Oil Filter recommendations / non-Porsche application

[fireant911]

What are the best brand of oil filters to use? I have a 95 Honda Civic that I purchased from new (119K miles). I run Mobil-1 5W-30 and the only filters I come across are Fram and Purolator(sp). The Fram are probably of lesser quality but there are three grades available. I saw a K&N oil filter but will not even consider using this based on the K&N air filter I promptly disposed of in the trash after I saw all the 'crap' this filter lets pass through. What are the recommended oil filters?

[350HP930]

Wix makes some of the best automotive and industrial filters around.

If memory serves me correctly napa's filters, or at least their premium ones, are relabled wix.

[yellowline]

http://www.lesabret.com/filters/filter.html

Good writeup on oil filters.

[rhk109]

I second the Napa (Wix) filters.

[chibone_914]

You should stick to the factory Honda filters, if not, WIX-brand are very good. Please do not use the Fram filters as they are crap.

[vash]

i only use WIX. but honestly, the dude that sells them to me has a cut up FRAM on his counter alongside a WIX. it is a WIX display showing the inferior FRAM. he says he cant tell the diff. i used FRAM for the first 20 years of my driving life. no issues, that i know of.

[stevepaa]

I only use OEM filters on all my cars, BMW, Volvo, Toyota, Subaru, Porsche. I did use Fram on my Chevy engines. I have seen cut-ups also and there really is no comparison between OEM and others from what I have seen.

[RickM]

I've mentioned this before.....In speaking to a Mann engineer I learned that Fram has one of the best single pass efficiency ratings (96%-98%) in the industry. This gentleman had nothing negative to say about Fram.

I, like others, have heard of the split filter case (in VWs) but I've never knew anyone who this has happened to.

The relief valve in the filter is made of cardboard or plastic as opposed to a spring and metal cap. However, for an item that is replaced frequently perhaps it's engineered adequately for it's intended purpose.

[928ram]

I'd have to echo what RickM says; I remember reading and article on filtering ability some time ago where they found that the filtering ability of the material used by Fram was well above what any of the others offered.
Considering that the norm used to be a new filter every other oil change (we all change our filter EVERY oil change now, right?), I'd have to go with the superior media/average construction over the average media/superior construction.

[RickM]

Here's a Fram technical write-up on the burst filters:

http://www.fram.com/tech/OverPressurized.pdf

[M.D. Holloway]

Originally posted by 350HP930
Wix makes some of the best automotive and industrial filters around.

If memory serves me correctly napa's filters, or at least their premium ones, are relabled wix.

Baldwin, Donaldson and WIX are the best. WIX doesn't do any private labeling, or so they said. WIX visted me two years ago to have us carry them. We ended up designing a bypass filter ourselves but I was very impressed by WIX. They actually put on a very impressive filter school. You actually get to make your own filter.

I think I may be the only one who thinks thats cool!

[VINMAN]

I have run Fram filters in high (700HP +) racing engines for years and never once had an issue with one. Some of these engines are running well over 60-80lbs oil pressure.

[vash]

Originally posted by VINMAN
I have run Fram filters in high (700HP +) racing engines for years and never once had an issue with one. Some of these engines are running well over 60-80lbs oil pressure.

if you do the math, i bet FRAM has a stellar record. they must sell billions of those things. my WIX man is up the street, and i hate kragen. makes the choice easy. didnt early WIX come with a magnet?