SO I Got 2 FIlters

[Ndx]

I posted some pictures with my concerns....

1 Is WIX and One Mazda/MotorCraft.... ( motor craft inside have some plastic rings and they move is it important because wix dosen't have it )

And WIX holes bottom top are wider !! ?

Wix is larger and wider

So should i use Wix or Mazda OEM ?

 

[cos]

Is this for a 2.3 liter 4 cyl Mazda/Ford? I have this engine (it's great!), inside the plastic filter housing is a spring loaded filter support plate which seems like it would accommodate different height filters. As for the width - a tad more I think would be better as long it fits in the housing. As for the top and bottom openings - I can't say for sure but it would seem that the smallest allowable openings would make for the best seal/fit and possibly better oil filtering. As for that flat section - as long as it seems as though it'll hold the filter media in place then you should be good to go. Your OEM filter sounds like it's the new/improved style Purolator (they have a plastic reinforcing cage inside & yes it does move freely). I use it and the Wix depending on what's on sale and both seem to do a fine job. Don't be surprised to see the old filter "twisted" a bit after you remove it - the filter media also doubles as the support structure and after 5000 miles of use I think it's normal for it to twist a bit during removal.

 

[Ndx]

so i will drop OEM ... one but ...
there is glue on one of the plates ///
and this space that i showed on picture between plates ?

 

[leftlane]

I'd certainly choose wix. Ive had much longer lasting cleaner looking oil after switching to wix from oem on my honda and toyota. I use the 51356 and 51396.

 

[Ndx]

i had to use OEM one, wix didn't fit properly ....

im afraid that the glue may get liquid when oil temp raise
and those paper plates - space between them dunno if its ok to drive with this filter ?

 

[chevrofreak]

Glue is a very common thing in oil filters.

 

[bdcardinal]

thats teh older ZZCA filter. mazda is releasing old stock, whenever i order the new L321-14-302 9A filter, i get the old ones. the L321 filter looked better when i took them out of the boxes and compared.

 

[Ndx]

So Im Safe to run this filter ? with no problem for full 8K Km ?

 

[cos]

The "huge" gaps are only by the seam (at least on the Purolators in my stash) - don't overthink it, they'll do fine.

 

[CharlieJ]

How did the Wix filter not fit? I have one in my 2.3 right now. Before that I used a Pure1 which also fit fine.

 

[Ndx]

the hole was to small ... this plastic thing in housing didn't fit ..


so im safe lol ?

 

[CharlieJ]

I would say that you are fine using that filter. Though I find it strange that the Wix did not fit properly. Defect maybe?

 

[Gary Allan]

Looking at the visual differences, it's hard to imagine that they're for the same application. Did you check other boxes with the same number? For all you know, someone stocking dropped a half a dozen and a few rolled out and they didn't get put back properly.