I'll tell ya what not to use and thats Fram.
I use the STP from Autozone.

 

"bill you don listen","i tell you we make de best filters".

 

The best oil filters for filtering are Purolator Pure One, Mobil 1, Amsoil, and Bosch. They use paper like everyone else, but also cellulose, and fiberglass fibers to filter very small particles.


Oil filters have an oil pressure relief valve incorporated into them. There job is to open if there is excessive restriction causing high pressure and keep the engine from becoming dry and causing engine failure. When the valve is open, there is no filtration occuring. What can cause this, is a clogged filter, thick oil that is cold, and extreme performance conditions such as racing with a performance engine (high volume oil pump).

Fram has the pressure by-pass relief valve located at the bottom of the filter installed in a way that when the valve opens it washes the oil across the filter over the contaminants back into the engine. Also, the oil drain back valve which keeps oil from draining back out of the filter causing a delay in getting oil to the engine during startup, is made of a harder rubber and does not seal very well, and the oil gets by it and drains out of the filter (depending on how the filter is mounted to the engine). If you were to run the oil through the filter backward, almost all the particles would be released back into the engine. This is what could happen if there is no oil drain back valve, or if it is not sealing properly.


Napa Gold/ Wix filters have the pressure by-pass relief valve located at the top of the filter in a way that when open, the oil is redirected to the exit port not washing over the filter. Also, the oil drain back valve is made of silicone and seals very well.


I chose the Moroso filter because it is less restrictive, less oil bypass with more filtration "when I'm on it". I think it's a good idea that when you are racing, the oil is being filtered, not bypassed with no filtration. Here is what Moroso says about it.

"After many years of designing and testing racing oil systems and related components, we've collected a great deal of information to determine what's most important to oil filtration. Our conclusion was Total Filtration Time!

Many filter manufacturers stress the importance of filtering some of the smallest particles known to man out of your engine's oil. You've probably seen or heard them talk about "micron ratings" of 10 or less when talking about a filter's efficiency. (One micron is one-millionth of a meter and a "micron rating" of 10 means that the filter will remove particles as small as 10 millionths of a meter.)

Moroso engineers have determined, with the help of research performed by filtration technology experts, that particles smaller than 20 microns in diameter are not large enough to produce engine wear. Furthermore, Moroso engineers have also found that filters with extremely low micron ratings create an excessive pressure drop across the filter. They can be so restrictive that the filter by-pass valve can open. And with the by-pass valve open, NO FILTRATION occurs, and you have no way of knowing!

To maximize filter performance, Moroso Oil Filters have a rating of 27 microns, which produces a maximum initial restriction of only 2.5 psi when tested to SAE j806! The result is less pressure drop, more flow, less oil by-pass and maximum filtration performance that's so important in severe racing conditions."

 

Not all oil filters have the relief valve, it depends on application. None for Chevy.
None of the Fram racing filters have one.
Fram makes 5 different grades of filters including the racing line which also has ~30 micron screening and one line is also synthetic cellulose.
The degree of filtering in any filter primarily determines the flow rate.

The best filtration is achieved with 2 stage filters made by Donaldson or Baldwin, mostly designed for large trucks that do have a small micron rating and largely because of their size, don't restrict flow.

BTW, I don't use Fram.

 

hastings made an excellent filter with the densite media, i have been unable to find them anywhere. also donaldson was a good filter but i think it was more of a regional brand. i never would have given much thought about it but on my harley i put a stainless steel washable filter on it that picked up 5 horsepower on a back to back dyno test. so thats something to think about. and 5 horsepower on a harley is a big deal.

 

I use K&N as I believe a quality filter is worth the few extra dollars in the long run, especially if you have any extra dollars invested in your engine.

 

K&N and the Mobil 1 filters are the same filter with different branding. I agree for a few extra dollars, I use the Mobil1 filter buying it usually on sale with the Mobil 1 15W-50 on sale at my local auto zone, use the 1 Qt filter, change the oil once per year, and call it a day. I am sure that there are better filters and better synthetic oil but I try to balance the cost, what's the added benefit of both, ease of purchase, and how frequently to I need to change both. Hope that helps!

 

FWIW, "Bob the Oilguy" rated Baldwin filters pretty highly. That's what I've been using for the last several years.

 

After going to a 2.5" exhaust, I couldn't fit the large filters on my engine anymore.
Using NAPA Gold 1061 now.
Carter

 

i use eather AC delco pf 454 for the short fitler, PF 1218 is med holds about a qt, and pf 2232 is the largest ive found that advance auto parts carries on the shelf, i use my thumb to measure the screw on part, if it just covers my thumb nail, it will fit!

 

Hmmmmmmm!

 

I've been waiting for one of these!!!
Carter