Oil filter101

what brands oil filters have drain-back valves.

It depends on the application. Some models have them when the mounting surface is down, not when it’s up.

They are actually anti-drainback valves and it depends more on the application than who made the filter. If the filter is mounted with the gasket facing up, no valve is needed. If the filter is mounted sideways or gasket down you need the valve. Some manufacturers use better valve than others. Viton is the oreferred material I have heard.

I had a Chrysler minivan with the 3.3 engine and I was getting lifter noise on cold startup and saw a tip on the Chrysler minivan forum to use a Motorcraft filter to eliminate the noise.

I tried it and it worked. I had been using Mopar or Fram filters when I had the noise.

My son has a 2016 Hyundai Sonata 4 cylinder that sounds like a thrashing machine if you use an aftermarket filter, his previous Sonata didn’t care what kind of filter.

Wouldn’t be simpler to ask when you are at the parts store and choose the brand name that you like or price point?

They all do - but it depends on the vehicle it’s going on. Some vehicles like my 98 Pathfinder the oil filter opening faces up…so no anti-drain-back valve is needed. My 05 4runner the oil filter opening faces down so it does need an anti-drain-back valve.

You probably saw one of those extremely deceptive videos about how they cut open a filter and it didn’t have a anti-drain-back valve…Well they cut open a filter who’s vehicle didn’t need a anti-drain-back valve.

You’re putting an awful lot of faith in the guy behind the counter there… :wink:

Usually you can see the anti-drain back valve if it has one. Look for an orange or black flexible rubber/plastic gasket looking thing of a slightly smaller diameter to the filter housing when peeking through the holes on the working side of the filter. I usually use Fram or Motorcraft filters and all the ones I’ve used have had one.