Oil Filters - Dissected

[Deep Lava]

**EDIT: Added Wix and Mobil 1**
**EDITx2: Added Fram TG, XG, and K&N**
**EDITx3: Added NAPA Gold**

I was wondering what the differences were between some of the current oil filters. The study done at Engine Oil Filter Study is quite dated. So, I bought some oil filters from the local stores, grabbed my hacksaw and away I went. All filters had an anti-back flow gasket.






Findings:

The basic Fram is still crap. Fewest pleats and therefore least amount of filter area. Cardboard end-caps.


The TG Fram is better. Still has cardboard end-caps but has 15% more filter media and a screened by-pass valve.


The XG Fram is, can't believe I'm saying this, a decent filter. This is the only filter tested that used a different type of filter media. It was more fiberglass in nature vs. paperish for all the rest and is supported with a metal mesh. So even though it has less area, it is 2-3 times as thick.




STP and SuperTech are the exact same filter. Decent filter area but cheaply made and the felt end caps detached from the filter media with frightening ease. No by-pass valve.


Mopar and Purolator PremiumPlus are the exact same filter. Plenty of filter media with metal end caps which are impossible to remove from the filter media as seen by the dead Mopar filter.


Purolator PureOne and Bosch are the exact same filter. Largest amount of filter media with metal end caps which are also impossible to remove from the filter media.


All four of the latter are made by the same manufacture with the only difference between the two sets is the Mopar/Purolator PremiumPlus has the by-pass valve in the front, built into the stem..


...and the Bosch/Purolator PureOne has the by-pass valve located in the back via a 45-speed record adapter spring thingy along with 4 more pleats of filter media. Also, the PureOne has the best paint job. A nice royal blue w/ pearl coat


The Wix and NAPA Gold are the same filter but the NAPA Gold had 4 more pleats (61 vs 57) than the Wix. Was this by design or was it a machine assembly variance, probably the latter since everything else was exactly the same. The filters were similar to the Mopar and the Purolator PremiumPlus but made by someone else. They had a similar stem based by-base which was not attached to the filter media but loosely sits in the end-cap without a gasket. The Wix and NAPA Gold also had the second least amount of filter media. They had metal end-caps with the filter media permanently attached.


The Mobil 1 and the K&N are exactly the same filter less the 1" bung thingy on the K&N. Both are heavy due to their thick bases and smaller inlet holes. They too had the stem based by-pass valve firmly attached to the end-cap but only had 55 pleats, the second fewest. It did have the deepest pleats which equals fifth in area and the filter media was slightly thicker than most. Had metal end-caps with the filter media permanently attached.


Here the #'s (sorted by price):

[GoldNnasty]

Thanks for all your investigating....or disection of these.

This is good to know, was hoping to see the K&N at least to know if they are really worth the money.
Guess I'll have to cut my own.......$$$$

[fireman144]

Great job on the detail and the photos.......

[Moose]

Love information like that. Good presentation.

[Hemi57]

Really impressive write up. I, along with most other members will appreciate the fact that you threw away you money to give us the lowdown on filters. I bought a cheap Chinese filter for my old Ute (pick-up) and hate to think what it is like inside or how good it does filtering. No way SRT 61 will be getting a filter purchased on price alone.

[MrHappy]

Nicely done! Where's the Wix filter?

[HemiGpaw]

Nice info. Who would put a 2.50 cent filter on an engine like a hemi? Not me. I only use mobil 1 filter along with the oil. I've been using mobil 1 for about 10 yrs now.

[JimmyBamSlam]

Awesome. I just went from knowing almost nothing about oil filters, to being an expert! Thank you for the write up!!

[kevenj]

Originally Posted by MrHappy

Nicely done! Where's the Wix filter?

I second that: I already know what the WIX looks like inside and it will surpass all of those. Good work DEEP LAVA but for your own knowledge and to report back to everyone here, go get a WIX (#51085) or a NAPA GOLD (#1085) - - they are the same filter - - and cut it open like you did all those and take pictures of it. I have never seen inside a K & N or Mobil 1 to comment about them, but the Wix / NapaGold will beat any of those others.

The Napa Gold / Wix has a coil spring rather than that flat "leaf spring" like all those pictured, which is not a spring at all really. This olds the element to the base plate better so dirty oil doesn't bypass. It also has a "sprial"steel center tube inside the element-- this is much more resistant to collapsing if there's a pressure fluctuation. I could go on and on but just take a look.

[Deep Lava]

Added the Wix and Mobil 1. Referrer to updated post #1.