So I a at wally world getting an oil filter and see all these others and think, ‘Here is a larger one. Maybe it will fit.’ Yes I have bought a lot of filters and taken them back or give them away. But I found a FRAM TG3675 that looks to hold twice the volume of dinkey issued one. Now I am looking for one for my daughters Protege. What have you found?
Only time I feel comfortable using a larger filter is if I know it was the filter originally used on the engine. GM downsized filter capacity a number of years ago, I think, and the larger old-style filters would work fine. Finding one that just happens to fit your Protege isn’t worth the risk to me.
Do you feel a larger filter will do more to protect your engine?
Do you think their might be any problem with a larger volume to push? To my way of thinking a larger volume would not be more than 20 milliliters. And that amount would have to not be missed in the oil pan even in oil starvation. The back pressure should be less. The cost appears to be negligable. It looks like the filter I’m using has twice the filter material.
It seems like it would. For one thing they put filters on them so a ‘filter’ has got to be good for them. And point B is that there should be more area in the chamber to hold detritus. And I do feel better about it. After all I feel that I am not using that much more filter component material to do a proportionally better job. And because I follow the recommended oil change it has to offer better protection ‘on the front end’ of the filter use. How does it seem to you?
Bigger may not necessarily be better. A larger filter, even if it attaches securely, might not provide cleaner oil. Also, lots of filter cartridges have the same threading but sometimes automotive engineers do things for a good reason . My initial thought is to ask what you’re trying to accomplish by this? Cleaner oil? Less frequency of changes?
Your oil system components include a sump (or pan), filter AND the oil pump designed to move a certain amount of oil. Using a larger filter might either require more oil to maintain the same system pressure, a larger pump to move it at the same pressure as the old set-up, or might cause a noticeable drop in pressure. That of course, could damage your engine.
This is actually one I’d drop a note to Tom and Ray and maybe get their input before you do this. OR send a note to FRAM or better yet, Mazda tech support. I’ll lay odds that they say don’t try that one at home. If the car is under warranty, this might void it. You know manufacturers. Anything to save a buck.
Maybe the best solution is to just change the oil and filter every 3K miles or so?
It seems to be an interesting question though but I’d suggest getting an answer from a higher authority.
Mark
I vote for more frequent oil changes if it really worries you. Frankly, few if any modern cars need larger or better filters than OEM. Look at the auto recycling yards. Not many of those cars are there because of filter or oil problems and if you limit it to those who’s owners checked and changed the oil as recommended, I think you are going to have a really difficult time finding one.
Back in the 50’s and 60’s oil quality and filter quality as well as engine design was nothing like today’s. You don’t need to worry about it today.
In reading what you said I realize my interest in doing this is hold the current process unchanged and simply change a component for another seemingly more effective component - whose price tracks to be the same.
The oil filter is designed to filter during the break in period when there will tend to be more material in the oil. Even the tinyest oil filter is overkill for the usage it gets after the break in period. The only real reason to go to a bigger filter is if it’s located in a spot where a longer filter would make it easier to change.
Years ago, many cars either didn’t have oil filters or an oil filter was an option. My 1947 Pontiac didn’t have an oil filter. My dad purchased a new 1960 Rambler and on the 6 cylinder engine, the oil filter was an option. On these Ramblers, the oil filter was a partial flow so that only part of the oil circulated through the filter.
I also owned a 1955 Pontiac that didn’t have an oil filter–the oil filter was an option. The dealer had overhauled the engine before I purchased the car in 1962. I had a constant problem with the oil passages in the rocker arms studs plugging up. I put on an oil filter, changed oil frequently, but never did completely solve the problem. I think that if one does regular oil changes, this is much more important than the size of the filter.
Yes Mark. I am sure I am thinking about this way too much. Curiously enough I have noticed the available plate surface on my Maxima is maybe three times the radius of the OEM filter and half again twice the diameter of the larger filter I found. I wish there was source information for every car.
Considering the oil system components I have been going back and forth about this with myself also - thinking about it way too much - and thinking about what you said maybe the issue of how much oil there is is secondary to an issue of there being more oil that has to be pushed around.
I’ll drop a note to Tom and Ray. I’ve contacted the dealerships and they have proven to be clueless. FRAM? Now there’s an idea. Maybe they could tell me the right nomenclature and give me some conversion specs on thread size, canister size and distance into the filter.
Like you say maybe the best solution is to just change the oil and filter every… Yo know I just don’t want to do that because I don’t know if it solves my need to know. I mean, should I use the larger filter in that instance or not. Even with more frequent oil changes there still might be an added benefit with using the larger oil filter.
Thanks Mark. Good to talk about this. I want to go change my oil now.
I’m with you on the greater change frequency. Bit it’s like flossing my teeth with which dental floss. I could do it more often but the question is still there, is waxed floss better than non waxed.
Yes. You know this is not an issue about worry. But it will stare me in the face again when I face the rack of oil filters and decide which one to buy. And I will admit it I change the oil in my cars for stress relief. At least I have gotten over being as tire retentive as I was.
So that is why some recommendations are to change the oil filter only every second oil change? I should think of it more as a strainer (or filter) rather than a cleaner? So it is better to use a smaller filter: smaller manufacturey foot print? What about with older engines with 200K miles plus, same difference?
Wow.
I think any recommendation to only change the oil filter on the second go-around is ill advised.
There’s not a filter made that stops all contaminants and some contaminants will dislodge and get circulated right back into the lubrication system again. Why pollute fresh oil?
The same goes for air, fuel filters, etc. and over the years I’ve seen several cars that were actually hauled in on a tow truck because of a lowly air filter.
As to filter size I don’t think it makes much difference but it sure won’t hurt if the threads and the oil filter gasket match up exactly.
One thing that you do not want is to have a situation in which you think the threads are the same when in reality they may be cut a little different. In a case like this it may be possible for oil pressure to blow the filter off.
When filters are opened and the pieces inspected there are some startling differences. A large filter may have less filtering capacity than a smaller filter. And the critical problems of integrity of the filtering media and the by-pass valve cannot be determined from the size. I value my reputation and when I stake that reputation on after market parts I am careful to prove to myself that they are up to the job. First of all, the original equipment filters have all been outstanding in quality and I have opened many. And, if I need a filter for a Ford and a Motorcraft is not available but an AC is I’ll use the AC. Several aftermarket brands look impressive when opened but regardless of size OE is the most reliable choice. Wix and Hastings are the only aftermarket brands that appear to always be up to OE in quality. Just my opinion, FWIW.
As an owner of a Saturn with over 200k miles on it, oil changes about every 6k using the brand known as “On Sale” for both the oil and the filter, I think you are over thinking it. Also got over 300k on a Toyota with a 5k interval and have both a Honda and a Nissan with over 165k with 7.5k intervals, but using Mobil One in the Honda and Castrol Syntec in the Nissan.
I also used to think bigger is better, especially around the time that the aftermarket recommendations were smaller than the OEM filter, but out of curiosity, I cut open a few filters and never found any visible debris on the elements, just oily paper. Now I use the smaller filters. It seems the smaller recommended filters have some type of spring mechanism in the top that is missing on the larger filters that used to be recommended for these older vehicles.
I have done what you describe; found larger filters that will fit but this is increasingly becoming impossible. Our two newer cars, an 08 and an 09 use insert type filters without the steel housing and there are no substitutes.
Once your oil has been filtered due to normal engine operation after an oil change, there may be less need for additional filtering so in that case a small filter as supplied by the mfr. these days will do. On the other hand, very cold winter starting when the oil is thicker may send some oil through the bypass valve at higher revs until the engine warms. A physically larger filter with likely a larger filtration area will alleviate some or all of this. That may not matter either, however, as the oil was already filtered from previous running.
I am of the opinion that oil filtering is especially important when an engine is new, after an overhaul or when the system was disturbed such as after an oil change.
I have often cut open used oil filters to check for debris and to measure filtration area of various brands. As was said, I also have found very little visible debris.