Oil Filters - Auto Parts Store VS OEM?

[OK-944]

Asking as one who has always gone with a Mahle OC-142 or OEM equivalent (Hengst) oil filter for my ‘87NA, I’m curious about others experiences with “non OEM” filters (Wix, Fram, etc.), generally available from local auto parts stores, which they’ve found to work well with their 944’s.

I ask the above as I’m wanting to drain the 10W50 Porsche Classic oil from my ‘87NA, and go with a 5W40 (Castrol Edge or the like) to get me through the coldest period of Vermont winter - which means December through March…during which I’d likely drive no more than about a thousand miles…and I’d like to give my friendly local O’Reilly’s auto parts store some business.

[walfreyydo]

Whatever filter you use should have a check valve. Due to the way the filters sit on these cars (facing down) not having a check valve causes oil to leak out causing a delay in oil pressure to build.

I would also look into Mann filters. Cant say I would personally use Fram or Wixx on my 944, when the tried and true filters are available. I tend to buy 2 or 3 filters at a time (right now I am running Mann, but have run Mahle in the past)

Ive used Mahle OC142 in the past (seems getting hard to find), and have gotten Mann W71922 from Rock Auto suprisingly.

[wwdwgs]

I use Mahle and Hengst and usually buy them from RA. Not that I don't trust store-supplied Fram or the like, It's just make more sence to get the filters when I order other parts anyway. Owners of other car makes, generally, praise Wix and some Fram top-end filters.
don't you have oil leaks if you use lighter oil?

[OK-944]

No leaks...even when I'd done a winter with 0W40 Mobil-1. I could do this because I completely rebuilt my car's engine in 2019-20, after which bearing clearances spec'd out to allow for my use of this oil. But I likely won't use it again, as something about it just did not feel quite right.

At any rate...the following winter I went with Castrol Edge 5W40 - which seemed about right for our cold winter.

Then...last winter - I simply left the 10W50 Porsche Classic alone...figuring that as my total per-year mileage is typically around 5000mi, and that Porsche actually recommends a one-year change interval including winter driving...I figured I'd give this a try - and all was well, with my admission that as I'm retired its not difficult for me schedule my drives for temps. generally above about 15F.

So I'm actually on the fence about simply leaving the 10W50 Porsche Classic oil in the case until next March. Thing about this Porsche Classic oil is that after having used this for a number of oil changes (during which it never seems to change its level on the stick), I've come to believe that this is no "snake-oil," but is instead a truly fine product which has indeed, as Porsche claims, been successfully tailored for these cars.

So I'll chew on this for a few more days and decide if I will just leave things alone...or change over to 5W40 for the winter. As for a filter...I've decided to stick with the tried and true Mahle (or Hengst or Mann) filter.

[TibetanT]

Just my opinion, but I ALWAYS use Mahle Oil filters in all my Porsches.
These filters are sold by our host for $9.00....cheap at twice the price.

BTW, I live in a very cold Winter climate as well and have no issues with Mobil 1 10W-40 synthetic. I DO NOT drive my car in the Winter here because of salt on the roads.
Basically, it is a "just in case" type situation should I have to move the car out of the garage for some reason. The rest of the time, I use Mobil 1 15W-50 Syn which works very well with the very hot summer weather here.

Hope this helps...BTW, Good Luck with your project!

[OK-944]

So...what's the deal with the Porsche "Mahle OC-142" as listed on this site for 25.00, vs the other "OC-142" listed on this site for 9.00? One made in China, the other in Germany? What's up with this??

[TibetanT]

The $25.00 is a Porsche OEM product from the Porsche factory.
The Mahle OC is from Mahle.

BTW...everything from Porsche is always more expensive! LOL

However, sometimes I have to buy the original part to satisfy a customer's request of using only "Genuine" parts for a restore.

Hope this helps

[wwdwgs]

Regarding the oil leaks - I used Mobil 1 Extende Performance 5W-30 to clean the internals, and it caused the leaks, mostly around the oil pan (existing gasket) and oil-coolant radiator (new gaskets). Maybe some leak from rear main seal, but I could not confirm that. Switcihng back to 20W-50 "solved" the problem.

[jcommin]

Another vote for Mahle or the OEM.

[TibetanT]

Originally Posted by wwdwgs

Regarding the oil leaks - I used Mobil 1 Extende Performance 5W-30 to clean the internals, and it caused the leaks, mostly around the oil pan (existing gasket) and oil-coolant radiator (new gaskets). Maybe some leak from rear main seal, but I could not confirm that. Switcihng back to 20W-50 "solved" the problem.

IF you used a synthetic oil and it caused your leaks. THEN, it means your seals are too old. It has been written and documented by Wayne (founder of Pelican Parts) the issues seen with synthetic oils.
Dino oil will always solve your problem if that is the case.

No worries then.

[azbanks]

There are some good videos on youtube showing various brands of oil filters being cut open and taken apart.
Wix and Napa gold appear to be the best by a wide margin. I have not seen any videos with Mahle.

[OK-944]

So…I went ahead and purchased a Napa Gold series #1287 oil filter, and when I got it out of the box it became obvious to me, especially when comparing it to the Porsche-branded (Austrian) Mahle OC-142, that this new filter was a total POS. Felt like it was made of tinfoil, with cheap-looking, maligned stamped internals, a thin and somewhat “wavy” looking rubber gasket, with filter feeling as if it weighed next to nothing. Finally, I noticed the words “made in Mexico.”

(I’ve got nothing against Mexican products generally, mind you…but part of my decision to go with the Napa filter was my earlier impression - based on a number of very positive reviews…that this filter was made in the U.S.A. Turns out that most of these “positive” reviews were written some time ago - and that more recently the manufacture of these filters has been farmed out to a number of different plants around the world. Further digging reveals that, indeed, the quality of these products...at least those of more recent manufacture - can be very questionable).

…But I went ahead and mounted the filter anyway, and proceeded to refill the system with 5w40 Castrol Edge - which had served me well in the past for cold weather use.

But I simply could not bring myself to start the car. Instead, I got on the phone and ordered the Porsche branded filter (Thank you to Mike of the Stratham, NH, Porsche dealership parts dept), and so long as the car remains idle until I can install it, I should be able to do the swop without making a mess of things.

Did I dodge a bullet? Maybe, and maybe not…but something as vital as an oil filter simply needs complete trust - so from now on, I vow to stay the course and always go for the Porsche-branded (Austrian) Mahle OC-42 filter.

Later Edit: Not meaning to step on any toes of previous posters above - and also thinking that perhaps the quality of these filters can vary from excellent on down to decisively sub-par...depending on how and from where they are sourced.

[azbanks]

Nothing stays the same. My toes are fine.

I saw the same thing happen with Interstate batteries. Once upon a time they were great, then the company switched how/where they were made.The company started getting them from the same factory as almost every other battery and their quality dropped to match all the rest of the batteries on the market.

[Legit Salvage]

I've been a Bosch, Mann, Hengst, Wix guy (in that order of preference) for my Audis, VWs and MBs. I'm going to have to give Mahle a try.

[Monkey Wrench]

I hope its ok to post this , a guy over on the fordsix performance forum cut a whole bunch apart and spent a lot of time documenting the differences. I thought the cutaway views were interesting. If you have about a 1/2 day , to decipher it all. it is a pretty extensive comparison. the guy even counted the pleats in each one, some have more filter paper in them. How the valves work , that's also important and a little hard to understand. from what I've heard it from other Volvo guys they all say don't use the Fram because it drains back so you have low pressure upon startup.

although the writeup was based oin the ford its the same companies so you may make some logical comparisons on the branding.

from what I've gathered about FRAM, Id stay away from that, I usually order Mann or Bosche.

withthe oil its hard to tell they all taste as bad as one another :-) my take is the manufacturers adhere to ISO standards anyway ,so I don't care if it's from a supermarket brand it is still from a similar refinery. my theory is if i just use cheap oil and change it more often, its best but your mileage may vary.

the rest is branding. my take is use any oil but change it often Now we can all take some time out argue about synthetic Vs normal oil. ;-)

https://fordsix.com/threads/study%E2%80%99s-on-oil-filters-that-cross-to-the-motorcraft-fl1a.84876/page-3#post-687733

[Monkey Wrench]

Originally Posted by OK-944

But I simply could not bring myself to start the car. Instead, I got on the phone and ordered the Porsche branded filter (Thank you to Mike of the Stratham, NH, Porsche dealership parts dept), and so long as the car remains idle until I can install it, I should be able to do the swop without making a mess of things.

what I often do is drain the oil then I get in and start it just for a sec and then when I unscrew the filter , its basically empty. I can hear the last 1/2 liter enter the bucket which is still underneath..

starting a car with no oil ? well it does have some lube from
when it was running and I wouldn't let it run more than a few seconds. Ill shut it off about when the light comes on so the crank isn't loaded or making a lot of rotations with no pressure. I always change it when its hot then have a coffee and let it drain the last of the drips.

it may save one from dumping oil on the motor mounts. of course you can use a pile of rags, to protect things, instead,

maybe it's nuts , I certainly have never heard it recommended but that's what I often will do. Nothing like living on the edge ;-)