Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Oil Filter??

[Cummins360]

Hi just a quick question, is there anything wrong with using a Wix oil filter on a 12 valve??

 

[DonTX]

This reference would seem to indicate it is not MOPAR approved. http://dodgeram.info/tsb/2001/09-004-01.htm

 

[Cummins360]

well besides that is there any known problems with it??

 

[bgilbert]

LOL yeah it's not approved by Cummins, but what do they know right. If you compare a Wix oil filter to a Fleetguard oil filter you'll see the difference in the filters externally where the oil enters the filter. Let alone internally.

 

[cruiser_2]

Ahhh you have just opened the proverbial can of worms. Everybody around here has all kinds of opinions as wo what is good and what isn't... I have been using WIX ssince my truck was new and have 0ver 480,000 miles with no problems. Whatever you do or what ever you use, make sure that you do it within the recommended time frame for your use.



ALL oil filters are made to a minimum specification specified for the part number. Some manufaacturers do it differently... I personally have had no problems with them. Use your own best judgement.



I have read many threads her saying how bad K&N air filters are and how badly the leak dust past them... I haven't found that to be the case. And BTW don't ever diss Amsoil products or the Wrath of Amsoil dealers here will berate you beyond your wildest imagination.



I personally used it for awhile and was a dealer for a couple years and found very little difference or improvements for the money.



Bottom line is that it is your truck and you controll what you do with it. You have no warranty issues to deal with so the Cummins Police around here can't fault you for using whatever you want.



BTW I am an certificated A&P mechanic (aircraft) and do all my own maintenance. I cut the case open on the oil filter and pull the media apart and look at what is filtered and look for metal in the filter... and I know most folks around here don't even come close to that, and that is what really tells you what is happening with your engine, along with oil analysis.



John

 

[JWestley]

I use fleetguards, so far so good

 

[NHays]

Wix is not a bad filter, but I do recommend you stay away from Fram. I have had some problems with them in the past. I use Donaldson currently and have no complaints thus far.

 

[WDixon27]

i've only added about 12k to the 304k that my truck had on it when i got it, so far i've just gone with the dealer filters, they are close to my shop and at $11 for 2 they are cheep enough and are probably fairly decent

 

[Matt42]

i've only added about 12k to the 304k that my truck had on it when i got it, so far i've just gone with the dealer filters, they are close to my shop and at $11 for 2 they are cheep enough and are probably fairly decent

If those are MoPar filters, the price is good. If they are some other brand, probably not.

 

[WDixon27]

mopar from the dodge store

If those are MoPar filters, the price is good. If they are some other brand, probably not.

 

[Coalsmoke]

Traditionally, fram builds the mopar truck filters, or at least they did have the contract too, probably just because they were the cheapest bidder. I use a Luberfiner filter, just because its top notch and rated for just about every industrial diesel application a person a can imagine. Wix makes a great automotive filter, one of the better ones out there IMO, and I would not have a problem putting one on my truck. Stay away from Fram.

 

[WDixon27]

fram?! well that sucks

Traditionally, fram builds the mopar truck filters, or at least they did have the contract too, probably just because they were the cheapest bidder. I use a Luberfiner filter, just because its top notch and rated for just about every industrial diesel application a person a can imagine. Wix makes a great automotive filter, one of the better ones out there IMO, and I would not have a problem putting one on my truck. Stay away from Fram.

 

[24V-DSL]

Well, that's the first I've heard that Fram does/did build Mopar filters. Any proof of this??



Mopar's are supposedly relabeled Fleetguard, altho not the Stratapore.

 

[Coalsmoke]

Just an internal and external comparison, even the tooling marks inside looked the same. I was talking with a local diesel products company here, when oil filters came up. He said Fram had a contract for Chrysler. Between that and the internal / external comparison, it seemed like a closed case to us.

 

[bgilbert]

Fleetguard builds the Mopar filters for the Cummins engine, not Fram. Fram = trash.

 

[Coalsmoke]

Fleetguard builds the Mopar filters for the Cummins engine, not Fram. Fram = trash.

Other than simply wanting this to be the case, do you have more substantial proof than I have? If so, put it on the table.

 

[Coalsmoke]

Here's a photo that clearly shows an example of the similarities I have seen. This is not my own photo, found it in cyberspace, but it illustrates my point. Maybe Chrysler decided to go and order a high-quality oil filter for the Cummins, after all, D/C is known for going the extra mile when building their trucks (BS) :-laf

 

[AWallace]

oil filter test

TDR Issue 32 starting on page 26 to 31 there is a comparison of several brands of filters. Wix builds a good filter. According to the test or comparison they were the first screw on oil filter built in 1954. I use theFleetguard LF3552 and order from Geno's I can do this and pay shipping as cheap as I can buy another brand locally. If I could not get the Fleetguard LF3552 I probably would go to a Wix. Wix does build a filter that is like the Mico-Glass LF3552 you can go to their web site and get the #. But when I checked the price I could still order from Geno's and pay shipping. It was about 13. 00 bucks. These 4 were banked together as the same maker Fleetguard 3349, Fleetguard 3552, Mopar 5016547AB & Motorcraft FL-896 These 3 were banked together as the same maker Napa Gold 1607, Penske PN3976 & Wix 51607.



95 2500 bone stock

 

[Joe G.]

AWallace,



Cummins recommends using the Fleetguard LF3894 Stratapore instead of the LF3552 Microglass on all 5. 9 engines. At least they did for 2nd gen trucks three or four years ago when I asked the Cummins parts guy. I buy my filters from a Peterbilt shop for less than Geno's. And a case of them is $5 less than buying them single.

 

[JWestley]

I was told to use the 3984 as well