What is the skinny on oil filters? Are they made by one or two manufacturers (probably in China these days) and then brand painted later? Are there differences in filtration between reputable brands? I'm asking because I hear dealerships really promoting their brand of filters as being so much better than anything else out there. I find it hard to believe that FRAM, Purolater, Mobil 1, would put a filter out of inferior quality to an OEM manufacturer. In fact I'm sure the OEM gave the specs to an oil filter manufacturer who then produced not only the OEM but a direct copy. Anybody up on this?
Oil filters are not built equal, I use Wix, Motorcraft, Purolator, or K&N on all of my vehicles (even my Dodge is using a Motorcraft filter right now, my Mustang is using a K&N and my Chevy gets either Purolator or Wix depending on whether or not Wix is on sale). I will never use a Fram filter on any vehicle I own again.
Think they're all the same? This guy just compared the designs, by cutting them open and seeing what was in them: Engine Oil Filter Study what he found was enough for me to take the Fram filters off of my cars their next oil change (I cut them open and found the same design flaws in all of them, cardboard end caps (which had separated in two of them) and mis-shaped bypass valves) and replaced with them with better stuff.
If you noticed I don't use ACDelco oil filters on my Chevrolet, well, that's because they recently changed the design of PF1218 (it's filter part number) so that it holds about 40% less oil than it used to, and it's canister material is so thin that I can put a serious dent into it with just my thumb and forefinger, it's not the same piece the author of the above report tested and found to be of decent quality, it's now pure junk.)
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1976 Ford Mustang II Ghia: 302 with a 600cfm Edelbrock carb, Edelbrock Performer 289 intake, Dynomax Blackjack headers, 2.5" exhaust with Flowmaster Super 44s. RJS 11-gallon fuel cell, C4 tranny, chrome 16" pony wheels, fuzzy dice, brown vinyl half-top, and painted in the tackiest color ever (harvest gold, that's why I call it "The Goldenrod").
Also have a 2003 Dodge Ram (lightly modded daily driver/tow rig/office/dining room/home away from home/workshop... I call it "The Big Blue Dawg".)
Interesting !!!!!!!!!!!!!! ....... I'd say, you get what you pay for ...... said the same thing about grades of gasoline, but got a MAJOR argument, so for me, heres the skinny....... I paid big bucks for my car, so I'm not going to skimp on the cost of gasoline - motor oil - filters ..... what is it they say about chicken soup in Jersey, oh yea ! ! ... "it can't hurt" .... apply that to what you buy, and the amount you pay
Interesting !!!!!!!!!!!!!! ....... I'd say, you get what you pay for ...... said the same thing about grades of gasoline, but got a MAJOR argument, so for me, heres the skinny....... I paid big bucks for my car, so I'm not going to skimp on the cost of gasoline - motor oil - filters ..... what is it they say about chicken soup in Jersey, oh yea ! ! ... "it can't hurt" .... apply that to what you buy, and the amount you pay
I am a dedicated Fram hater. After I switched to WIX, the valvetrain is silent on startup and cold oil pressure is better. The WIX are only $4.38ea so why buy Fram?
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66 coupe 5.0/T5, home-brewed power 4 wheel disc setup, 350hp+, looks like it belongs in 1968
Let's talk oil filters: Are there differences? 
