Oil filters

[PiperCub]

Is it a keeper/something I value more than a bit?

 

Yes: OE

No: Quality pattern

 

Be aware that OE filters are often not as expensive as you may think and can sometimes actually be the same price or cheaper than a decent quality pattern item. It pays to check. (Ford/Motorcraft were a case in point some years ago).

 

Quality pattern for me is something like Mann, Mahle or Purflex.

[DodgeRover]

When I worked in a bike dealership the discount on genuine oil filters was about 50% so unless the customer specifically requested otherwise they got used for servicing and on stock bikes, even retail they weren't particularly dear.

[Lacquer Peel]

Car manufacturers don't make their own fuel filters do they? Quality pattern is probably the same as OE.

 

Are ALCO filters okay? I have one for the van.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Just bought a Mann spin-on filter for the MR2 for £6.57 delivered. Anything over a tenner - I'd be considering changing my car.

[srad34]

We are autoshire, just chuck the filter element away and refit the filter housing with cotton wool or wire wool if you are feeling flush, genius....

[twosmoke300]

I bought a cheap oil filter for the Rav on ebay. It clearly had no non-return valve. I'm a bit wary of cheap shit now.

Remember a non return valve isn't needed if the oil filter is thread up !

[simmo]

[Rusty_Rocket]

I must have been lucky with oil filters.  I use whatever I can get hold of at the time and have never had a problem.  Mind you, they never stay on any of my stuff more than 6000 miles.

Only ones I'm always slightly wary of are the Br*tpart ones on the Land Rovers.  They're a couple of quid a go.  Probably packed full of the Xinmin Evening News.

[Parky]

Wix never get mentioned and when I used one in the Bini the engine didn't implode.

 

Used to use Fram but I hear they have gone south quality wise. Liked the fact that they were so easy to locate what with being bright orange! Which makes me wonder why manufacturers don't paint them up in brighter colours, it can't add that much to the manufacture price. Anyone know if there is a technical reason why nobody seems to make bright yellow or green filters?

[Guest Lord Sward]

Some Fram filters seem to be of poor quality, others of tremendous quality.  Have you used the high end Fram filter whereby the end of the canister is coated in a very grippy substance to aid hand tightening and removal?

[RichL]

Mann, Mahle and Purflux are all OE equipment - what you will find in the box of a genuine part - and the best.

 

The Crosland brand is owned by ECP and is an OE alternative. I believe they are all made in China.

[gordonbennet]

Didn't Crosland used to be made in Nottingham?, they were my filter of choice at one time, not always easy to find, Northampton Diesels (which was a brilliant Diesel workshops) used to stock them for decent prices.

 

Youtubes worth a perusal, some of those bonkers Americans have dismantled loads of different oil filter brands and compared build quality.

[dollywobbler]

Remember a non return valve isn't needed if the oil filter is thread up !

 

The oil pressure warning light on long after start up suggests it wasn't...

[RichL]

Didn't Crosland used to be made in Nottingham?

 

They did indeed, on Glaisdale Drive in Bilborough.

 

The Factory closed down years ago and was demolished shortly after. All the tooling was sold to Fram and ECP bought the name.

[DodgeRover]

Some Fram filters seem to be of poor quality, others of tremendous quality. Have you used the high end Fram filter whereby the end of the canister is coated in a very grippy substance to aid hand tightening and removal?

I don't know why all manufacturers don't do that I would certainly pay the extra 15p or whatever per filter that it costs.

[PiperCub]

I remember being advised against Fram oil filters many years ago as they were allegedly shit and had the tendency to shear off or split and leak. Don't know if this is still the case or not. 

 

You can usually get filters off by hand by wrapping a thick elastic band round them (in the same way you get a tight jar/bottle lid off) for the grip assuming some moronic  gorilla hasn't used the removal tool to tighten it!

I use this method on my MX5 as access to the filter under the inlet manifold is a bit limited. 

[Sigmund Fraud]

Are Bosch filters made by Bosch?

 

Not in my recent experience, but that doesn't mean they're sub-ebay-spec crap.

 

You often get Mann or Hengst filters in a Bosch box, and they tend to be marginally cheaper than if they were in a Mann or Hengst box. Not sure how that works, but every little helps so I go along with it !

[Shep Shepherd]

I always use genuine Volvo oil filters on The Volvo, because of their anti-drain properties. The Aero has so far had genuine Saab oil filters, but I'm sure that any good quality aftermarket one would suffice.

 

In my pre-Swedish days, I always used to use Halfords oil filters, as they were easy to obtain, good quality and relatively cheap. 

[Bobthebeard]

Change the oil and filter every 5K miles. Cheapy filter will be ok. Cheap oil not so great.