Winter Oil Change, XL Wix Filter 51773

[Roadrunner777]

Up north, it's time to get ready for winter, and for people like myself, an oil change that we hope will last through the winter. I did mine yesterday and thought I would throw out a few notes:

1. The standard filter is WIX 51515. As noted in another forum, there is another filter that is a few inches longer, WIX 51773. If you go this route, you will increase oil capacity by 1/2 qt, and the filter will be much easier to reach when it is time to replace it. The flow/pressure specs are the same. As with any filter, you will want to pre-fill it with new oil to prevent start-up lifter clatter. The longer WIX filter will take almost a full quart to fill. This filter is about $10, which is high. But, hold one in your hand, and you will get it.

2. When I got this truck last winter, it was already sub-zero so I had Valvoline quick-change do the oil change. Now, I just removed that filter yesterday and it was undersized, compared to a standard filter. I suppose that is ok for the 3,000 miles they claim it is good for. They were also dishonest about checking the dif and transfer case fluids, but that's another story. The drain plug is 13mm, by the way.

3. Mobil 1 Extended Performance is the 15,000 mile oil. Amsoil and Mobile have been in an interesting battle to make the better synthetic oil, and Mobile just reformulated and is claiming to be better. With the XL filter, the engine will take a total of 5-1/2 quarts (including the one quart to fill the filter).

4. The total for oil and filter was about $55. I know for a lot of guys, that's kind of steep. But, it takes the place of 2-3 conventional oil changes, so it works out for me. If I were in a moderate zone, I would run regular oil and a regular wix filter.

5. Totally unrelated but not worth a thread... I installed an aftermarket seat heater, and it was much easier than expected. It can easily be installed without removing the seat. If you are thinking about this, reply or PM and I will throw out some details.

~Phil

 

[safn1949]

Gonna get the old girl back from the tranny rebuild on the first of Oct,might just do the synthetic and Wix filter as I let her sit outside a lot.Can't hurt,I only drive it 4000 miles a year.

 

[Roadrunner777]

I have learned something unfortunate. While the longer filter made sense on the face of it, it is a bad bad thing.

The long filter (Wix 51773 and every one I could cross-reference) is a 40 micron filter. The spec for the Explorer is 20 micron. Whether that actually matters depends greatly on how often you change your oil, and the quality of the oil. There is an SAE study that suggests using a 40 micron filter in a 20 micron application will double engine wear. There are a lot of caveats to the study, more than I wish to mention here.

If you are running the longer filter, I suggest either changing back to the OEM sized filter, or at least do some internet reading and decide for yourself. bobistheoilguy.com is a good start.

If anyone read my original post and decided to follow me into long-oil-filter-land, I'm sorry!

PS: There is a long 20 micron filter available from amsoil, #EA026. It's over $20, and the spec may just be a misprint on their website. I don't buy $20 filters, but I wanted to be complete.

 

[Fpo]

The wix 51773 is a 32 micron filter...

http://www.wixfilters.com/Lookup/PartDetails.aspx?Part=51773

PS: There is a long 20 micron filter available from amsoil, #EA026. It's over $20, and the spec may just be a misprint on their website. I don't buy $20 filters, but I wanted to be complete.

The AMSOIL Filter has a msrp of $23 -----> http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-produ...soil-ea-oil-filters/?code=EAO26-EA&zo=1667299


the micron rating is not a misprint

It is a 1 year / 25,000 mile filter.

But if you were getting oil it would be profitable to do a $10 wholesale Pc account.
then you would save 25-30% on everything they make.

Amsoil has 3 performance levels of oil
http://firstplaceoils.com/products/levels/performance_level.html

The best oil is 1 year /25,000 miles
the middle grade is 6 months /10,000 miles
the OE is to be changed at the interval your owners manual states.


Mobil one Extended P is one of the better oild that can be purchased at walmart.
But what people dont understand is not everyone is normal service.
Alot of people fall under severe service.
and you need to know the Severe service drain interval.
AMSOIL sig series is 25k normal 15k severe and the XL is 10 K for both normal and severe.

**EDIT From Mobil's website **
http://www.mobiloil.com/usa-english/motoroil/oils/oils_faqs.aspx#Mobil_1_Extended_Performance_FAQs6
we recommend that if consumers drive routinely in severe conditions that they follow the oil change interval recommended in their owner's manual for severe conditions. We define "severe conditions" as:
racing or commercial applications;
frequent towing or hauling;
extremely dusty or dirty conditions; or
excessive idling. **So if you fall under severe service you need to change at the interval in your owners manual **

Drop me a message if you have any questions.

 

[Maniak]

Is that ea026 a replacement for the ford 820s (like the pic shows) or for the fl1a? The 1st gens use the fl1a filter while the later 4.0 sohcs (I don't know about the newer 4.0 ohvs) use the 820.

Personally, I've been using the Wix 51515 as I'm getting them for about $3.50 each (I buy it by the case). We have 2 vehicles that use them, AND I use them for an external transmission filter). I'm also using Wix for the 820s (mustang) and another one for the 2000 civic (can't remember that p/n right now).

I'd like to find some larger filters as Wix is started to use smaller bodies on their filters to cut down on the number of line numbers... It bothers me enough that I may change filter brands once I'm through my current cases of filters even if I can't find a larger filter with comparable specs.

~Mark

 

[natenkiki2004]

There's a Baldwin B2-HPG that I've been thinking of grabbing for the spin on trans filters we have. Not sure if I want that expense for the oil filter, unless I really went 3,000-5,000 miles.

Generally in my research, the much larger filters will last much longer but that's because they let a larger particle through. It's said that the Wix glass synthetic filters do the same, regardless of size.

 

[Wolfie_85]

I'm really not big on trusting any oil, or even some newer cars that claim to go over 3-5,000 miles between changes. I worry about what makes it capable of that (you all know about Dex-Cool! That stuff is horrible, and "lasts longer". Not that it's oil, but you catch my drift), about things not getting the attention they should because you stop thinking about it regularly. Granted, synthetics DO hold up longer, but still, dirt and stuff. Still don't want to cross the 5,000 mile mark, personally.

That being said, I usually have my shop change my oil, as the landlord dislikes such things happening in the parking lot. So, he can change my oil in his nice, warm garage, and I will pay him $23. He uses the NAPA filters, and Castrol oil. My paws will be warm, and not frozen numb. I hate working on cars in winter! But that's my two cents.

 

[Fpo]

Is that ea026 a replacement for the ford 820s (like the pic shows) or for the fl1a? The 1st gens use the fl1a filter while the later 4.0 sohcs (I don't know about the newer 4.0 ohvs) use the 820.

Personally, I've been using the Wix 51515 as I'm getting them for about $3.50 each (I buy it by the case). We have 2 vehicles that use them, AND I use them for an external transmission filter). I'm also using Wix for the 820s (mustang) and another one for the 2000 civic (can't remember that p/n right now).

I'd like to find some larger filters as Wix is started to use smaller bodies on their filters to cut down on the number of line numbers... It bothers me enough that I may change filter brands once I'm through my current cases of filters even if I can't find a larger filter with comparable specs.

~Mark

The EO26 is bigger than the FL1A ( quite a Bit)
A FL1A in AMSOIL is a EAO15 (and is the same as the Wix 51515)
A EAO11 is the one for the FL820s
here is a a photo to show you the size

The EAO 15 is 5.3 inches tall the EAO26 is 6.6 better make sure a longer filter will fit so it does not hit the suspension or even the road before deciding to upgrade to a larger filter.

Here are some of the filter specs

Hope that helps.

 

[Fpo]

If you want really big filter (s) and want to relocate them...
here you go...

 

[shamal]

Change it more is my motto, you can't go wrong.

I buy my oil only when it's on sale, or by the case lot and it goes about 40% off, and is especially helpful for Mobile 1 because of the premium price. Filters go on sale 2-3 times a year around here, and I stock up then.
I've never lost an engine yet, touch wood, have some well over 25 years and running strong. Filters, grease and oil always seemed cheap to me; I learned in the logging business that these engines, pumps, drive trains etc love clean oil, regardless of which system it's in. One can second guess filter choice forever, if the oil is kept clean, it reduces that concern significantly for me. My son and his crew have been opening up various filters to discover what's in them, and some of the major brands are much poorer quality than others.
Here is a link that discusses engine oil and it's history ( http://www.carbibles.com/engineoil_bible.html ).
I grew up with the notion that molybdenum component starts to break down in oil as soon as it's installed and run, regardless of the mileage on the vehicle. For example if you changed the oil drove a thousand miles and parked the vehicle for a few months, you should still change the oil. I don't know if this still holds with modern oils, and especially synthetics.

 

[natenkiki2004]

For example if you changed the oil drove a thousand miles and parked the vehicle for a few months, you should still change the oil. I don't know if this still holds with modern oils, and especially synthetics.

I follow this practice but for a different reason. Due to the gasses and byproducts of compression, acids can be created and sent into the crankcase and then mixed with the oil. If the engine (any engine, small or in a vehicle) is going to sit for a while with any used oil, I would change it. I don't want acids in the oil eating at bearings or anything else. I try to be "green" (funny, I drive an Explorer...) but oil is cheap insurance and if it means the engine is going to last longer, to me, that's more "green".