A car engine without good lubrication cannot survive for too long.
Even if it does, its performance will keep getting progressively worse until it’s completely useless and it dies on you in the middle of nowhere.
The thing is, in order to run well, car engines (and engines on other vehicles such as motorbikes, boats, and so on) need to have a certain amount of oil in them. The oil acts as a lubricant, so that the pistons can move smoothly as the combustion process is running, so to speak.
On the other hand, the oil acts as a coolant, as it prevents the metal parts of the engine from touching each other directly. (When this happens, the engine will pretty much weld itself into a standstill due to the massive amount of friction.)
Our 3 Favorite Oil Filter
Now, if you’ve ever seen an oil change on a car, you’ve probably noticed that the old oil is all black and dirty, while the new oil has a different color (often light brown). This is because, after it’s spent some time in the engine, the oil will become dirty because the impurities from the fuel system will get caught up in it.
This is where oil filters come into play.
In this article, we’re going to present to you a list of excellent oil filters currently on the market. We’re confident that you’ll be able to find the best oil filter consumer reports suggest.
Without further ado, here’s the deal.
Best Oil Filter Consumer Reports
1. Mobil 1 M1-110
Utilizing special advanced technology to ensure you get the most powerful cleaning impact for your engine oil, so to speak, this M1 oil filter contains a synthetic fiber blend filter that makes sure that almost no impurities can enter the flow of oil in the engine.
The gasket on this model is lubricated, so fitting and removing it is a piece of cake. Also, once you put this oil filter on your engine, you can rest assured that the seal will be tight, so you don’t need to worry about any leaks.
- Synthetic fiber blend filter element
- Comes with a premium lubricated filter gasket
- Heavy-duty build withstands up to 9x the pressure of the common vehicle oil system
- The gasked provides a secure seal
- A tad expensive
2. Royal Purple 10-2835
As one of the top-rated oil filters, the Royal Purple 10-2835 is an oil filter brand that is definitely performance-oriented. With an efficiency that is similar to that of Mobil 1 M1-110, Royal Purple boasts of its durability and its resistance to high levels of internal pressure.
The Royal Purple 10-2835 uses premium synthetic micro-glass media. This helps you to achieve up to 99% efficiency when it comes to filtering even particles as small as 25 microns. This superior filtration quality brings about low flow limits that can give long life to the engine.
Royal Purple may be the best synthetic oil filter because of its silicone anti-drain back valve. This valve gets rid of oil drain during every shutdown, and so this prevents dry starts for your engine helping to extend its life. Silicon is also much stronger than standard nitrile rubber when it comes to both extremely high and low temperatures.
If you want to know who makes the best oil filters then the answer could be Royal Purple. This is because of its extra thick shell that gives it extreme strength and durability. Add to that the higher burst strength capacity brought about by heavy duty steel backplate.
Royal Purple also has an extra heavy-duty gasket made from superior quality nitrile rubber with a seal that is guaranteed leak-free. The special lubricating compound also helps to reduce torque when installing and removing the oil filter. Add to this the special ability of the heavy shell to provide the engine with an extra level of security against road debris puncture.199 Reviews
3. Bosch 3330 Premium FILTECH Oil Filter
Every Bosch oil filter review reveals that the Bosch 3330 features a silicon anti-drain back valve that prevents any possible dry starts for your engine. The valve does this by making sure that your vehicle has a fresh supply of oil when you start it.
With a top spot in oil filter rankings, the packaging of this canister-type oil filter is also satisfactory. The tight seal has a gasket design that features a high-quality lubricant yet is easy to remove. The canister also has a double-locked rolled seam that prevents leaks.
The Bosch 3330 filter boasts of a special blend of both natural and synthetic materials that promote the protection of the engine. These materials provide superior oil filtration. Moreover, the oil filter has a maximum filtering area of 42 percent, a media that is almost 30 percent thicker, and a screen that can filter harmful contaminants.
The Bosch 3330 keeps the engine oil relatively cleaner than ordinary oil filters for a longer period of time. Its premium filtration media can hold a maximum of 14 grams of contaminants and dirt. Add to that the metal-free cartridge filters that are specifically designed to fit your vehicle properly.
4. ACDelco PF2232 Professional Engine Oil Filter
ACDelco PF2232 features a multi-pass filtering efficiency of up to 98% even with dirt particles that measure as small as 25 to 30 microns in size. As one of the best oil filters on the market, the ACDelco PF2232 also has a special cellulose media that is capable of capturing particles even as small as 1/3 the width of a typical human hair. This guarantees a constant supply of clean oil for your engine.
In addition to its excellent filtering capabilities, this particular oil filter features a filtration process that is both consistent and dependable. This is because of its thermosetting adhesive seal. This seal holds the filtering media in its place.
The enhanced durability of the ACDelco PF2232 is due to a burst strength that is five times greater than the usual engine oil operating pressure. It is also considered one of the best filters for Duramax as well as LB7. ACDelco is also a brand that boasts of its capacity for keeping your engine clean for a very long time. In fact, it can exceed 6000 miles of travel, and this is efficient enough to last 6 months or even more.
5. Fram PH7317 Extra Guard Passenger Car
As one of the top-rated oil filters, The Fram PH7317 is not only one of the most affordable but also one of the best in terms of quality. The Fram PH7317 offers excellent durability with a protection for your engine for over 5,000 miles between each change.
This particular oil filter features a creative balance between its efficiency to trap dirt and its capacity to hold these particles. It is 95% efficient in terms of capturing dirt and contaminants. It is also made for use with mere conventional oil, thus making it easy to use.
Since the Fram PH7317 is designed for ordinary use, it is specially designed for daily driving. If you are an everyday driver who frequently performs maintenance checks on your vehicle, then you can make good use of the Fram PH3717.
The Fram PH3717 has an excellent filtration system that uses specially blended fibers and resin to create filter media that provides excellent protection for your engine. This oil filter is the perfect filter in case you are looking for something you can afford. However, as it is intended for low mileage, you will have to choose a tough guard or high mileage filter if you use the car a lot more.
The Fram PH3717 has a grip surface that is not found on many other oil filters. This grip surface is excellent for providing you with a better way to use torque and to avoid slips. In addition to that, this oil filter is excellent at fitting cars.
Best Oil Filter for Synthetic Oil Buying Guide
Things to Consider Before Buying the Best Oil Filter
There are things that you need to consider when buying oil filters. You cannot just buy one without enough information about the features and specifications offered by different brands.
1) Suitability – You should inspect the oil filter and check its specifications so that it should be easy to install. You should also make sure that it fits your car. Along with that, make sure that it tightly locks so that you cannot have excess material that flows back.
2) Efficiency – Choose an oil filter with a good anti-flow back design as much as possible as it does its work more thoroughly. Moreover, look for a sturdy and durable oil filter that is worth its price.
3) Maintenance – Clean your oil filter a few times every year, but try to do even more. Cleaning will help make it last longer as you try to keep it in good shape. The more you clean it, the easier it is to maintain it. More importantly, look for oil filters equipped with sockets that can be easily replaced.
4) Type – Choose a mechanical filter if you want the filter to take care of the oil by itself. Mechanical filters do not require anything in order to move the oil since the flow of the engine and the oil is the one that directs movement for the oil.
Choose magnetic filters on the condition that you will occasionally give it a maintenance check so that you can remove the magnetic particles.
5) Replacement – Drain the motor oil from your car. As soon as you have emptied out all the oil, use an oil filter wrench to remove the oil filter from its connector. The wrench will grasp the oil filter firmly.
6) Shape – Choose a canister filter because it is the more popular form and is relatively more efficient compared to the cartridge filter.
7) Size – Remember that the size of the oil filter does not necessarily say anything about its quality. When choosing which one to buy, check the details first and pay attention to the quality more than anything else.
8) Functionality – Remember that one oil filter may have entirely different features from another. For example, check first whether you are in for less or more mileage so that you can choose the best oil filter for your car.
Important Tips When Using the Best Oil Filter
Owning an oil filter is very important to the protection of your engine. Without it, your engine will have all the dirt and contaminants getting into it. Nonetheless, there are some things that you need to remember if you want to make the best out of your chosen oil filter.
Here are some things you should keep in mind before you purchase your first oil filter or when you are already using one.
- Better change your new filter every time you change your car’s oil. However, it is important to check on what the manufacturer recommends in the user’s manual.
- Use oil filters with both synthetic and conventional motor oils. More importantly, though, ask your car manufacturer or seller which grade of oil is best for your vehicle in order to give it the best fuel mileage and protection.
- Always make the best oil filter comparison if you have to buy a better filter. If you are using conventional oil, you may not have to choose any special filter. However, if you are using synthetic oil or you think it will take a longer time for you to change oil, then you should definitely go for top rated oil filters.
- Do not forget to mark the position of the filter when the gasket makes contact for the first time. Use a white paint pen for the filters with black or dark colors. For bright-colored oil filters, use black felt pens instead.
- Make sure that you tighten filters in place in order to prevent oil leaks. Use your hand to turn the filter in order to tighten it.
- Remember that just because the oil filter fits the threads on your engine, it does not mean that it can give you better filtration. Always follow the recommendation of the manufacturer.
- Make sure that the oil filters’ bypass valve rating, filter media, and flow rate suits your vehicle specifications. Never second-guess the manufacturer.
- Always purchase an oil filter that is an exact fit for your car. If you make a mistake with this, it can cause oil leaks in the filter area. It may also cause low oil pressure or an improper process of oil filtration.
- Keep in mind that success in vehicle maintenance does not only depend on your oil filter but also on cleaning your fuel injectors, using an OBD2 scanner to scan errors in the sensor, using premium fuels and much more.
- Make sure that sulphuric acid that results from the burning of petroleum in the engine will not contaminate the oil. Thus, you have to change your oil as often as possible. Don’t be like people who do not often change oil in order to save a few bucks.
- When removing the oil filter, drain the motor oil from your car first. As soon as you have emptied out all the oil, use an oil filter wrench to remove the oil filter from its connector. The wrench will grasp the oil filter firmly.
- When using used oil filters, handle them carefully as they are usually full of oil, debris or sludge. Do not dispose of them in a regular trash can. Use disposal services instead.
- Always watch out for leaks of fresh oil. If you suspect that you have a leaking filter, check its tightness using your hand. However, it is also good to refer this problem to a trusted mechanic.
Buying an Oil Filter Online
- When buying an oil filter online, always make sure that you are getting it from a company with a good reputation. Otherwise, it would be difficult or even impossible to return defective filters.
- Make sure that the properties of the oil filter that you desire are present before you make a purchase.
Conclusion
The best oil filter consumer reports are the Mobil 1 M1-110 oil filter. It is so because it has the highest efficiency percentage of 99.6 compared to the other oil filters. Moreover, it can capture up to a huge 28.0 grams of dirt. Add to that, the Mobil 1 M1-110 is known for those who may change their oil only after 12,000 miles of travel.
Aside from its resistance to long mileage, it can endure up to 9 times the operating pressure. This is far better than what any other oil filter can handle.
Also, it has the basics like the silicone anti-drain back valve, the aluminum canister and the high build quality that defines its durability.
However, it is interesting to note that the Royal Purple oil filter comes very close as the best oil filter with 99% efficiency and its nitrile rubber component that can withstand extreme temperatures. There is just no information though on its mileage capacity and the amount of dirt that it can collect.
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