Which Wix, big or small???

[Kestas]

What is your maintenance regimen?... dino with 3K oil changes or synthetic with 10K OCI? The bigger filter should have a higher capacity, but it'll require more oil in the charge.

 

[kanling]

I'd go with the smaller one since it is the one spec'd for the vehicle and has better filtering. The benefits of a larger filter are debatable.

I think the small one will have plenty of dirt-holding capacity unless you are doing something very out of the ordinary.

 

[Buford T. Justice]

Bigger is better if it fits.

 

[JetSnake]

Oh I meant to put that in there. I use dino oil and change the oil and filter every 3K, it's my wife's every day driver, nothing extreme. After reading the responses, I think I will go with the small. I agree that bigger is better but in my case I don't think it's necessary.

On the Wix site it says "micro", I assume they mean "micron" or maybe it's the same thing. Any reason why they would be rated a different micron, or micro? My wife's 98 Lumina calls for the short one and the long is what is called out for my 99 S-10 4.3, basically the same engine design.

I'm sure either one would be better then the Fram I was using, oh boy.

Below are the two Wix filters.

SMALL FILTER

Part Number: 51040
UPC Number: 765809510401
Principal Application: Daewoo (99-02), GM Cars/Trucks (76-06), Saab (94-98)
All Applications
Style: Spin-On Lube Filter
Service: Lube
Type: Full Flow
Media: Paper
Height: 3.404
Outer Diameter Top: 2.921
Outer Diameter Bottom: Closed
Thread Size: 18X1.5 MM
By-Pass Valve Setting-PSI: None
Anti-Drain Back Valve: Yes
Beta Ratio: 2/20=15/31
Burst Pressure-PSI: 325
Max Flow Rate: 7-9 GPM
Nominal Micro Rating: 19

Gasket Diameters
Number O.D. I.D. Thk.
Attached 2.734 2.430 0.226

^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^


LARGE FILTER

Part Number: 51036
UPC Number: 765809510364
Principal Application: GM Cars + Trucks (80-05), Mercruiser, Volvo-Penta
All Applications
Style: Spin-On Lube Filter
Service: Lube
Type: Full Flow
Media: Paper
Height: 4.828
Outer Diameter Top: 2.921
Outer Diameter Bottom: Closed
Thread Size: 18X1.5 MM
By-Pass Valve Setting-PSI: None
Anti-Drain Back Valve: Yes
Beta Ratio: 2/20=12/26
Burst Pressure-PSI: 325
Max Flow Rate: 7-9 GPM
Nominal Micro Rating: 25

Gasket Diameters
Number O.D. I.D. Thk.
Attached 2.734 2.430 0.226

 

[Triple_Se7en]

quote:

---

Originally posted by JetSnake:
After spending some time on this site I have decided to dump the Fram and go with a Wix oil filter for my wife's car. The 98 Lumina takes the Wix 51040 but the bigger Wix 51036 will also fit. I like the idea of the bigger filter but after reading the Wix web site I noticed the bigger filter is rated at 25 micron and the smaller is rated at 19 micron. Now I'm a little confused, should I go with the smaller micron or the bigger filter?

---

It only helps to have the bigger one if you plan on being the last owner of your vehicle. Even the least respected Fram filters that are only 3" high will get you beyond 300K with regular engine/oil change maintanance.

Personally, I've been driving my 16-20 year-old rust-buckets that I bought brand new to the junkyard with a clear dipstick. So really all the fancy oils and fancy filters was a result of overspending.

I had no intentions of awarding the next owner of that junkyard engine with such a nice, well-kept piece of machine. What I did in each situation was give these new 'strangers" their own Christmas presents at my expense. The moral to this story is - in most cases, basic filtering in the size that your manmufacturer gives you - is all you really need.

 

[kanling]

Am I reading those filter specs wrong or are the Beta ratios of the big filter better than the little one? If so, then, why does the little filter have a smaller micron rating? With the Beta numbers given, it looks like the big filter has better filtering performance than the small one, in which case the choice would be easy.

 

[Gary Allan]

quote:

---

Am I reading those filter specs wrong or are the Beta ratios of the big filter better than the little one? If so, then, why does the little filter have a smaller micron rating? With the Beta numbers given, it looks like the big filter has better filtering performance than the small one, in which case the choice would be easy.

---

I tend to buy the spec's that were more cumbersome to enter into the data base. That is, that the bigger filter is better

 

[JetSnake]

After spending some time on this site I have decided to dump the Fram and go with a Wix oil filter for my wife's car. The 98 Lumina takes the Wix 51040 but the bigger Wix 51036 will also fit. I like the idea of the bigger filter but after reading the Wix web site I noticed the bigger filter is rated at 25 micron and the smaller is rated at 19 micron. Now I'm a little confused, should I go with the smaller micron or the bigger filter?