference..... 0.0001" = 2.54 microns.

So what is the oil tolerance on your main and rod bearings? About 0.002"?

Thats 50.8 microns. You dont need a filter that allows 61 microns rocks through it. But about 25-40um (microns) will be just fine.

But back to what Dave stated about the paper. Its NOT....NOT...just about the paper quality.
The filter paper does not filter 25um (for example) by having 25um holes. Its about the DESIGN of the filter, and the shape and angle of the pleats....and the direction and flow rate of the oil ACROSS its surface before its forced through it.

Example.....I just recently had a chance to play with 10 micron filtering fuel filter "mesh".(nylon no less) at a manufacturers warehouse....that actually has 75um holes/openings in it.

So how the f*ck does that work at all you ask?

Because filtration mesh ....while to the naked eye looks like your normal square weave mesh....look closely and/or under a microscope and you will see that the mesh has a totally different weave angle, with different thread pairings and whole slew of "treatments"...from calendaring of one surface to surface etching to produce surface area......AND....its directional depending on design.

This is a variant of it called "porometric mesh". It has super high flow because it has super large holes....but its angle sensitive. If the liquid is directed at it ...at a specific angle...the filtration ability is many times finer than the actual opening size.

This is not the actual mesh I was playing with...but same "type" of design.

Back to the paper.
Its not simple "paper". Its not even actually "paper"....as you know it.

They are actually virtually identical to "non-woven" fabrics in manufacturing and characteristics. They use wood and cellulose because they are cheap and cannot be easily dissolved by oils and fuels.

Most are resin treated.....usually they are made either by the "spun-laid" method....for the cheaper lower filtration levels.....or by a process that is similar to "melt-blown"....plastics only....which is what makes the damn masks we are all wearing.

So yes....dont buy cheap filters...but if you get one that is too fine....it will either spends its whole life bypassing, will perforate and blow through....or take too much energy from your engine.

Its worth looking at its level of filtration.....but as long as its about 1/3 less than your smallest oil tolerance....its fine. Ray

Fri Nov 13, 2020 12:09 am

Mark tucker knows. The Motorcraft FL-1A is one of the best kept secrets in oil filters.