My 96 Ford Contour calls for the old style Motorcraft 820S filter. As I understand it, the 500S is essentially the same thing just skinnier so would it hurt to use it instead? My filter wrench only fits the 500S size filter and not the 820S. Also, reading old posts here there seems to be little no problems with the 500S yet the 820S has tears left and right among other issues. I'd like to stick with Motorcraft because they're cheapest and easiest to find in my area, this car is just a daily commuter so it's not exactly a baby by any means and will be using cheap conventional oil and a 5000 mile OCI so I can't justify a better filter like a Fram Ultra at such a short interval. Any reason not to use the 500S in place of the 820S?
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