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oil filter comparison

Navman

Member III
Everyone should really check out this video on oil filters. Who knew the filter I use the most is the absolute worse on out there.
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Love it... and heed the warning about "Marketing Wank" ! :)

Somewhere here on on another sailing site there is a thread where someone used solvent to wipe off the Universal/Westerbeke paint on their filter and now I cannot recall what well known brand was underneath. I seem to recall that the bronze paint had about doubled the price, tho... :(
 

debonAir

Member III
I just buy the OEM Kubota filters. There's something wholesome (to me at least!) going to he tractor store parts counter and getting them in person hoping I get the very old guy that actually remembers what an L245DT was and asking me how it could possibly be still running nearly 40 years later.
 

kiwisailor

Member III
Blogs Author

Bolo

Contributing Partner
Very interesting video and very revealing too. Also, interesting is the sign on the wall next to the presenter's hat. I didn't know that mechanics did that in the shop. :oops:
 

Bolo

Contributing Partner
FYI: I happen to have a connection with someone in automotive manufacturing who told me that the fellow in the video faked it all. My "friend" told me that this particular video is well know and that the creator of it all faked the innards of the Fram filter and was sued for it. I also found out that Fram makes OEM replacements for many automobile manufacturers and that they are of the highest quality. So, like everything in media, nothing should be believe to be fact on the face of it.
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Which is the more likely: that the Fram filter in the video is inferior compared the other displayed specimens, or that the presenter went to very elaborate lengths to mislead viewers for reasons known only to him?
 

Tom Metzger

Sustaining Partner
Since the Fram PH3593a which crosses to the M-25XP, and many* of the Universal engines of that vintage, costs only $3.88 at Walmart some one would be interested enough to cut one open and see what is inside.

* It doesn't fit M-15/5411, M-20/5416, M-30/5424, M-40, or M-50/5444 as these have different threads.
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
One bit of trivia about filters, in general.
I found a couple of spare non-Universal filters stashed away when we bought our boat. Some inspection and some research showed that, while they were similar and would screw onto the same base, the case was slightly larger. I forget how much, but the problem is the alternator bracket clearance on the M25XP. That's a very very tight area. Something to check on. If the hose elbow or the bracket chafes thru the filter, you lose the oil.
As they say, 'YMMV'.
 

Navman

Member III
FYI: I happen to have a connection with someone in automotive manufacturing who told me that the fellow in the video faked it all. My "friend" told me that this particular video is well know and that the creator of it all faked the innards of the Fram filter and was sued for it. I also found out that Fram makes OEM replacements for many automobile manufacturers and that they are of the highest quality. So, like everything in media, nothing should be believe to be fact on the face of it.
Bolo,
Thanks for the information. Further along in the posts however "racushman" says Practical Sailor also did a review and came to the same conclusion. I guess it's buyer beware. As a result, I will be buying the Wix or the NAPA Gold.
 

Tom Metzger

Sustaining Partner
If the hose elbow or the bracket chafes thru the filter, you lose the oil.
You did mention a misaligned hose clamp. A piece of rubber gasket material and hose clamps solved the problem temporarily. That was the precise moment that I learned to always carry a spare for every filter. :cool:

Here is a chart for filters for many Universal engines. Engines not listed require different lube oil filters. Fuel filters are the same for all of the OEM Universal engines on our boats. The alternator belts are for Xanthus only as the bracket was off of an old Dodge pickup.
 

Attachments

  • Xanthus Filters.pdf
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Teranodon

Member III
There are a couple of dozen Youtube videos about Fram filters. I have not watched them all, but there does seem to be plenty of disagreement, and at least one theme: Fram makes several grades of filters, and the high-end-ones are superior to the low-end ones (duh). Thus, the top grade has two layers of synthetic materials, backed with a steel mesh.

I always use Napa Gold filters, oil and fuel, for a simple reason: on my island, the only place to get auto parts is Napa Auto Parts.
 

clayton

Member III
To add to Tom's info - specifically the M25-XP which is a Kubota D950 block used in B series tractors. The OE Kubota oil filter was HH150-32094. Cross references to Kubota 15241-32090 which also cross references to Kubota 70000-74034. They are a couple bucks more at my local shop than the auto parts store. I usually grab one when I drop off chainsaw for sharpening.
 

Tin Kicker

Sustaining Member
Moderator
FYI: I happen to have a connection with someone in automotive manufacturing who told me that the fellow in the video faked it all. My "friend" told me that this particular video is well know and that the creator of it all faked the innards of the Fram filter and was sued for it. I also found out that Fram makes OEM replacements for many automobile manufacturers and that they are of the highest quality. So, like everything in media, nothing should be believe to be fact on the face of it.

I'm on several vehicle-related forums that this video has turned up on and your "friend" is not alone in saying that this video is exceptionally slanted. Examples:



Meanwhile he put the following about himself in his profile:
"Jim Bollinger is a fabricator, welder, builder, firefighter, paramedic and all around darn good guy"

Not quite who I would turn to as an oil filter expert.
 

Navman

Member III
I wonder how the Wix & Napa Gold compare to the best grade Fram. I would assume that Napa Gold is their top of the line so why not compare it to the top of the line Fram. I am going to look into the Practical Sailing comparison tests and see exactly what results they came up with.
 

Tin Kicker

Sustaining Member
Moderator
There are a bunch of those comparison directions and actual test results on the Bobistheoilguy.com web-site. Those guys are really into this kind of stuff.

Different Bob
 

Hagar2sail

Member III
Blogs Author
I settled on WIX for our 5424 a while ago after similar comments. However I did use Fram filters for years on my vehicles, and never had issues, so I think the real question is how much does it matter? I think any filter you get for $4 or less is going to come with some compromises.
 
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