Which oil filter do you use?

[keiths71240Z]

Nissan and Castrol

[Victor Laury]

Fram PH8A is a common filter size for older cars. AC Delco, WIX, Pennzoil, K/N, and many other companies make similar filters. I use Fram or WIX depending on my mood, and chage them with each oil change.

I've used the WIX 51515 or the repackaged WIX sold by NAPA stores (NAPA 1515), which is the eqivilent part as the Fram PH8A (Ford V8's). Haven't used Fram since first reading the online evaluation 5 years ago. The best thing about that size is, since it was used on so many engines, there is nowhere you could go where you will not be able to find a new filter. For a while, I've been painting the WIX filters medium blue to match the Nissan Filters. This last change, I went back to the Nissan units.

[First Gen Z]

I use WIX filters exclusively. And Discount Auto house brand 40wt oil. I take care of a fleet of vehicles and equipment for a landscape company. I've never had a filter or oil related problem. And this equipment gets used REALLY HARD. I belive the Discount house brand oil is Havoline. This place is a great test bed for everything.

[2-4-T-Z-MAN]

I have always used the orig. nissan filter. I have a friend that races his Datsun and wins. He told me a long time ago that the orig. filter had a check ball inside that other filters didn't have. This check ball did not allow oil to back up. I don't know if other filters have changed, but if they have it would be to correct a problem that Datsun had already addressed.

[Brett240]

i think we should be careful when throwing around oil names for suggestions, different oils come in various visocities, types, castor/ synthetic etc and each engine has its specific uses and corresponding needs.

so a 40wt oil used in a fleet vehicle is not necessarily the oil of choice for your weekend Z with 150k racked up.

FWIW i have ran Mobil 1 in my engine which was the wrong choice. its way way to thin, couldnt hold its viscosity when the temps rose on the racetrack and oil pressure dropped, pluss it leaked past the valve guides and rings and dissapeared out the exhaust.

changed to a synthetic castrol racing oil with (from memory) a 20w60 rating which held its viscosity better, it was alot thicker to begin with, and i didnt lose oil. of course this may be a little to thick for a fresh built engine with new style piston rings....

its horses for courses.

Check the manufcaturer recommendations for your driving conditions, they know best.

but generally the tolorances on our 30 plus year old engines are not in the ballpark to be using thin synthetic oils. the kind of oil you see labeled as "for high performance, turbo engines"

[240ZX]

i think we should be careful when throwing around oil names for suggestions, different oils come in various visocities, types, castor/ synthetic etc and each engine has its specific uses and corresponding needs.

so a 40wt oil used in a fleet vehicle is not necessarily the oil of choice for your weekend Z with 150k racked up.

FWIW i have ran Mobil 1 in my engine which was the wrong choice. its way way to thin, couldnt hold its viscosity when the temps rose on the racetrack and oil pressure dropped, pluss it leaked past the valve guides and rings and dissapeared out the exhaust.

changed to a synthetic castrol racing oil with (from memory) a 20w60 rating which held its viscosity better, it was alot thicker to begin with, and i didnt lose oil. of course this may be a little to thick for a fresh built engine with new style piston rings....

its horses for courses.

Check the manufcaturer recommendations for your driving conditions, they know best.

but generally the tolorances on our 30 plus year old engines are not in the ballpark to be using thin synthetic oils. the kind of oil you see labeled as "for high performance, turbo engines"

Interesting statement about Mobil 1 ! It almost seems funny, because many professional racers have sworn by it for many years. Maybe you just used the wrong wieght oil or your oil system had issues. Additionally, Mobil 1 filters are one of the best rated filters on the market...but they cost!

[Brett240]

Interesting statement about Mobil 1 ! It almost seems funny, because many professional racers have sworn by it for many years. Maybe you just used the wrong wieght oil or your oil system had issues. Additionally, Mobil 1 filters are one of the best rated filters on the market...but they cost!

Yep, and you can bet most racers (unless they like being at the back of the pack) use close tolerance engines with high tension rings that can take advantage of mobile 1. Its only funny if your ignorant of your engines limits and capabilities. No flame intended, but thats just how it is.

[240260280z]

Avoid K&N oil filters.  I just tried one for the first time on my Ridgeline.  They are too difficult to remove:

 

1. The fake 1" bolt head on the bottom is not deep enough for a socket or wrench. This coupled with the thick paint make it useless.

 

 

2. The shape of the body does not fit the standard oil filter socket that I use on all of my other Toyota and Honda oil filters.

 

The Purolator, Napa, and Mobil 1 filters work great.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had to use the old strap tool to remove... and I had put the thing on hand tight. 

[Chickenman]

When I had my Autocross/Hillclimb Camaro, I used a K&N filter.... once. Didn't like it.  Mechanical oil pressure gauge showed an immediate hot oil pressure drop of 5 psi. Indicating that filter medium was too restrictive. Went back to AC/Delco Synthetic oil filters ( Very good filters by independent studies )  and oil pressure was back at proper hot pressure.

Gauge was plumbed with a -4 AN braided line, not your typical 1/8" Nylon POS. So gauge was very fast reacting and accurate. Just my .02c.

I like factory Nissan filters on my Nissans and AC Delco on my Chevy's. Mann on my Audi. Mann would probably be fine on the Nissan or Chevy as well. Good filters.