Does the actual size of the oil filter really matter?

CaifanSC

SCCoA Member
My 35th has an aftermarket oil cooler piggybacked to the stock oil cooler, so you cant really use a stock-sized oil filter in that location bc the subframe and steering lines get in the way. The car has a smaller oil filter in place right now.

I just did my first oil change on this thing and I got a replacement Mobil 1 oil filter (and mobil 1 synthetic oil outch $$$!:mad: ). But this got me wondering...does the actual size of the filter matter? The stubby filter used now now is about half the height of the stock one, and maybe slightly thinner in diameter. In theory, as long as the filter is of good quality it should do the job right regardless of size correct? Since I didnt find a motorcraft replacement, I was debating between the Mobil 1 filter or the K&N one...but i figured i couldnt go wrong with Mobil. Any thoughts?
 
What Is The Stock # And Make Of A Smaller One

I USE THE STOCK ONES:eek: BUT ARE REALLY HARD TO USE :mad: AS YOU SAID!!!!:eek: BTW THE SIZE DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU USE YOU CAR FOR:D ROUGH SERVICE :eek: OR ONE IN AWHILE DRIVER:D
 
If you are just using the car for normal driving, with an occasionall 'heavy foot', then your use of Mobil 1 and the Mobil 1 filter is perfectly acceptable as long as you change at around 4-5000 mile intervals.
By the way, Purolater actually manufactures the 'Mobil 1 HE' filters and the Purolater 'Pure 1' filter is in fact exactly the same filter for about 1/2 price.
 
Are You Saying That Pure 1 Is The Model #

If you are just using the car for normal driving, with an occasionall 'heavy foot', then your use of Mobil 1 and the Mobil 1 filter is perfectly acceptable as long as you change at around 4-5000 mile intervals.
By the way, Purolater actually manufactures the 'Mobil 1 HE' filters and the Purolater 'Pure 1' filter is in fact exactly the same filter for about 1/2 price.
FOR THE SMALLER FILTER:confused:
 
K&n

I like using the K&N better then the mobil 1, for a single reason...the one inch 'nut' on the end of the K&N makes it SOOOOOOOO much easier to take off...mind you i just squeeze under the car to change the oil.

~Darrel
 
The ease of taking the filter off should be secondary to the filter's efficiency at filtering the oil.
Filters don't need to be put on by 'Duke Armstrong' either. 1/4 to 1/2 turn past hand-tight is all that's necessary. Oil the gasket before installation too, and the filetr will come off nice and easy next time.

'Pure 1' is the name of the line of synthetic-media filters that Purolater markets under thier own name. They are avaialable in all popular sizes. They are in fact the same filter as the 'Mobil 1 High-Efficiency' filter.
 
The ease of taking the filter off should be secondary to the filter's efficiency at filtering the oil.
Filters don't need to be put on by 'Duke Armstrong' either. 1/4 to 1/2 turn past hand-tight is all that's necessary. Oil the gasket before installation too, and the filetr will come off nice and easy next time.QUOTE]

I'm not disagreeing with you, but it was my understanding that K&N and Mobil 1 were number 1 and 2 for being the best filter. Not to mention the fact that if you get ANY mobil 1 on your hands when draining the oil it is next to impossible to get a good grip on the filter.
 
K&N is expensive. Only thing good about it, is the Nut. Pur 1 is the best for the bang over ANY FILTER OUT THERE "BARR NON". If you can get it on, ANY filter will do. Bacause of Bad Location, The Remote Filter is Best. You can put it anywhere, just about. The other Filters, you are paying for the name
I use Racing filters on everything I have. They also free up horepower. They have larger holes. Also, I use Moble 1 oil.
 
Filter case dimensions can often be a indicator of total square inches of filtering media. More media, more capacity for filtering, less chance of oil bypassing the filter. But it's not that simple. The Purolator Pure 1 filters have been checked over torn apart, and investigated by many folks and they seem to make folks the happiest. Mobil 1 filters are also praised, but their cost limits their value compared to the Purolator option.
 
The motorcraft filter # 400S is always on the shelf at every Walmart I've been in for like $3. It has ribs around the bottom of it. You can buy a filter wrench at Autozone that goes on a 3/8 ratchet that is designed to fit the ribs on the bottom of the Motorcraft filter. They sell it near the oil filters. It makes changing the oil filter a breeze.;)
 
Pur 1 is the best for the bang over ANY FILTER OUT THERE "BARR NON"....
If you can get it on, ANY filter will do....
I use Racing filters on everything I have. They also free up horepower. They have larger holes. ...
Also, I use Moble 1 oil.

Pure 1 is a good filter, for sure, but the all-time champ in almost every test is the NAPA GOLD series filters.

I must strongly dissagree with the 'any filter that fits is good' statement. The size, location and rating for the filters by-pass valve is a prime consideration. Also some applications require an anti- drainback valve. Stick to the recommended filter application.

Racing filters are designed to let oil flow faster and to be used on higher-volume oil-pump engines. In that repsect they do allow less internal resistance, freeing up a minute (near meaningless) amount of power. Thier big advatge is to allow a higher volume of oil flow, which aids in cooling a RACE engine. The trade-off is less filtering ability, which is of no concern on a race-only engine. So if you are just driving on the street,stick to a good passenger-car filter.

And 'Mobil' doesn't have an 'e' on the end!
 
The car is indeed a daily driver...well kinda sorta (between this and the 94 right now, i drive one week each ). I get the urge to hit on the gas from time to time, but nothing major so thats good piece of mind. I really dont recall how much I paid for the Mobil filter but i might try the Pure 1 and K&N just for shaits and giggles.
 
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