My local Walmart is no longer carrying Motorcraft parts so now I'm switching to Puralator filters...well...I thought I was...

The cheapest I can find a Puralator L25230 oil filter/Zetec is $6.
This isn't even the PureOne model. Just the plain Puralator oil filter.


WTF ! [mad]

I can get a Puralator one for the Duratec for $3.

I use this filter on 2 of my cars. Focus and Contour.

Can't believe that the oil filter for the Zetec cost so damn much.

The dealer wants $7 for the Motorcraft FL-2005 so I'm screwed either way.
I was paying $3.50 for the Motorcraft at Walmart.
No one else sells Motorcraft oil filters around here that I know of.

I might as well spend $9 for the K&N oil filter.

For $9 I could probably buy two Motorcraft and mail them to you..................

Its the special name, it just sounds fancy P.U.R.A.L.A.T.O.R. [:D]

Why not just get a motorcraft from somewhere else?

Jon

Originally posted by microtonal
No one else sells Motorcraft oil filters around here that I know of.
That's probably why he isn't finding MC somewhere else.

I don't know what to say about this, that seems kinda weird why the Zetec filter should be so much more expensive than the Duratec? You could always switch to a FRAM?![eek]

Originally posted by Lil PZEV
That's probably why he isn't finding MC somewhere else.

I don't know what to say about this, that seems kinda weird why the Zetec filter should be so much more expensive than the Duratec? You could always switch to a FRAM?![eek]

I've never given much thought to it, I've always used fram on my other cars as they were always cheaper unless motorcraft was on sale. Is there any advantages to using any particular oil filter over another?

Fram[nono]

Oops, sorry I guess I missed that.

Fram = junk. I always cringe when I see pictures of some guy's pride and joy engine sitting on an engine stand fresh after being rebuilt and they bought all these expensive parts for it, and then slapped the cheapest damn oil filter you can buy on it. Oil filters are important, and Fram filters are cheaply and poorly constructed, the end caps are CARDBOARD for crap's sake. I make sure to bring my own oil and filter for all my oil changes on the Focus to avoid getting stuck with one of those orange turds on my engine.

Microtonal I don't know what to tell you... how is it possible in Seattle, Washington there are no other sources of Motorcraft parts other than Wal-Mart or the dealer? The Purolator PureOne filter I just recently bought for my Mazda truck cost less than $6 at Pep Boys, and it's similarly-sized to the Focus filters, so... {shrugs} not sure why filters are so expensive where you're at.

It boggles me that other auto parts stores around here don't carry Motorcraft.

And Fram....um...no.....but they do have that cool black grip tape on them... lol

I might have to see if I can get the Motorcraft oil filters online for cheap somewhere.


If anyone knows any place online that sells Motorcraft oil filters for cheap with decent shipping prices, post them.

The search online isn't a bad idea at all, if shipping's reasonable.

And just to make sure everyone's sure, I wasn't honestly suggesting Fram... big JK right there.

And just to make sure everyone's sure, I wasn't honestly suggesting Fram... big JK right there.


sure... nice try to save your bacon!! lol... I won't use fram anymore after seeing tests of filters.. but damn.. I have 275,000 miles on my ranger and it has had nothing but fram on it!! guess it is a good design engine. Micro.. try a different Ford dealer. They vary in price from dealer to dealer. I am pissed that walmart doesn't sell them any more. No more motorcraft oil at walmart either. Walmart was selling it cheaper than Ford dealers could buy it from Ford. So dealers quit buying from Ford and bought from walmart and made a nice profit on there oil changes.

It is popular to slam Fram filters, but doesn ANYONE actually have any test data which test what filters are suppose to do -- filter the oil? A long time ago Consumers Reports did the only useful filter test, one that measured the size of particles removed and the capacity of the oil filters. Back the Fram came out on top.

Now that is so long ago (10 years or more) that the results are no longer applicable. But it seems that no one has the wherewithall to do a valid filter test, so all they do is tear apart the cans and comment on the construction of the filter. Frankly, the construction is mostly meaningless, as the use of metal bits or fiber bits makes no difference as long as the filter does it's job, i.e. Filter the oil. Making a filter "stronger" than needed has no practical effect other than impressing those who cut them apart and look inside.

Frankly, I would prefer the filter manufacturer to put their money into the filtering medium to provide the best filtering, rather than overbuilding the mechanical bits that make up the filter.

do you guys know how much it costs for ford to get a motorcraft? like 10cents!!! (ok maybe like 50 cents really) and they charging you $7!!! dang man

I love the P1's by Purolator but they don't cross reference into SVTF's so I guess I'll stick with Motorcraft. And to Penguin, dunno where you have been the last let's say 6 years or so but any auto enthusiast with the internet has probably learned a long time ago that Fram makes complete & total crap. Run it on your car if you chose but might I suggest a good roadside assistance program like AAA if you do? I've long ago discarded my links, stories, and data as to exactly why Fram produces such a piss poor product.

~Cheers!


* Oh yeah go find the thread about "what model do you drive" & vote! They need more wagons [:D]

I went to 4 Walmarts in my area and they all are no longer carrying Motorcraft parts.
There is a short term benefit to this.
They are selling the FL-2005 for $2 a peice.
I pretty much cleared out one of the stores and got me 5 filters for $10.

I also went to Pepboys and they carry MC but don't carry the FL-2005.
They had the Puralator though for $10 !!!

Oh well, at least I got some filters for the next 5 oil changes...

"any auto enthusiast with the internet"

That right, anything you read on the internet MUST be true!

LOL!

All you ever want to know about OIL FILTERS:

http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/oilfilterstudy.html

This is why I use WIX on all my cars, including my Viper, except Focus as I haven't gotten any yet.
[thumb] [thumb]

Later,

I believe that was the "test" that penguin was referring to earlier and scoffing at as a useless waste, since in his opinion how a filter is built means nothing, even though if you actually READ that page it has a few things to say about Fram that would discourage me:

"This filter cartridge has a small outside diameter with a rather low filter element surface area (193 sqin), and features cardboard end caps that are glued in place. The rubber anti-drainback valve seals the rough metal backplate to the cardboard end cap and easily leaks, causing dirty oil to drain back into the pan. If you have a noisy valve train at startup, this filter is likely the cause. The bypass valves are plastic and are sometimes not molded correctly, which allows them to leak. The backplate has smaller and fewer oil inlet holes, which may restrict flow."

I find these test quite amusing. What is the purpose of an oil filter? Might it be to filter out particles from the oil?

Unfortunately, since that is a difficult test to conduct, people "test" what they are able to test, not what is important.

When somebody actually tests the performance of oil filters, as Consumer Reports did 10-15 years ago to measure filtering ability and capacity of the filters, I will pay attention.

But as for calling a visual inspection of a cut-open filter a "test," I'm afraid that's just amateurs playing at "science."

Don't you think it stands to reason, that if the Fram filter is the cheapest filter money can buy, and it's construction has been shown to be of inferior quality, that you should expect the filtering medium is not of the highest quality as well? In other words if 9/10 of it is crap, why should you expect the other 1/10 to be great? Consumer Reports is not the be-all, end-all of scientific testing - I think it's almost funny how many people take their reports so seriously, as though it's the word of God or something.

Last time I did an oil change on my 1984 Mazda B2000 I compared the Fram filter and the Purolator filter that are the proper fitment for the truck. The Fram filter is about HALF (maybe even 1/3) the size of the Purolator. So what's going on there? [rolleyes]

"Consumer Reports is not the be-all, end-all of scientific testing"

No, it most certainly is not. You have to evaluate each of their reports on a case by case basis. But please provide a link or reference to any other test of oil filters that actually tested the ability of the filter to filter oil.

That is the data I would be interested in, not whether the end caps are fiber or metal.

I read on another forum that Walmart was going to get the FL-2005 repackaged under the part number FL-2005W, the W referring to Wal Mart. If that is the case, they are just selling the old part number for less, and the price is a steal.

Originally posted by penguin

That right, anything you read on the internet MUST be true!

LOL!

Originally posted by penguin

You have to evaluate each of their reports on a case by case basis.

Take your own advice (the 2nd qoute) and apply that to information available online. The internet is the #1 resource for information that's available. Or would it be an obscure test run by C/R "10-15 years ago"? You qouted me entirely out of the context of what I was saying and you know it. Do your own homework instead of asking numerous times for others to do it for you. Or remain content to use 10-15 year old subjective "data" as a crutch to lean upon. I'm indifferent to your preference for your car. You are advocating a known to be inferior product without providing any supporting "data" for your argument while soliciting data from others in support of theirs. I'm not going to exchange jabs with you here in this forum in support of product "A" vs. product "B" but I will suggest that you practice comprehension & common sense when reading post by others and apply it when you decide to qoute them in a manner inconsistent with their statement.

"You are advocating a known to be inferior product "

I am not advocating anything. There is no reliable data, so it would be silly to advocate one or the other. Unfortunately, with no reliable or relevant data, people are on their own to make a decision. Since you dislike "out of context quotes," please show the quote where I advocate usage of Fram filters.

Again, show a test of oil filters which measures (1) oil fitlering ability and (2) capacity of the filter to hold impurities, and I will be EXTREMELY interested. But show me "tests" by someone with no credentials that apparently knows how to use a hacksaw, and I lose interest.

You're not outright advocating it but it's pretty obvious you're not against using a Fram, either. This discussion is just going in circles which is why I gave up and stopped posting. I don't have the tools or the know-how (or the spare money) to conduct a scientific test of oil filters, but I "knows what I likes" and it is not Fram. As the "hacksaw" site owner points out, one of Fram's filters, the Double Guard, contains DuPont Teflon even though DuPont's stance on using Teflon in an engine is: don't use Teflon in an engine. DuPont has to sell them the Teflon even though they know what it will be used for, because they lost a lawsuit arguing it was a "restraint of trade" to not sell Teflon for those purposes.

The next couple paragraphs I copied directly from Fram's website. Read them, then go back and look at my post where I put in bold the claims made by the "hacksaw guy" about these parts in Fram filters. Yes, it's his observations and opinions, but those are chances I wouldn't want to take with my engine.

Relief (By-Pass) Valve. In a full flow system, all the oil passes through the filter to reach the engine. If the filter clogs, an alternative route to the engine must be provided for the oil, or the bearings and other internal parts may fail, due to oil starvation. A relief, or by-pass, valve is used to allow unfiltered oil to lubricate the engine. Unfiltered oil is far better than no oil at all. This relief (by-pass) valve is built into the engine block in some cars. Otherwise, the relief (by-pass) valve is a component of the oil filter itself. Under normal conditions, the valve remains closed. When there is sufficient contaminant in the oil filter to reach a preset level of pressure differential to oil flow (around 10-12 PSI in most passenger cars), pressure differential on the relief (by-pass) valve caused it to open. This condition can occur when the oil filter has become clogged or when the weather is cold and the oil is thick and flows slowly.

Anti-Drainback Valve. Some oil filter mountings may allow oil to drain out of the filter through the oil pump when the engine is stopped. When the engine is next started, oil must refill the filter before full oil pressure reaches the engine. The anti-drainback valve, included in the filter when required, prevents oil from draining out of the filter. This anti-drainback valve is actually a rubber flap that covers the inside of the inlet holes of the filter. When the oil pump starts pumping oil, the pressure will unseat the flap. The purpose of this valve is to keep the oil filter filled at all times, so when the engine is started there will be an almost instantaneous supply of oil to the engine.

Again, show a test of oil filters which measures (1) oil fitlering ability and (2) capacity of the filter to hold impurities, and I will be EXTREMELY interested.

P.S. regarding bypass valve and anti-drainback.

1) I suspect very few focus owners ever have the bypass valve activate if they change their oil regularly, even in winter running a 5w-20 oil, or even 5W-30.

2) I assume you realize that the "antidrainback" valve is meaningless to a filter which is mounted vertically, as on by Focus?

Mine mount horizonally to the back side of the block. A PITA to get to.

"Mine mount horizonally to the back side of the block. A PITA to get to."

Then the anti-drainback valve function is something you should be interested in.

My new ZXW has a very convenient vertical mounting location for the oil filter. A 1982 Toyota Celica I once owned had the most inconvenient horizontal location I have ever seen on a vehicle... one had to do the entire job by feel, with one's arm in a very uncomfortable position.

The function, as well as the construction, of the anti-drainback valve is something that could be tested without too much complication. Perhaps if I get ambious I will test and compare someday out of curiosity.

Yeah talk about a "PITA" - you're starting to be a PITA and a broken record too. You expect us to read what you have to say but anything we might try to point out is ignored and glossed over and you simply say "Again, show a test of oil filters which measures (1) oil fitlering ability and (2) capacity of the filter to hold impurities, and I will be EXTREMELY interested."

The oil filter on the Zetec engine is not vertical, it's horizontal, so the anti-drainback valve is important. Besides, I wasn't aware that we were limiting our discussion to only the Focus. We're talking about Fram filters, not Fram filters made for the Focus. Lots of cars and trucks have filter mountings that make an anti-drainback valve important. What about the Teflon? You had no response to that. They knowlingly put a substance that clogs filters, in their Double Guard filter!

I have always used WIX filters they are top notch and I will never use anything else but WIX. They are availible at all NAPA Auto Parts stores.

"We're talking about Fram filters"

My 1992 Ford Explorer now has 194,000 miles on it, using nothing but Fram filters exclusively. It burns less than 1/2 quart of oil in 5,000 miles and has never had any engine work, other than replacing some leaky valve cover gaskets once and replacing the thermostat.

As far as teflon? Teflon is of no use in an IC engine; however, I doubt that the stuff Fram uses in some filters is going to clog up a filter. Particle size does make a difference with Teflon.

I personally would never use Teflon addivitves or a Fram filter with Teflon in it, as it is a waste.

But if some people believe in the stuff and want to buy it, that's their business.