CQ Red or Microguard

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I've decided that using a Wix my be over kill for me. Both my vehicles are short trippers and see less than 2k every six month OCI. So looking at some of the posts I've narrowed it down to these two. Right now I can get two Red's for less than the price of one Wix. These are for my 5.7 and 3800.

CQ Red R85040 and R85036 $6.74 for both.
Microguard MGL51040 and MGL51036 $10.08 for both.

Or stick with a Wix.
 
Stay with Wix and do a one year OCI. At 6 months and only 2000 miles you are doing yourself a disservice.
 
Originally Posted By: Kuato
Stay with Wix and do a one year OCI. At 6 months and only 2000 miles you are doing yourself a disservice.


Truth.

You are changing your oil and filter (both, each) way way way way too often.
 
For the Buick FRAM FP3387A seems to also fit my 2006 Buick 3.8l . They are $ 1.55 each + freight at Rock Auto .

For a 3000 mile OCI / 6 months , would that filter be OK ?

I have been buying filters for our other car from Rock Auto .

Thanks , :)
 
I would not use the Carquest (they are now Purolator made)

Originally Posted By: FlyingVan
Or go with a supertech. It is only $2.84 and made by Wix.

Yup. The Microgard is the same filter as the Supertech (it is a Wix Pro-tech, same as NAPA Pro Select).

ST3387a for the LaSabre
ST3980 for the GMC

Or look into the EcoGard filters. Walmart.com has them for $1.86 each (but must order 2 at a time). Shipped to store is free and takes 2 days.
X111 for the LaSabre
X4011 for the GMC
Sometimes Amazon will have them for the same price (and you can get one at a time).
Ecogard also has a synthetic blend filter for $4.42 at Walmart.com for both of your applications
 
Honestly, I would want the better filter for a short trip than a cheap filter. Stick with the WIX.
 
Microgard is fine. Get a commercial account at your nearest O'Reilly (any kind of business is fine) and get a really good deal on them if you don't intend to buy your oil at O'Reilly. Or just use the retail $19.99 oil+filter special. Can't be any cheaper.
 
CQ filters are now made by Purolator. The CQ Red is a Classic, while the blue is a P1. They will tear.

The Microgard is made by Wix and the same as a Napa Silver or Pro-Tec.
 
When I order filters from RockAuto.com , I order 6 id I am ordering something else also ( be careful & check if they are coming from the same city / warehouse to avoid higher shipping cost ) .

Otherwise , I order 12 to " spread out " the shipping cost .

Best of luck , :)
 
Originally Posted By: Linctex
Originally Posted By: Kuato
Stay with Wix and do a one year OCI. At 6 months and only 2000 miles you are doing yourself a disservice.


Truth.

You are changing your oil and filter (both, each) way way way way too often.


When I say short tripper I should say extreme short tripper. I live a mile and a half from work and neither one gets to running temp in the morning even in the summer. At lunch and after work they may make it up to temp running errands but not for very long and I just don't get them out on the highway like I should. I've never noticed it with my truck but I have smelled fuel on the dip stick with my car a few times doing my 6 month OCI's. It's not enough that it changes the level on the dip stick but I can smell it.

What I have been thinking about is using the Wix and only change it every other change, but if I'm getting fuel in my oil what does that do to the filter?

I know I cold have the oil tested but I'd rather spend that money on new oil and filter because one test wouldn't satisfy me for future changes.
 
If you want to use a filter for multiple changes, I would use a Fram Ultra (or any other fully synthetic media) filter.
With the full synthetic media, it will not be affected by fuel or moisture.
You could easily leave that filter in place for 2-3 years, just draining the oil every 6 months.
 
Originally Posted By: Duffyjr
Originally Posted By: Linctex
Originally Posted By: Kuato
Stay with Wix and do a one year OCI. At 6 months and only 2000 miles you are doing yourself a disservice.


Truth.

You are changing your oil and filter (both, each) way way way way too often.


When I say short tripper I should say extreme short tripper. I live a mile and a half from work and neither one gets to running temp in the morning even in the summer. At lunch and after work they may make it up to temp running errands but not for very long and I just don't get them out on the highway like I should. I've never noticed it with my truck but I have smelled fuel on the dip stick with my car a few times doing my 6 month OCI's. It's not enough that it changes the level on the dip stick but I can smell it.

What I have been thinking about is using the Wix and only change it every other change, but if I'm getting fuel in my oil what does that do to the filter?

I know I cold have the oil tested but I'd rather spend that money on new oil and filter because one test wouldn't satisfy me for future changes.


Since you are short-tripping that much, you need to be changing your oil and filter at least twice a year. Use a cheaper oil and/or a cheaper filter if cost is an issue. But change both at least 2 times a year.

You are not changing your oil way way way way too often, despite what one person thinks.

Changing your oil at least twice a year is a lot cheaper than engine replacement. I short tripped an engine, and changed the oil with a dexos1 approved oil and an OE filter every 9 months. I thought I had things covered. I didn't.
 
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Originally Posted By: Duffyjr
Originally Posted By: Linctex
Originally Posted By: Kuato
Stay with Wix and do a one year OCI. At 6 months and only 2000 miles you are doing yourself a disservice.


Truth.

You are changing your oil and filter (both, each) way way way way too often.


When I say short tripper I should say extreme short tripper. I live a mile and a half from work and neither one gets to running temp in the morning even in the summer. At lunch and after work they may make it up to temp running errands but not for very long and I just don't get them out on the highway like I should. I've never noticed it with my truck but I have smelled fuel on the dip stick with my car a few times doing my 6 month OCI's. It's not enough that it changes the level on the dip stick but I can smell it.

What I have been thinking about is using the Wix and only change it every other change, but if I'm getting fuel in my oil what does that do to the filter?

I know I cold have the oil tested but I'd rather spend that money on new oil and filter because one test wouldn't satisfy me for future changes.


Since you are short-tripping that much, you need to be changing your oil and filter at least twice a year. Use a cheaper oil and/or a cheaper filter if cost is an issue. But change both at least 2 times a year.

You are not changing your oil way way way way too often, despite what one person thinks.

Changing your oil at least twice a year is a lot cheaper than engine replacement. I short tripped an engine, and changed the oil with a dexos1 approved oil and an OE filter every 9 months. I thought I had things covered. I didn't.


I agree with erring on the side of caution regarding oil change intervals, especially when significant oil dilution is present. (I might be tempted to do an UAO to see whether fuel dilution is really as bad as it seems. If it does, by all means change oil before fuel dilution becomes dangerous!)
But why would you also change the filter so often? I'd extend filter changes to at least 1 year - any properly made filter can take 1 year/6000km...
Extending filter intervals
- saves time and hassle
- saves money
- probably saves a bit of engine wear (half the amount of startup without oil pressure)



Originally Posted By: Duffyjr


When I say short tripper I should say extreme short tripper. I live a mile and a half from work and neither one gets to running temp in the morning even in the summer


Scandalous idea:
grin.gif

Why don't you just walk or take the bike? 1.5 miles are 2.4km, so (assuming a leisurely pace) that is 24 minutes walk or 7 minutes on a bike...
Saves even more wear, saves money, and is much better for your health.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Duffyjr
Originally Posted By: Linctex
Originally Posted By: Kuato
Stay with Wix and do a one year OCI. At 6 months and only 2000 miles you are doing yourself a disservice.


Truth.

You are changing your oil and filter (both, each) way way way way too often.


When I say short tripper I should say extreme short tripper. I live a mile and a half from work and neither one gets to running temp in the morning even in the summer. At lunch and after work they may make it up to temp running errands but not for very long and I just don't get them out on the highway like I should. I've never noticed it with my truck but I have smelled fuel on the dip stick with my car a few times doing my 6 month OCI's. It's not enough that it changes the level on the dip stick but I can smell it.

What I have been thinking about is using the Wix and only change it every other change, but if I'm getting fuel in my oil what does that do to the filter?

I know I cold have the oil tested but I'd rather spend that money on new oil and filter because one test wouldn't satisfy me for future changes.


I would be doing 6 months OCI with the cheaper stuff, if I were in your shoes. But I'm a one filter for one OCI kind of guy.
 
Changing oil / filter too often hurts nothing . Can not hurt . If it makes the person feel better , go for it . And use quality consumables . And certainly change both the oil & filter .

Best of luck to you all , :)
 
I think I'll stay with Wix for now although when I was in O'reilly I looked at the Microguard and it is a hefty filter just like the Wix, just doesn't filter quite as good and and of course the difference in the ADVB material but for short changes that all shouldn't matter, maybe next change I'll give them a shot.

Thanks for all the replies.
 
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