I didn't think about the Purolator Classic. Going to look into it.
Fram Tough Guard or Purolator Pureone
- Thread starter DirtRacer53
- Start date
- Status
Assuming the right oils:
The Fram Tough Guard will do 7500 miles on a clean engine. At that point I'd change it.
The Pure One could do 10,000 miles on a clean engine. Then I'd change it.
Whatever floats your boat. Just calculate price and such. It is all economics.
If you are doing basic dino oil why not run a Pure One for two oil changes of 5000 miles each?
Or with some of the basic synthetics like NAPA, a Tough Guard for 7500 miles on one change?
If your engine is clean, I bet you could do 10,000 mile oil AND filter changes using some of the better synthetics, such as Mobil 1 Extended Performance and do so for the life of the vehicle, with a Pure One.
I remember some guy sold off 10 Tough Guard series 3600's at about $2.00/each on the internet, and I regret not taking them. The Tough Guard is about as good as the Purolator Classic.
The Fram Tough Guard will do 7500 miles on a clean engine. At that point I'd change it.
The Pure One could do 10,000 miles on a clean engine. Then I'd change it.
Whatever floats your boat. Just calculate price and such. It is all economics.
If you are doing basic dino oil why not run a Pure One for two oil changes of 5000 miles each?
Or with some of the basic synthetics like NAPA, a Tough Guard for 7500 miles on one change?
If your engine is clean, I bet you could do 10,000 mile oil AND filter changes using some of the better synthetics, such as Mobil 1 Extended Performance and do so for the life of the vehicle, with a Pure One.
I remember some guy sold off 10 Tough Guard series 3600's at about $2.00/each on the internet, and I regret not taking them. The Tough Guard is about as good as the Purolator Classic.
Originally Posted By: Cristobal
Assuming the right oils:
The Fram Tough Guard will do 7500 miles on a clean engine. At that point I'd change it.
The Pure One could do 10,000 miles on a clean engine. Then I'd change it.
Whatever floats your boat. Just calculate price and such. It is all economics.
If you are doing basic dino oil why not run a Pure One for two oil changes of 5000 miles each?
Or with some of the basic synthetics like NAPA, a Tough Guard for 7500 miles on one change?
If your engine is clean, I bet you could do 10,000 mile oil AND filter changes using some of the better synthetics, such as Mobil 1 Extended Performance and do so for the life of the vehicle, with a Pure One.
I remember some guy sold off 10 Tough Guard series 3600's at about $2.00/each on the internet, and I regret not taking them. The Tough Guard is about as good as the Purolator Classic.
i love posts like this. "this is what i think, because it sounds good to me. this filter can go this long, because that sounds good to me. this other filter lasts X miles, because that sounds good to me." all stated as some sort of fact.
the tough guard has a silicon adbv and better filtration specs, the puro classic has nitrile adbv and worse filtration specs. so how is the tough guard "about as good" as a puro classic? i guess "about as good" could mean anything. a fram extraguard could be "about as good" as a bosch distance plus if your frame of reference is that 99.9999% of drivers wouldn't be able to tell the difference over a 10,000 mile OCI.
Assuming the right oils:
The Fram Tough Guard will do 7500 miles on a clean engine. At that point I'd change it.
The Pure One could do 10,000 miles on a clean engine. Then I'd change it.
Whatever floats your boat. Just calculate price and such. It is all economics.
If you are doing basic dino oil why not run a Pure One for two oil changes of 5000 miles each?
Or with some of the basic synthetics like NAPA, a Tough Guard for 7500 miles on one change?
If your engine is clean, I bet you could do 10,000 mile oil AND filter changes using some of the better synthetics, such as Mobil 1 Extended Performance and do so for the life of the vehicle, with a Pure One.
I remember some guy sold off 10 Tough Guard series 3600's at about $2.00/each on the internet, and I regret not taking them. The Tough Guard is about as good as the Purolator Classic.
i love posts like this. "this is what i think, because it sounds good to me. this filter can go this long, because that sounds good to me. this other filter lasts X miles, because that sounds good to me." all stated as some sort of fact.
the tough guard has a silicon adbv and better filtration specs, the puro classic has nitrile adbv and worse filtration specs. so how is the tough guard "about as good" as a puro classic? i guess "about as good" could mean anything. a fram extraguard could be "about as good" as a bosch distance plus if your frame of reference is that 99.9999% of drivers wouldn't be able to tell the difference over a 10,000 mile OCI.
"...a fram extraguard could be "about as good" as a bosch distance plus..."
The above is a straw-man argument at best. The Extra Guard is rather inferior to either the Tough Guard or a Purolator Classic. Exta Guards are a basic filter suited for shorter oil change intervals.
The above is a straw-man argument at best. The Extra Guard is rather inferior to either the Tough Guard or a Purolator Classic. Exta Guards are a basic filter suited for shorter oil change intervals.
Seems to me that FRAM is admitting what makes a good filter by how they build their "high end" stuff. I don't think there is a low end Puro equivalant to the OCOD, unless they make it for someone else.
That's true. They are going after all the aspects of the market. As more and more people go for longer oil changes I bet the OCOD will see less marketing emphasis, but it will not vanish from production. For the guy with an old thrasher car and short oil changes, the OCOD works fine, for instance, and around here, that is at least a third of all the cars you see.
Leaky Seals, the only filters I really worry about are E-Core types with a plastic cage. I don't think they should be used on anything but a short interval oil change, and never with the thicker oils, to lessen the risk of a blow out of the media or a cage collapse.
Digging up old threads.....
Do you all still feel the same?
Seems like the tides have turned and Fram gets more respect vs Purolator.
Do you all still feel the same?
Seems like the tides have turned and Fram gets more respect vs Purolator.
Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Yes, it's hard to beat the Ultra. It's a filter I've come to like over the PureOne now. Products change, perception changes, and people chose what they see as best at any given time.
I agree. There was a point in time a couple years ago that when I saw someone buying a Fram Extra Guard, I silently thought in my head, "no, don't do it!!!"....
Now, I just say, check out the Tough Guard or Ultra!
Yes, it's hard to beat the Ultra. It's a filter I've come to like over the PureOne now. Products change, perception changes, and people chose what they see as best at any given time.
I agree. There was a point in time a couple years ago that when I saw someone buying a Fram Extra Guard, I silently thought in my head, "no, don't do it!!!"....
Now, I just say, check out the Tough Guard or Ultra!
I have switched I was strictly a P1 guy but over time of cutting several open and then opening a few FU and TG filters they seem better built esp the Ultra. On my Toyota 4Runner I ran an Ultra to 12,500 and I was real impressed with how it held up I was about to test a TG to the recommended max of 10,000 when I traded the old girl in. I only run Fram now on a fleet of work cars we have now I never have an issue no start up noise and the price is right.
I am willing to bet a lot of people have changed their minds.. or secretly changed their minds. Lol.
The TG on my Jeep is quiet on start up and the efficiency can't be beaten for the price. I am very happy.
If you still have fiber end cap phobia and want a readily available filter at a good price, the Ultra is your filter.
The TG on my Jeep is quiet on start up and the efficiency can't be beaten for the price. I am very happy.
If you still have fiber end cap phobia and want a readily available filter at a good price, the Ultra is your filter.
Originally Posted By: KCJeep
Both have very high filtration, but the Fram is one of the more restrictive filters flow wise out there whereas the PureOne is one of the best. And the interior construction of the PureOne is much stouter as well, given that the PureOne usually costs a bit less also the contest is over in my mind.
Nothing "wrong" with the Toughgard I'd use one if it came from a special but it's not a great value if you're just going to go buy a filter. I've never had a "problem" with either but greatly prefer the PureOne.
Wow yes I've completely flipped, and it has nothing to do with the "Tear-O-Later" issue either. The Tough Guard is now my preferred (and has been for quite a while) high efficiency filter for longer OCI's. I had problems with Puro ADBV's and found the Tough Guard worked much much better for me. And having cut several TG's open after use I've liked what I found as well.
Both have very high filtration, but the Fram is one of the more restrictive filters flow wise out there whereas the PureOne is one of the best. And the interior construction of the PureOne is much stouter as well, given that the PureOne usually costs a bit less also the contest is over in my mind.
Nothing "wrong" with the Toughgard I'd use one if it came from a special but it's not a great value if you're just going to go buy a filter. I've never had a "problem" with either but greatly prefer the PureOne.
Wow yes I've completely flipped, and it has nothing to do with the "Tear-O-Later" issue either. The Tough Guard is now my preferred (and has been for quite a while) high efficiency filter for longer OCI's. I had problems with Puro ADBV's and found the Tough Guard worked much much better for me. And having cut several TG's open after use I've liked what I found as well.
Originally Posted By: KCJeep
Originally Posted By: KCJeep
Both have very high filtration, but the Fram is one of the more restrictive filters flow wise out there whereas the PureOne is one of the best. And the interior construction of the PureOne is much stouter as well, given that the PureOne usually costs a bit less also the contest is over in my mind.
Nothing "wrong" with the Toughgard I'd use one if it came from a special but it's not a great value if you're just going to go buy a filter. I've never had a "problem" with either but greatly prefer the PureOne.
Wow yes I've completely flipped, and it has nothing to do with the "Tear-O-Later" issue either. The Tough Guard is now my preferred (and has been for quite a while) high efficiency filter for longer OCI's. I had problems with Puro ADBV's and found the Tough Guard worked much much better for me. And having cut several TG's open after use I've liked what I found as well.
Do you still feel as if the Tough Guard is too restrictive?
Originally Posted By: KCJeep
Both have very high filtration, but the Fram is one of the more restrictive filters flow wise out there whereas the PureOne is one of the best. And the interior construction of the PureOne is much stouter as well, given that the PureOne usually costs a bit less also the contest is over in my mind.
Nothing "wrong" with the Toughgard I'd use one if it came from a special but it's not a great value if you're just going to go buy a filter. I've never had a "problem" with either but greatly prefer the PureOne.
Wow yes I've completely flipped, and it has nothing to do with the "Tear-O-Later" issue either. The Tough Guard is now my preferred (and has been for quite a while) high efficiency filter for longer OCI's. I had problems with Puro ADBV's and found the Tough Guard worked much much better for me. And having cut several TG's open after use I've liked what I found as well.
Do you still feel as if the Tough Guard is too restrictive?
Originally Posted By: Cooper
Do you still feel as if the Tough Guard is too restrictive?
Your engine will never know the difference, and I doubt it's anymore restrictive than a PureOne ... unless of course the PureOne had 4 big holes in the media.
Do you still feel as if the Tough Guard is too restrictive?
Your engine will never know the difference, and I doubt it's anymore restrictive than a PureOne ... unless of course the PureOne had 4 big holes in the media.
Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Originally Posted By: Cooper
Do you still feel as if the Tough Guard is too restrictive?
Your engine will never know the difference, and I doubt it's anymore restrictive than a PureOne ... unless of course the PureOne had 4 big holes in the media.
I had a small stash of six PureOnes that I just exchanged for Tough Guards.....
Hence the concern...
I think the PureOnes are pretty free flowing at this point from what I have seen....kinda like the oil just passes right through them or something....
No matter what anyone says, the pressure in the filter will push a lot of previously trapped particles through that hole and into circulation. I know that is not trivial and I don't want that circulating in any of my engines.....
Originally Posted By: Cooper
Do you still feel as if the Tough Guard is too restrictive?
Your engine will never know the difference, and I doubt it's anymore restrictive than a PureOne ... unless of course the PureOne had 4 big holes in the media.
I had a small stash of six PureOnes that I just exchanged for Tough Guards.....
Hence the concern...
I think the PureOnes are pretty free flowing at this point from what I have seen....kinda like the oil just passes right through them or something....
No matter what anyone says, the pressure in the filter will push a lot of previously trapped particles through that hole and into circulation. I know that is not trivial and I don't want that circulating in any of my engines.....
Originally Posted By: KCJeep
Both have very high filtration, but the Fram is one of the more restrictive filters flow wise out there whereas the PureOne is one of the best. And the interior construction of the PureOne is much stouter as well, given that the PureOne usually costs a bit less also the contest is over in my mind.
Nothing "wrong" with the Toughgard I'd use one if it came from a special but it's not a great value if you're just going to go buy a filter. I've never had a "problem" with either but greatly prefer the PureOne.
what???? Fram has good FLOW... I think its 3 GPM... 3 gallons per Minute. if thats not good flow, then nothing is.
Fram TG 99% filtration efficiency
Fram Extra Gaurd 95% filtration efficiency
Fram Ultra 99%+ filtration efficiency ( Notice the ( + )
PureOne is 99.9% but as of late they have had problems.
I would select FRAM ULTRA... its only 2$ more...
Also some so called synthetic oil filters I wont say name, ( NAPA PLATINUM ) Causes this.
"depth" filters that are usually made of synthetic material that has a passage size gradient to it. In other words, the deeper into the element the oil goes, the smaller the passages get. This way, large particles are trapped in a different spot than small particles, which allows the filter to hold more particles before it "blocks" (becomes too restrictive).
Did you ever read this? They put the Tough Gaurd on the good list.
Recommended Filters
Based on the simple criteria above and the information I gathered in the Oil filter Study, I have found some filters that are readily available and are of good quality. I have disassembled many filters and made obervations and measurements on them. Sadly, some of the most common and popular filters don't cut it in my book. Those filters are described in the next section. The filter names are also links to the Oil Filter Study page, which gives the intimate deatils of that filter in the Ford 5.0L V8 version. You will find all the hard data for these filters there. What follows are filters that I recommend in alphabetical order:
AC Delco Duraguard
This filter does not appear to be AC Delco's original design, but it is still pretty good. It has one of the highest filter element surface areas with fewer, but very deep pleats. It also has strong, metal end caps with a nitrile rubber diaphram-type anti-drainback valve and steel bypass valve. It is one of the better filters you can get for $3.
I have had some feedback about these filters leaking at the seam between the backplate and the can. Often this was in situations where the engine was modified. Also, during a recent oil change, I found that this filter did not have the best anti-drainback valve. It is better than Fram because I have very little valve train noise at startup (I had a lot with Fram). I now have a NAPA Gold filter on it, which gives me no noise at all.
AC Delco Ultraguard Gold
This filter appears to be a Champion Labs filter. This is not suprising given that Champion Labs also manufacturers other AC Delco filters for some european vehicles. See the German Oil Filter Study.
AMSOIL
No real information yet. I have cut it open and it looks like a very nice filter. The manufacturer appears to be Baldwin.
Baldwin
No information yet. One is being delivered.
Bosch
This is yet another Champion Labs filter that is sold at AutoZone.
Car And Driver
This is a Champion Labs filter that is sold at Target.
Deutsch
This is a Champion Labs filter that is sold at AutoZone.
Fram Tough Guard
Even with all the problems of the other Fram filters, this one is not too bad. It has a heavier filter element with more surface area, a silicone anti-drainback valve, the cheap pressure relief valve, but with a clever integral screen to keep out large particles, and enough inlet holes for good flow. The only other drawback to this filter is that it is capped on each end with cardboard instead of metal. Looking in through the center outlet does not reveal any paper end caps, but they are there.
Hard Driver
This is a one of the few oil filters that uses a synthetic filter element. It's has a dual-density layering "depth" filter element. The construction of the filter is what you would expect from a quality filter with steel filter element caps and special epoxy-coated steel mesh retainers to keep the element from flexing. It also has a good flowing, strong steel case and a zinc-coated backplate to prevent pre-installation corrosion. I have disassembled but have not measured this filter. I have not been able to find this filter at any retail stores.
Mobil 1
This filter is made by Champion Labs and uses a synthetic fiber element that can filter out very small particles. It is rated by the manufacturer at just under the Purolator Pure One as far as filtering capability, but is still very much above conventional paper filters. It also has a very strong construction to withstand high pressure spikes during start-up. Given the choice between the Purolator Pure One and the Mobil 1 filters, I would choose the Mobil 1 because of the restriction concerns of the Pure One. However, as with all Mobil 1 products, expect to pay 2 - 3 times as much for this filter. I have seen this filter sold at AutoZone and K-mart.
Though I have never had problems, I have received feedback from a few people that these filters may leak at the base. It seems that the seal between the backplate and can may burst under high pressure (at startup). These were on Ford engine applications.
Mopar Filters (various)
These filters are Frams, Purolators, or Wixes. Mopar does not manufacture it's own filters, nor do they require anything special from these manufacturers. Since they basically paint them a different color, stamp them with a Mopar logo, and double the price, there is no reason to buy them. Sadly, the Mopar Severe Duty 53020311 filter is actually the worst filter of them all. It is a Fram Extra Guard.
Motorcraft
This was a Purolator hybrid. It had the Premium Plus case (anti-drainback valve, gasket, etc), but with a Pure One filter element. This is a cheap way to get a Purolator Pure One. It is sold at many locations including AutoZone, Pep Boys, etc.
NAPA
They sell two lines of oil filters: NAPA Silver and NAPA Gold. They are both made by Dana (Wix) and there is no obvious difference between them. They may have different elements, but NAPA does not state that this is true.
PowerFlo
This is a Purolator Premium Plus that I have seen at Murray's Auto Supplies.
ProLine
This is a Purolator Premium Plus that I have seen at Pep Boys. Pep Boys also sells the Purolator Premium Plus brand, which is pretty dumb (to be selling both).
Purolator Premium Plus
The Purolator is a solid design. It seems to have one of the tougher paper filter element of them all and the bypass valve is built right into the cartridge. There are no internal sealing problems with this filter at all. There is an assembly string that is wrapped around the filter element, probably to hold it in place while the glue cures in the end caps. In the ProLine (one of the Purolator clones), the string was wrapped too tightly and had damaged the filter element. All the other Purolator-made filters (8 in all) had no trouble, and even the damaged one would probably have been fine.
Purolator Pure One
This is an interesting filter design made by Purolator. Most of the construction of the Pure One is the same as the Purolator Premium Plus. The big difference is the filter element itself. It has a dense paper/fiber filter element that can filter very small particles. The result of this is cleaner oil exiting the element, but more oil restriction. Purolator addressed this by adding more filter material (more and deeper pleats). After seeing one of these filters cut open, I am apprehensive about this filter. It seems to have so many pleats that it is almost a solid chunk of filter element. It seems like it would end up restricting the flow, more than anything. Purolator has plenty of data on the filtration abilities of this filter and I don't doubt it, but they have no flow data. Even so, I don't see any major problems with this filter. It also sports a silicone anti-drainback valve and a PTFE treated nitrile rubber gasket.
STP
This is a Champion Labs filter that I have seen at AutoZone and Walmart.
Wix
Another quality oil filter similar in design to the Purolator. It has metal end caps on the filter element, a standard nitrile anti-drainback valve, and a seemingly good flow. They are manufactured by the Dana corperation. These appear to have a depth gradient filter element, which uses cotton fibers to progressively trap smaller particles as they get deeper in the filter. This helps maintain good flow as the filter gets plugged.
Filters To Avoid
The following list of filters have known problems. You will see well-known names here and will probably be disappointed. This is because many of these brands have stopped making their own filters and buy from a common manufacturer.
Fram Extra Guard
Years ago Fram was a quality filter manufacturer. Now their standard filter (the radioactive-orange cans) is one of the worst out there. It features cardboard end caps for the filter element that are glued in place. The rubber anti-drainback valve seals against the cardboard and frequently leaks, causing dirty oil to drain back into the pan. The bypass valves are plastic and are sometimes not molded correctly, which allows them to leak all the time. The stamped-metal threaded end is weakly constructed and it has smaller and fewer oil inlet holes, which may restrict flow. I had one of these filters fail in my previous car. The filter element collapsed and bits of filter and glue were circuilating through my system. The oil passge to the head became blocked and the head got so hot from oil starvation that it actually melted the vacuum lines connected to it as well as the wires near it.
Fram Double Guard
Another bad filter idea brought to you by your friends at Fram. The filter itself is a slightly improved design over the Fram Extra Guard, but still uses the same filter element. It has a silicone anti-drainback valve, a quality pressure releif valve, and enough inlet holes for good flow. The big problem is that they are trying to cash in on the Slick 50 craze. They impregnate the filter element with bits of Teflon like that found in Slick 50. As with Slick 50, Teflon is a solid and does not belong in an engine. It cannot get into the parts of the engine that oil can and therefore does nothing. Also, as the filter gets dirty, it ends up filtering the Teflon right out. Dupont (the manufacturer of Teflon) does not recommend Teflon for use in internal combustion engines. Please do not waste your money on this filter.
Penzoil
This filter is a Fram! It is the exact same design as the Fram Extra Guard filter and it is junk. On the up side, it costs $1 less than the Fram version.
Quaker State
This is another Fram Extra Guard that I have seen at K-mart. It used to be a Purolator, but Quaker State is now owned/controlled by Penzoil...
Both have very high filtration, but the Fram is one of the more restrictive filters flow wise out there whereas the PureOne is one of the best. And the interior construction of the PureOne is much stouter as well, given that the PureOne usually costs a bit less also the contest is over in my mind.
Nothing "wrong" with the Toughgard I'd use one if it came from a special but it's not a great value if you're just going to go buy a filter. I've never had a "problem" with either but greatly prefer the PureOne.
what???? Fram has good FLOW... I think its 3 GPM... 3 gallons per Minute. if thats not good flow, then nothing is.
Fram TG 99% filtration efficiency
Fram Extra Gaurd 95% filtration efficiency
Fram Ultra 99%+ filtration efficiency ( Notice the ( + )
PureOne is 99.9% but as of late they have had problems.
I would select FRAM ULTRA... its only 2$ more...
Also some so called synthetic oil filters I wont say name, ( NAPA PLATINUM ) Causes this.
"depth" filters that are usually made of synthetic material that has a passage size gradient to it. In other words, the deeper into the element the oil goes, the smaller the passages get. This way, large particles are trapped in a different spot than small particles, which allows the filter to hold more particles before it "blocks" (becomes too restrictive).
Did you ever read this? They put the Tough Gaurd on the good list.
Recommended Filters
Based on the simple criteria above and the information I gathered in the Oil filter Study, I have found some filters that are readily available and are of good quality. I have disassembled many filters and made obervations and measurements on them. Sadly, some of the most common and popular filters don't cut it in my book. Those filters are described in the next section. The filter names are also links to the Oil Filter Study page, which gives the intimate deatils of that filter in the Ford 5.0L V8 version. You will find all the hard data for these filters there. What follows are filters that I recommend in alphabetical order:
AC Delco Duraguard
This filter does not appear to be AC Delco's original design, but it is still pretty good. It has one of the highest filter element surface areas with fewer, but very deep pleats. It also has strong, metal end caps with a nitrile rubber diaphram-type anti-drainback valve and steel bypass valve. It is one of the better filters you can get for $3.
I have had some feedback about these filters leaking at the seam between the backplate and the can. Often this was in situations where the engine was modified. Also, during a recent oil change, I found that this filter did not have the best anti-drainback valve. It is better than Fram because I have very little valve train noise at startup (I had a lot with Fram). I now have a NAPA Gold filter on it, which gives me no noise at all.
AC Delco Ultraguard Gold
This filter appears to be a Champion Labs filter. This is not suprising given that Champion Labs also manufacturers other AC Delco filters for some european vehicles. See the German Oil Filter Study.
AMSOIL
No real information yet. I have cut it open and it looks like a very nice filter. The manufacturer appears to be Baldwin.
Baldwin
No information yet. One is being delivered.
Bosch
This is yet another Champion Labs filter that is sold at AutoZone.
Car And Driver
This is a Champion Labs filter that is sold at Target.
Deutsch
This is a Champion Labs filter that is sold at AutoZone.
Fram Tough Guard
Even with all the problems of the other Fram filters, this one is not too bad. It has a heavier filter element with more surface area, a silicone anti-drainback valve, the cheap pressure relief valve, but with a clever integral screen to keep out large particles, and enough inlet holes for good flow. The only other drawback to this filter is that it is capped on each end with cardboard instead of metal. Looking in through the center outlet does not reveal any paper end caps, but they are there.
Hard Driver
This is a one of the few oil filters that uses a synthetic filter element. It's has a dual-density layering "depth" filter element. The construction of the filter is what you would expect from a quality filter with steel filter element caps and special epoxy-coated steel mesh retainers to keep the element from flexing. It also has a good flowing, strong steel case and a zinc-coated backplate to prevent pre-installation corrosion. I have disassembled but have not measured this filter. I have not been able to find this filter at any retail stores.
Mobil 1
This filter is made by Champion Labs and uses a synthetic fiber element that can filter out very small particles. It is rated by the manufacturer at just under the Purolator Pure One as far as filtering capability, but is still very much above conventional paper filters. It also has a very strong construction to withstand high pressure spikes during start-up. Given the choice between the Purolator Pure One and the Mobil 1 filters, I would choose the Mobil 1 because of the restriction concerns of the Pure One. However, as with all Mobil 1 products, expect to pay 2 - 3 times as much for this filter. I have seen this filter sold at AutoZone and K-mart.
Though I have never had problems, I have received feedback from a few people that these filters may leak at the base. It seems that the seal between the backplate and can may burst under high pressure (at startup). These were on Ford engine applications.
Mopar Filters (various)
These filters are Frams, Purolators, or Wixes. Mopar does not manufacture it's own filters, nor do they require anything special from these manufacturers. Since they basically paint them a different color, stamp them with a Mopar logo, and double the price, there is no reason to buy them. Sadly, the Mopar Severe Duty 53020311 filter is actually the worst filter of them all. It is a Fram Extra Guard.
Motorcraft
This was a Purolator hybrid. It had the Premium Plus case (anti-drainback valve, gasket, etc), but with a Pure One filter element. This is a cheap way to get a Purolator Pure One. It is sold at many locations including AutoZone, Pep Boys, etc.
NAPA
They sell two lines of oil filters: NAPA Silver and NAPA Gold. They are both made by Dana (Wix) and there is no obvious difference between them. They may have different elements, but NAPA does not state that this is true.
PowerFlo
This is a Purolator Premium Plus that I have seen at Murray's Auto Supplies.
ProLine
This is a Purolator Premium Plus that I have seen at Pep Boys. Pep Boys also sells the Purolator Premium Plus brand, which is pretty dumb (to be selling both).
Purolator Premium Plus
The Purolator is a solid design. It seems to have one of the tougher paper filter element of them all and the bypass valve is built right into the cartridge. There are no internal sealing problems with this filter at all. There is an assembly string that is wrapped around the filter element, probably to hold it in place while the glue cures in the end caps. In the ProLine (one of the Purolator clones), the string was wrapped too tightly and had damaged the filter element. All the other Purolator-made filters (8 in all) had no trouble, and even the damaged one would probably have been fine.
Purolator Pure One
This is an interesting filter design made by Purolator. Most of the construction of the Pure One is the same as the Purolator Premium Plus. The big difference is the filter element itself. It has a dense paper/fiber filter element that can filter very small particles. The result of this is cleaner oil exiting the element, but more oil restriction. Purolator addressed this by adding more filter material (more and deeper pleats). After seeing one of these filters cut open, I am apprehensive about this filter. It seems to have so many pleats that it is almost a solid chunk of filter element. It seems like it would end up restricting the flow, more than anything. Purolator has plenty of data on the filtration abilities of this filter and I don't doubt it, but they have no flow data. Even so, I don't see any major problems with this filter. It also sports a silicone anti-drainback valve and a PTFE treated nitrile rubber gasket.
STP
This is a Champion Labs filter that I have seen at AutoZone and Walmart.
Wix
Another quality oil filter similar in design to the Purolator. It has metal end caps on the filter element, a standard nitrile anti-drainback valve, and a seemingly good flow. They are manufactured by the Dana corperation. These appear to have a depth gradient filter element, which uses cotton fibers to progressively trap smaller particles as they get deeper in the filter. This helps maintain good flow as the filter gets plugged.
Filters To Avoid
The following list of filters have known problems. You will see well-known names here and will probably be disappointed. This is because many of these brands have stopped making their own filters and buy from a common manufacturer.
Fram Extra Guard
Years ago Fram was a quality filter manufacturer. Now their standard filter (the radioactive-orange cans) is one of the worst out there. It features cardboard end caps for the filter element that are glued in place. The rubber anti-drainback valve seals against the cardboard and frequently leaks, causing dirty oil to drain back into the pan. The bypass valves are plastic and are sometimes not molded correctly, which allows them to leak all the time. The stamped-metal threaded end is weakly constructed and it has smaller and fewer oil inlet holes, which may restrict flow. I had one of these filters fail in my previous car. The filter element collapsed and bits of filter and glue were circuilating through my system. The oil passge to the head became blocked and the head got so hot from oil starvation that it actually melted the vacuum lines connected to it as well as the wires near it.
Fram Double Guard
Another bad filter idea brought to you by your friends at Fram. The filter itself is a slightly improved design over the Fram Extra Guard, but still uses the same filter element. It has a silicone anti-drainback valve, a quality pressure releif valve, and enough inlet holes for good flow. The big problem is that they are trying to cash in on the Slick 50 craze. They impregnate the filter element with bits of Teflon like that found in Slick 50. As with Slick 50, Teflon is a solid and does not belong in an engine. It cannot get into the parts of the engine that oil can and therefore does nothing. Also, as the filter gets dirty, it ends up filtering the Teflon right out. Dupont (the manufacturer of Teflon) does not recommend Teflon for use in internal combustion engines. Please do not waste your money on this filter.
Penzoil
This filter is a Fram! It is the exact same design as the Fram Extra Guard filter and it is junk. On the up side, it costs $1 less than the Fram version.
Quaker State
This is another Fram Extra Guard that I have seen at K-mart. It used to be a Purolator, but Quaker State is now owned/controlled by Penzoil...
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I am thinking the Tough Guard is actually more of the "sweet spot" than the Ultra. The synthetic blend media will get the better of both worlds as the synthetic media can't saturate the same as cellulose. I also have myself and have observed others stating that there is increased low oil pressure at startup and cold with the Ultra. Not saying it is a bad filter AT ALL. I think it is one of the best OTC filters. I just like a lot of what the Tough Guard has to offer.
Originally Posted By: Cooper
I am thinking the Tough Guard is actually more of the "sweet spot" than the Ultra. The synthetic blend media will get the better of both worlds as the synthetic media can't saturate the same as cellulose. I also have myself and have observed others stating that there is increased low oil pressure at startup and cold with the Ultra. Not saying it is a bad filter AT ALL. I think it is one of the best OTC filters. I just like a lot of what the Tough Guard has to offer.
I agree.. I have a TOUGH Gaurd in my Honda Accord right now.
and if you look and see TOUGH GAURDS taken apart... they look pretty good.. even the so called fiber end caps are in good shape...
I am thinking the Tough Guard is actually more of the "sweet spot" than the Ultra. The synthetic blend media will get the better of both worlds as the synthetic media can't saturate the same as cellulose. I also have myself and have observed others stating that there is increased low oil pressure at startup and cold with the Ultra. Not saying it is a bad filter AT ALL. I think it is one of the best OTC filters. I just like a lot of what the Tough Guard has to offer.
I agree.. I have a TOUGH Gaurd in my Honda Accord right now.
and if you look and see TOUGH GAURDS taken apart... they look pretty good.. even the so called fiber end caps are in good shape...
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